Tipu Sultan Fort
Tipu Sultan's Fort is a historical fort located in Srirangapatna, the historical capital city of the Kingdom of Mysore in present-day South Indian state of Karnataka. Built by the Timmanna Nayaka in 1454, the fort was modified by King Haider Ali & King Tipu Sultan and fully fortified in the late 18th century with the help of French architects. King Tipu Sultan wanted to protect it against British invaders associated with the East India Company.
Rivers protect the fort on three sides. The river Kaveri borders the fort in one direction; in the West and Northern directions it is protected by the river Cauvery. The fort contained Lal Mahal and King Tipu Sultan's palace, which were demolished when the British captured it in 1799. There are seven outlets and two dungeons.
Several structures and elements are maintained as protected monuments under the Bangalore Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India: Colonel Bailey's Dungeon; Daria Daulat Bagh; Gumbaj containing tomb of King Tipu Sultan; Juma Masjid ; Obelisk monuments, and Fort walls near the breach the spot where King Tipu Sultan's Body was found; the Sri Kanthirava statue in Narasimha Temple; Sri Ranganatha Svami Temple; and Thomas Inman's Dungeon.
History
The fort is believed to have been built in 1454 CE by Timmanna Nayaka, a ruler of the Vijayanagar Empire. The fort was in the hands of the Empire until 1495, when the Wodeyars overpowered the Vijayanagar rulers. The fort subsequently changed hands among the competing Nawab of Arcot, Peshwas and the Marathas.The Wodeyars moved their capital from Mysore to Srirangapatna and established the fort as the seat of the empire. The region and the fort were changed during the rule of Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar, but the three subsequent rulers did not affect it. During the rule of Krishnaraja Wodeyar, the kingdom became a strong military force; it was controlled by military general Hyder Ali. During 1757 King Hyder Ali had to cede the fort to the invading Marathas for 32 lakh rupees, but he regained it later.
During 1782, King Tipu Sultan, the son of King Hyder Ali, took control of the fort and added fortifications. King Tipu Sultan's territory was invaded many times by British forces. King Tipu Sultan had an alliance with the French and appealed by letter to Napoleon for aid. After several unsuccessful attempts, British forces of the East India Company, under the command of Colonel Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, attacked on 4 May 1799. The forces had 2,494 British soldiers and 1,882 Indian troops. The soldiers waited in trenches until mid-day before advancing across the river, as that was the period of rest for the fort watchmen. Colonel Beatson wrote an account of the offensive in his manuscripts.
After King Tipu Sultan was martyred in the battle, the English officials signed a treaty with the Wodeyar queen. Richard Colley Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley of Norragh, was in charge. Later known as Mornington, he was Governor-General of India. This battle is considered one of the turning points in the colonization strategy of the East India Company.