The Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780–1784) was an armed conflict fought on the Indian subcontinent between forces of the Kingdom of Mysore and the British East India Company. The fighting took place mainly in southern India and ended without a decisive victory for either side; peace was concluded with the Treaty of Mangalore, which largely returned relations to their pre-war condition.
Background and causes
The war grew out of long-term rivalry for influence in southern India. Mysore, a major state in the region, had developed political and military ties with the French, while the East India Company represented British commercial and territorial interests. Tensions increased as both powers competed for allies, territory, and control of trade routes. Hyder Ali, who led Mysore at the time, sought external support to check Company expansion and to strengthen his position in the region.
Course of the war
Hostilities began in 1780 and included sieges, pitched battles, and mobile campaigning across several fronts. Both sides experienced successes and setbacks. Mysore's forces, under Hyder Ali and later his son Tipu Sultan, inflicted notable reverses on Company troops, while the British used their naval and financial resources to sustain long campaigns and support allied native states.
Outcome
After four years of intermittent warfare and negotiation, the belligerents agreed to end the fighting. The 1784 treaty re-established the status quo ante bellum: territories captured during the war were exchanged, and neither party achieved lasting territorial gains. The conflict, however, set the stage for further Anglo–Mysore confrontations later in the century.
- Dates: 1780–1784
- Main belligerents: Kingdom of Mysore and the British East India Company
- Result: Treaty of Mangalore; no decisive winner