First Anglo-Mysore War

The First Anglo-Mysore War was fought between 1767 and 1769 in southern India between the Sultanate of Mysore, led by Hyder Ali, and the East India Company with its ally the Nawab of the Carnatic. It was instigated in part by the Nizam of Hyderabad, Asaf Jah II, who wanted to divert Company resources from the Northern Circars. After British commanders failed to defeat Hyder decisively, he split his army in November 1768, regained many posts in the Carnatic, and led a picked force of 6,000 cavalry on a three-day forced march of 130 miles to the gates of Madras. The Company, whose capital had been left nearly defenceless, negotiated the Treaty of Madras, signed on 29 March 1769, under which each side would support the other if attacked. The unresolved rivalry led to the Second Anglo-Mysore War in 1780 and ended only with the defeat and death of Hyder's son Tipu Sultan in 1799.