Battle of Nedumkotta facts for kids

The Battle of Nedumkotta was an important fight that happened from December 1789 to May 1790. It helped start the Third Anglo-Mysore War. This battle was fought between Tipu Sultan, who ruled the Kingdom of Mysore, and Dharma Raja, the Maharaja of Travancore. Tipu Sultan's army attacked a strong defense line called the Nedumkotta in the Thrissur district, near the Travancore border. The Travancore army, led by Raja Kesavadas, who was the chief minister (Dewan) of Travancore, successfully pushed back the Mysore army.

Quick facts for kids Battle of Nedumkotta
Part of the Third Anglo-Mysore War
Tipu Sultan's advance on the lines of Travancore, by James Grant (c 1896).
Date 28 December 1789 to May 1790 Location Nedumkotta, Thrissur 10°16′N 76°20′E / 10.27°N 76.34°E / 10.27; 76.34 Result Travancore victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Mysore	Kingdom of Travancore
Commanders and leaders
Tipu Sultan Jemaul Beig  † Chevalier de Lalée	Dharma Raja Kesava Pillai
Strength
Total: 30000 20000 Infantry 5000 Pikemen 5000 Cavalry 20 Cannons	Total: 50000 8000 European model Indian Infantry 800 Cavalry 200 Cannons
Casualties and losses
1000 killed and wounded	200 killed and wounded

Why Travancore Was Important

The Travancore army, also known as the Nair Brigade, had become weaker. This was after many battles with the forces of Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan's father. A Dutch commander named Eustachius De Lannoy died in 1777. This made the soldiers feel even less confident.

In 1786, two princesses were adopted into the Travancore royal family. This happened because some members of the royal family had passed away. As Tipu Sultan's invasion seemed likely, the Maharaja of Travancore, Dharma Raja, worked to rebuild his army. He appointed new leaders like Chempakaraman Pillai and Kesava Pillai.

Preparing for the Battle

Tipu Sultan had planned to invade Travancore for many years. He was especially worried about the Nedumkotta forts. These forts had stopped his father, Hyder Ali, from taking over the kingdom before.

Towards the end of 1789, Tipu Sultan moved his troops from Coimbatore. His army was very large. It included 20,000 foot soldiers, 5,000 horsemen, and 20 cannons.

The Travancore Army had over 50,000 trained soldiers. They had infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Many were trained in European fighting styles. They used European weapons, which they bought from the English and the Dutch. European, Eurasian, Nair, and Pashtun commanders led this army.

A Nair Sepoy of Travancore, drawn in 1878. Part of the Travancore army was trained in European ways.

Travancore bought two important forts, Cranganore and Ayacottah, from the Dutch. This was to make their country's defenses stronger. Dewan Kesava Pillai completed this deal. Both Tipu Sultan and the British Governor John Holland were against these purchases. This was because the forts were in the Kingdom of Cochin, even though the Dutch had owned them for a long time.

Kesava Pillai became the main commander of the Travancore Army. To make the army stronger, thousands of young citizen-soldiers were called up from all over the kingdom. The forts of Cranganore and Ayacottah were fixed and filled with soldiers. Tipu Sultan sent a letter to the King of Travancore. He demanded that Travancore soldiers leave Cranganore Fort. He also wanted the Malabar chiefs and nobles who were hiding in Travancore to be handed over. Finally, he demanded that Travancore tear down its walls built in Cochin territory. The king of Travancore refused all of Tipu's demands.

The First Attack

Some Mysorean soldiers went into Travancorean jungles. They said they were looking for people who had run away. But they were found by Travancore army patrols and were fired upon.

On December 28, 1789, Mysorean troops attacked the eastern part of the Travancore defense line. They took over some parts of the wall as the Travancoreans pulled back. But then, a Travancore force of 800 Nairs stood their ground. They used a 6-pounder gun and stopped the Mysoreans.

At first, the Mysoreans took over three gun positions. But then, shots came from the woods. They were surprised and became disorganized. A small group of twenty Travancore soldiers then attacked their side. This killed the Mysore Army's commanding officer. The Mysore troops became completely confused and ran away.

More Travancore soldiers arrived during the four-hour battle. The panic among the Mysoreans grew. Retreating soldiers were pushed into a ditch. Others were forced in by the crowd behind them. The Mysoreans had used cotton sacks and powder barrels to fill the ditch when they attacked. These had caught fire. This made them jump from the walls. Those who fell into the ditch died.

The Sultan himself was thrown down in the chaos. The people carrying his palanquin (a type of covered chair) were trampled to death. Some loyal followers saved him, but he was injured. The Mysoreans lost about 1000 soldiers and fled in fear. Travancore had about 200 casualties. Several Mysorean soldiers were captured, including some from Europe and the Maratha region. The Travancore Army found Tipu Sultan's sword, palanquin, dagger, ring, and other personal items in the ditches of Nedumkotta. They gave them to the ruler of Travancore. Some were sent to the Nawab of Carnatic when he asked for them.

Use of rockets by Mysorean troops on Travancore Line fortification and the Travancorean defence using a 6-pounder gun (29 December 1789)

Some people have questioned if Tipu was actually injured or even present at this battle. Tipu himself said he wasn't there or aware of it. The Governor of Madras also said Tipu wasn't present. The Raja of Travancore only mentioned capturing Mysorean horses, flags, and drums.

The Second Battle

Rocket being lighted by a Mysorean soldier

Tipu Sultan was now determined to get revenge on Travancore. He stayed near the northern border and gathered a large army there. It included foot soldiers, horsemen, and cannons. The British government in Madras was told about Tipu's position. The Maharaja of Travancore received promises of help from the British Governor if an invasion happened. Meanwhile, Travancore repaired its northern defense line. They also gathered all available troops there. New soldiers were recruited. Guns, supplies, and ammunition were stored in their weapons depots.

On March 1, 1790, 1,000 Travancore troops moved into Mysore territory. Mysorean troops stopped them and pushed them back, causing many losses. Tipu's cannons began firing on March 6. When the wall didn't seem to be affected, more cannons were set up closer to the northern wall. The largest guns were used, which fired very powerfully. On April 9, 1790, 1,500 Travancore troops tried again to advance into Mysore territory. But again, Mysorean troops stopped and pushed them back.

The wall held against Mysorean fire for almost a month. On April 15, a large opening, about three-quarters of a mile long, was made in the wall. The Travancore troops left the Travancore lines and retreated. Tipu Sultan took about 6,000 soldiers and moved towards the Travancore position. On April 18, 1790, Tipu arrived within one mile of Cranganur and set up his cannons. On May 8, he successfully took over Cranganur. Soon, Travancore forces left forts like Ayicotta and Parur and retreated.

A part of the Mysorean army, led by de Lalée, went to Kuriapilly. This area was also left empty by the Travancoreans. The entire defense line fell into Tipu Sultan's hands. He captured 200 cannons of different sizes and metals. He also got a huge amount of ammunition and other war supplies. These were sent to Coimbatore as trophies.

While the fighting was happening, two British East India Company regiments stayed at Aycottah. Another group of soldiers, including European and local regiments, landed from Bombay. They were led by Colonel Hartley at Monambam and Palliport. They just watched the battle. They said they had no orders from the Governor of Madras to fight Tipu Sultan.

Tipu Sultan's first goal was to destroy the Travancore lines and fill up the ditch. He even picked up a pickaxe himself to set an example. Everyone else followed, and his army finished tearing down the wall.

Tipu Sultan advanced as far as Alwaye. Then, the south-west monsoon season started with very heavy rains. The Aluva river, which usually rises after a few showers, became full and overflowed its banks. This caused great trouble for Tipu's army and made it almost impossible for them to march. The river current was so strong that even local people found it hard to cross. The area around was full of rivers and streams, and large rice fields were underwater. Tipu and his army were surprised by this scene, which they had rarely seen before. They were confused by their difficult situation. His army had no shelter, no dry place to gather, and all their ammunition and equipment got wet. Food also became scarce.

Kesava Pillai, after leaving Paravoor, made every military station stronger. This included places by the sea and at Arookutty. He built fences at every backwater passage. He also fortified the defense line and gun positions between Kumarakam and the Kundoor hills at Poonjar. All important officers, both military and financial, were placed in position. Local officials were told to stay at middle stations and gather irregular militia. These militias were armed with whatever weapons people could find, like bows, arrows, swords, and clubs.

He told the Maha Raja that Tipu Sultan's advance from Aluva was completely stopped by the rain. Any attempt to march his army from Aluva further inland would be stopped by the natural defenses of the country. He also said that the line between Kumarakam and Kundoor hills had been strongly blocked. A regular militia also lined the hills and the sea.

The British Governor of Madras wrote to Dharma Raja. He promised that preparations were being made to attack Tipu Sultan. While Tipu was in his uncomfortable camp at Aluva, he received news. Hostilities had begun, and a large East India Company force was gathering at Trichinopoly. The Sultan needed to retreat quickly. All the rivers were full. The country was underwater. Except for boats, no other way of travel could be used in that part of the country at that time. Tipu Sultan divided his army into two parts. He ordered one part to retreat through Chalakudy to Trichoor and then to Palghat. The other part was to go through Cranganore and Chavakkad to Palghat.

What Happened Next

Mysore's actions against Travancore broke the Treaty of Mangalore. This led to more fighting with the British Empire, starting the Third Anglo-Mysore War. The Travancore army joined the British army at Falghautcherry, Coimbatore, and Dindigul. They fought under British officers against Mysore until the war ended. The war ended with the Treaty of Seringapatam. The Mysorean invasion gave the East India Company a chance to take over and control the old kingdoms of Malabar. It also forced Travancore to accept the company's subsidiary alliance, which meant Travancore would rely on the British for protection.

See also

• Battle of Colachel
• Battle of Thrissur
• Mysore's campaigns against the states of Malabar (1757)
• Mysorean invasion of Malabar
• Battle of Manacaud

Images for kids

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  Tipu Sultan's advance on the lines of Travancore, by James Grant (c 1896).

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  A Nair Sepoy of Travancore, drawn in 1878: A portion of Travancore army during Dharma Raja's reign was trained and disciplined in European manner.

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  Use of rockets by Mysorean troops on Travancore Line fortification and the Travancorean defence using a 6-pounder gun (29 December 1789)

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  Rocket being lighted by a Mysorean soldier