Siege of Tellicherry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Tellicherry (Thalassery), Kerala
Part of the Second Anglo-Mysore War
Date 30 December 1779 to 18 January 1782 Location Tellicherry (Thalassery) Result British victory
Belligerents
East India Company Kingdom of Kottayam	Kingdom of Mysore Chirakkal Kadathanad
Commanders and leaders
Major John Cotgrave Major William Abington Pazhassi Raja	Sardar Ali Khan Sahib

The Siege of Tellicherry was a long military blockade. It happened in a place called Thalassery in North Malabar, India. A commander named Sirdar Ali from the Kingdom of Mysore led his army. They surrounded the British military base in Thalassery for 18 months.

The British soldiers and local leaders were trapped inside. They could not get supplies by land or by sea. This event took place during the Second Anglo-Mysore War. The siege finally ended when more British soldiers arrived from Bombay. They defeated the Mysore army. This victory helped the British take back areas that Mysore had conquered earlier.

What Was Tellicherry?

Tellicherry (Thalassery) became an important port city. It was controlled by the English East India Company. The British gained control of this area in 1705. They got it from the Kolathiri Raja, a local ruler.

Why the Siege Happened

Hyder Ali was the ruler of Mysore. He did not like the British and had fought them before. His main goal in the Second Anglo-Mysore War was to remove the British from South India. He wanted to conquer the entire region.

The Malabar area had been under Mysore's control since 1774. But people there were constantly rebelling. The British secretly sent weapons to these rebels. This made Hyder Ali very angry.

Tellicherry was also a key naval base for the British. It was on the southwest coast of India. If Hyder Ali could capture Tellicherry, it would greatly weaken the British navy. This would make it harder for them to control the seas around India.

So, Hyder Ali decided to attack Tellicherry. He wanted to stop the flow of weapons to the rebels. He also wanted to cripple British naval power. This was all part of his bigger plan to push the British out of South India.

The First Attempt to Attack Tellicherry

In 1778, Hyder Ali ordered one of his allies, Rama Varma. He was the Raja of Chirakkal. Hyder Ali told him to surround Tellicherry. The Raja did this with a large army.

However, Hyder Ali had an enemy named Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja. He was the acting Raja of Kottayam. Pazhassi Raja was an ally of the British. He quickly gathered his forces. He surrounded the Mysore army that was besieging Tellicherry. He cut off all their food and supplies. This forced the Mysore army to retreat.

The Main Siege Begins

In 1779, the Chirakkal army returned. They had about 4,000 soldiers. They were joined by 2,500 soldiers from Mysore. This combined force defeated the Kottayam army. Then, they invaded the nearby kingdom of Kadathanad. This kingdom supported the British.

The Mysore army put a new ruler on the throne of Kadathanad. This new ruler was loyal to Hyder Ali. He then gave 2,000 of his own soldiers to Hyder Ali. This made the attacking army even larger.

This big army once again surrounded Tellicherry in 1779. The British soldiers inside the fort were running low on men and food. Pazhassi Raja helped them. He sent 1,000 of his own soldiers. He also sent all his extra food harvest to the Tellicherry fort. This gave the trapped British soldiers more time.

The siege continued for a long time. The British managed to get more soldiers and cannons. At first, the British only had two groups of soldiers in Tellicherry. But Pazhassi Raja's 1,000 men were soon joined by four more groups of soldiers. They also got many more cannons.

The Fight for Survival

The British and their allies from Kottayam fought very hard. They defended the fort for many months. The Mysore army attacked again and again. But each attack was pushed back. The siege went on until 1782.

Then, the British leaders thought about a plan. It was suggested by Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja. His idea was for the British soldiers inside the fort to attack the Mysore army. They would try to split the enemy into two groups. At the same time, another part of Pazhassi Raja's army would attack the Mysore forces from behind. The British decided to use this plan.

The End of the Siege

In 1782, the British and Kottayam soldiers launched a fierce attack. Just as planned, 1,000 more of Kottayam Raja's soldiers suddenly appeared. They attacked the Mysore army from behind. This was a disaster for the Mysore army and their allies. Their forces were split into two.

The enemy soldiers retreated in confusion and panic. Many of them were captured. Sirdar Khan, the Mysore commander, was badly wounded and sick. He was taken prisoner and died while in captivity.

This big defeat for the Mysore army caused a huge rebellion. People all over Malabar rose up. They attacked and destroyed many Mysore regiments. For a short time, the people of Malabar regained their freedom.

See also

• Anglo-Mysore Wars
• Mysore invasion of Kerala