Warren Hastings

The Treaty of Salbai established the British influence in Indian politics. It provided the British twenty years of peace with the Marathas. The Treaty also enabled the British to exert pressure on Mysore with the help of the Marathas in recovering their territories from Haider Ali. Thus, the British, on the one hand, saved themselves from the combined opposition of Indian powers and on the other, succeeded in dividing the Indian powers.

The Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84)

The first Anglo-Mysore War took place in 1767-69. Haider Ali emerged victorious against the British and at the end of the War a defensive treaty was concluded between Haider Ali
and the British. After eleven years, the Second Mysore War broke out and the main causes for the second Anglo-Mysore War were:

1. The British failed to fulfill the terms of the defensive treaty with Haider when he was attacked by the Marathas in 1771.

2. There was an outbreak of hostilities between the English and the French (an ally of Haider) during the American War of Independence.

3. The British captured Mahe, a French settlement within Haider ’s territories.

4. Haider Ali formed a grand alliance with the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas against the British in 1779.

The War began when the British led their forces through Haider’s territory without his permission to capture Guntur in the Northern Sarkars. Haider Ali defeated Colonel Baillie and captured Arcot in 1780. In the next year, Warren Hastings, by a clever stroke of diplomacy, divided the Confederacy. He made peace with the Nizam, won the friendship of Bhonsle and came to an understanding with the Scindia (both Marathas). Consequently, Haider was isolated without any alliance. He was defeated by Sir Eyre Coote at Porto Novo in March 1781. In December 1782, Haider died of cancer at the age of sixty and his death was kept secret till his son Tipu Sultan assumed power.

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