Tipu Sultan – A Ruler Ahead Of His Time

Dr. K.K.N. Kurup

    Tipu Sultan, who was destined to rule a kingdom bequeathed by his father Haider Ali ascended the throne amidst the prolonged wars against East India Company. The war known as Second Anglo-Mysore war was terminated by the treaty of Mangalore in 1784, and peace was established for the time being. The treaty proved his wisdom in state craft and far sightedness as a military genius. However, the hostility between the Company and Mysore came into pitched battles in 1792 and 1799. The last one ended in his physical liquidation at Seringa Patanam. During this short span of 16 years he was dragged to military confrontations with the rulers of Bednore, Malabar chiefs, the rulers of Coorg, Nizam, the Marathas and the English East India Company. In fact, he was on the saddle to command his disciplined and much loyal armies every where. No ruler had faced such a situation and the political policy of territorial expansion of the East India Company in the south.

                 With all such negative contributions for an effective and progressive administrative system, he proved himself one of the ablest rulers of India. Historians like Mark Wilks often criticized him as a fanatic who was destined to lose the kingdom by his religious policy. But the historical objectivity based on sources would reveal that he was the founder of modern Karnataka state through his multi faceted and dynamic developmental policies. Many of such policies were ahead of his time. They contributed to a quick transformation from medievalism to the modernity.
     
                Although several concessions were given to the Muslims in his state, it was not an Islamic theocratic state. It was also not a military state, when his military officialdom was powerful. His state had introduced several reforms and many of them were strange to the contemporary states. His policy of state trading in spices often brought him into conflict with the foreign powers who claimed for a monopoly over spices in Malabar. His policy of state loan from public was a new experiment. New agriculture was introduced in waste land for which revenue concession was also granted for a stipulated period. A separate department was introduced to improve the veterinary stock and cross breeding was also practiced. His coinage system was appreciated by the Europeans for numismatic quality. He encouraged the planting of sandal wood and other avenue trees under a systematic programme. The encouragement given by him to silk-weaving and cultivation of mulbery plants made Mysore world famous for finest varieties of silk.
     
                His extensive laws for organization of a navy in the modern system with harbours, naval board, ship buildings, etc. were much ahead of his time. He desired to organize a powerful navy to counteract the European activities in India.
     
                His armoury manufactured the super quality brass guns which were superior to the European items. In the manufacture of medicines also such superiority prevailed. The department of industry was active with a large number of trade centres. In fact there were no such programmes for the Indian rulers.
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Dr. K.K.N. Kurup - Former Vice Chancellor, Calicut University, Director General, Centre for Heritage Studies, Cultural Affairs Department, Govt. of Kerala.
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