Opposition to British Rule in Karnataka and Wodeyars of Mysore

Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about Opposition to British Rule in Karnataka and Wodeyars of Mysore from Class 10 Social Science. We will explore the Wodeyars of Mysore, Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan, the Anglo Mysore wars, Dondiya Wagh, the rebellion of Kittur led by Rani Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna, the rebellion of Amara Sullya, the rebellion of Surapura, and the rebellion of the Halagali Bedas. [CHECKPOINT] The present Karnataka was scattered among various principalities before integration. Apart from establishing political supremacy during the later part of the 18th century, the British exploited the people in agriculture and trade in order to protect their own interests. These exploitations created insecurities across Karnataka. The local kings suffered insecurities. As a result, rebellions against the British broke out in most parts of Karnataka. In the beginning, the Zamindars and Kings battled against the British individually without attaining unity among them. Let us begin with the Wodeyars of Mysore, who ruled from 1399 to 1947. [CHECKPOINT] Mysore state continued the tradition and revived the lost glory of Karnataka after the fall of the Vijaya Nagara empire. Hadinadu, a Paleyapattu near Mysore town, was ruled by Chamaraja, a feudatory of Srirangapattana Mandalika. He died without any sons, and the dalvoy Maranayaka of Karugalli administered it and demanded the princess in marriage to him. Nobody agreed for it. At this time, Yaduraya with his brother Krishnaraya from Dwaraka of Gujarat came to Mysore. Voluntarily he came to help the Maharani and killed Maranayaka. This pleased the Maharani who gave her daughter in marriage to him. Thus the Wodeyar dynasty was started. This dynasty was ruled by 25 Wodeyars starting from Yaduraya to Jayachamaraja Wodeyar. Let us understand some of the important Wodeyars. [CHECKPOINT] Raja Wodeyar ruled from 1578 to 1617. The credit of expanding the small paleyapattu into a large Mysore goes to him. Srirangapattana was captured from the representative of Vijayanagara and made it as his capital. Further, the surrounding areas were occupied and expanded his kingdom. He revived the temples of Srirangapattana, Mysore, and Melukote. The Rajamudi, the crown, was offered to lord Cheluvanarayana Swamy. He started the Navaratri, also known as the Dasara festival of Mysore province, in Srirangapatna. Next, Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar ruled from 1673 to 1704. He was an efficient soldier and administrator. He checked the invasion of Shivaji at Madurai, Ikkeri, and Bijapur. He captured Magadi, Madhugiri, Koratagere, and other places. He purchased Bangalore from the Mughal military general. He held titles like Karnataka Kavichakravarthi, Aprathima veera, Thenkanaraja, and Navakoti Narayana. He started the council of ministers known as Athara Kacheri to help in administration. The postal system came into being during his time. A dam was constructed across river Cauvery, and the Chikka Devaraja and Dodda Devaraja Canal were also constructed for irrigation. He patronised many poets like Thirumalarya and Sanchi Honnamma. [CHECKPOINT] Now let us move on to the Rule of Commissioners from 1831 to 1881. After the death of Tippu Sultan, Krishnaraja Wodeyar the Third ascended the throne with the consent of the British. The British took Mysore state under their direct control in 1830 due to the rebel at Nagara in Shivamogga District. The period between 1831 to 1881 is called the rule of commissioners. During this period, Krishnaraja Wodeyar repeatedly tried to regain power. Finally, the government of England in 1867 took a decision to return Mysore to the Wodeyars family. There was a condition added in this decision. The condition was that only the successor of Krishnaraja Wodeyar the Third would be considered for the throne, but not Krishnaraja Wodeyar the Third himself. The very next year of this information, Krishnaraja Wodeyar died in 1868. His successor Chamaraja the Tenth ascended the throne when he reached adulthood. Seven commissioners administered the state between 1831 and 1881. The important among them were Mark Cubbon and L.B. Bowring, who ruled for 27 years and 8 years respectively. During the administrative period of Cubbon, English education, Judiciary, and many other fields were modernised. The reforms of two commissioners made a long term impact on Mysore state. The last commissioner James Gorden handed over the administration to the Mysore royal family in 1881. [CHECKPOINT] Chamarajendra Wodeyar the Tenth ruled from 1881 to 1894. As per the promise made by the British, the Mysore throne was handed over to Chamarajendra the Tenth in 1881. The Commissioners rule came to an end and a British Resident was appointed. Along with this, C. Rangacharlu was appointed as dewan. He was an efficient administrator and liberal minded. He established the Mysore Representative Assembly. Gold mines in Kolar in 1881, and the Bangalore to Mysore Railway line in 1882 were also started. After the death of Rangacharlu in 1883, K. Sheshadri Iyer became the dewan. As he had a vast experience of having worked in different positions, he was responsible for many new railway lines. In order to select the talented youngsters for various administrative positions, he started the Mysore civil services examinations. Because of his efforts, The Mysore Infant Marriages Prevention Regulation was implemented in 1894. The Shimsha Hydro Electric Power Project was started. During the period of Chamaraja the Tenth, more importance was given to irrigation. Special importance to girls education was given by establishing Maharani Girls High School. Chamarajendra Wodeyar gave shelter to Vivekananda when he came to Mysore and also helped him to participate in the parliament of world religions at Chicago. As he had love towards Kannada and Sanskrit, he patronised many scholars. Basappa shastry was important among them, who had written many books and was known as Abhinava Kalidasa, and has composed the State Anthem of Mysore, Kayo Sri Gowri. [CHECKPOINT] Krishnaraja Wodeyar the Fourth ruled from 1894 to 1940. The queen Krishnaraja Wodeyar the Fourth regent, Vanivilasa Sannidana Kempa Nanjammanni, looked after the administration. She was helped by the dewans and the advisory council which led to developmental works. Reforms in Gold mines, establishment of colleges, construction of Marikanive reservoir, Railways, Hospitals, and Hydro electric project across Cauveri at Shivanasamudra were started. Electricity was supplied to Kolar Gold mines and to Bangalore. The first city to be electrified in India was Bangalore. Krishnaraja Wodeyar the Fourth assumed power legally in 1902. He was lucky to have the illuminating services of the dewans like P.N. Krishnamurthy, V.P. Madhava Rao, Sir M. Visvesvarayya, Kantharaja Urs, Sir Albion Banerjee, Sir Mirja Ismail, and others. The progressive visionary of Krishna Raja Wodeyar the Fourth had efficient administration of his Diwans which made the Mysore State become one of the leading provinces in the nation. He was very much interested in spreading education among his people. He abolished fees in all primary schools to develop primary education. He helped girls education. He started the University of Mysore and also started scholarships for students continuing education in foreign countries. In 1909, the Indian Institute of Science was established at Bangalore with the help of Tata. Special attention was given to the development of Irrigation. A barrage was constructed across Cauvery near Belagola. New railway lines were laid. Many small and large scale industries were started. Among them were the Iron and Steel Factory, Cement Factory, Paper mills at Bhadravathi, Sugar Factory at Mandya, Sandal oil factory at Mysore, Soap factory at Bangalore, and Chemical and Fertilisers factory at Belagola. A Legislative council was formed, which was a great step in Legislative measures. Krishnaraja Wodeyar the Fourth was a man of simple mild nature and an efficient administrator. He had a lot of interest towards fine arts and encouraged musicians like Shyama sastry, M. Hiriyanna, Veena Seshanna, Sambayya, Bidaram Krishnappa, Muttaiah Bhagavatar, Vasudevacharya, and T. Chowdaiah. Mysore became a Model State due to his administration. Mahatma Gandhiji called him Rajarshi. [CHECKPOINT] Jayachamaraja Wodeyar ruled from 1940 to 1950. He came to the throne after the death of Krishnaraja Wodeyar. He had his education in general and Special colleges. He toured the world and got good knowledge. He had the services of Dewan Mirza Ismail, Nyapathi Madhava rao, and Arcot Ramaswamy Mudaliar. He was a great scholar, musicologist, orator, and a great patron of literature and fine arts. He had written a number of books and also composed many devotional songs. He became the governor of Mysore after India became Independent. Now let us move to the Opposition to British Rule in Karnataka. In Indian History, the 18th century was considered as The century of political problems. There were many reasons for this. The death of Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor in 1707, was the main reason. His death weakened the Mughal empire. As a result, the Mughal lost political control over South India. A lot of political struggles took place in the Carnatic region. In this backdrop, the British tightened their political grip over India. India underwent many political transitions. The native rulers opposed the British in many ways. [CHECKPOINT] Let us study Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan. The death of Chikkadevaraj Wodeyar in 1704 created various political challenges in Mysuru state. His death created the problems of succession and administration. All these developments clouded the politics of Mysuru. Hyder Ali gained prominence in this scenario of uncertainty that clouded over the Mysuru and Carnatic region. Hyder Ali soon became popular in using arms and experiments. He undertook the invasion of the forces by active military operations and suppressed Dalvoys. He imprisoned Krishna Raja Wodeyar the Second and kept him under house arrest and took over the power. He became famous as Nawab Hyder Ali in a short time. This situation was timely utilised by both the French and the English for their political power. The Anglo Mysore Wars lasted from 1767 to 1799. The First Anglo Mysore War started in 1767 and ended in 1769. The prominence gained by Hyder Ali in the South was not tolerated by the British, Marathas, and the Nizam of Hyderabad. Hence, the British started devising cunning plans to defeat Hyder Ali whom they saw as an impediment for their expansionist ideas. Though Hyder Ali suffered political and financial loss due to the Maratha aggression, he made attempts to have Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad on his sides with a little success. The British entered into an agreement with the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad against Hyder Ali. A tripartite alliance emerged. But Hyder Ali, with manipulative ideas, was successful in breaking the alliance. He also created enmity and distrust among the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the British. [CHECKPOINT] Meanwhile, political disturbances emerged in Arcot. In 1767, Hyder Ali and the Nizam of Hyderabad attacked Arcot. But the King of Arcot had an alliance with the British. The war started with this incident. The battles took place in Thiruchanapalli, Thiruvannamalai, Ambur, and other places. Hyder Ali organized lightning attacks in these battles. The British military captured a few places. Hyder Ali suffered temporary setbacks. The British Military from Bombay joined the war. Hyder Ali considered the war as a challenge to his personal power, and continued with the war. His army reached Madras by 1769 and created panic among the British. Inevitably, the British entered an agreement with Hyder Ali through the Madras Treaty. The First Anglo Mysore War ended with the signing of the Madras Treaty in 1769. The Second Anglo Mysore War took place from 1780 to 1784. The Madras Treaty had put the political developments in South India on a temporary hold. The British attempted to break the Madras Treaty. When Madhava Rao attacked Srirangapattana with the Maratha army, Hyder Ali expected the British to support him as per the Madras Treaty. But the British rejected the request of Hyder Ali and went against the Madras Treaty. Mahe, the French colony, was under the hold of Hyder Ali. The British attacked Mahe and captured it. This became the reason for the Second Anglo Mysore War. The Second Anglo Mysore war started in 1780. In the beginning, Hyder Ali gained the upper hand. He captured many forts of the Carnatic region. Kanchipuram was captured by Hyder Ali. The Mysore army reached till the Coromandel coast. The British officers became worried. Hyder Ali attacked Arcot and captured it. He also threatened to attack Wandiwash and Vellore. An army was kept on standby by the British, and it was led by Sir Eyre Coot. He followed Hyder Ali’s army till Pondicherry. The French refused to support Hyder Ali against the British. Hyder Ali changed his war strategy with this development. He attacked regions under British control and captured a large booty of arms and wealth. In 1781, Hyder Ali was defeated in a battle held in Porto Nova by the British. This increased the confidence of the British and also changed the direction of the battle. But they suffered financial setbacks in Pulicat and Solingur. Meanwhile, by entering into the Salbai Agreement, the British were successful in winning over the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad to their side. Hyder Ali died due to illness during the war in 1782. The war was led by his son Tippu Sultan. [CHECKPOINT] Tippu Sultan was waging war in the Malabar region when Hyder Ali died. The British tried to take advantage of Hyder Ali’s death by invading Mangalore and Bidanoor. They also tried to instigate the rulers of Calicut and Malabar regions against Tippu Sultan. Tippu Sultan thought of all these developments and decided to protect Mangalore and the coastal regions. He defeated the British. The Treaty of Mangalore ended the Second Anglo Mysore War in 1784. Tippu Sultan felt that the British were the major obstacle for his policy of expansion. So, he tried to drive them out seriously. He became the ruler of Mysore after Hyder Ali’s death. He understood the cunning policies of the British. He considered it as his duty to drive the British out of India. He waged war against the British throughout his seventeen years of rule. He had clearly understood the cunningness, strategies, and clever manipulations of the British. He knew that hurting the business interest of the British would weaken the political strength of the British. He tried to organize the enemies of the British into one group. He tried to break the monopoly of the British over trade with India. These attempts further angered the British, and their enmity with Tippu Sultan grew up. Note this important box for your exams: Among all the attempts done during the 18th century to stop the British, the efforts of Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan stand out due to many aspects. They knew that they could not defeat the British with their traditional arms. Hence, they modernized their army. The soldiers of the Mysore Army were capable of using modern weapons and do drills like the European armies. Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan used missiles during the war for the first time in India. Apart from modern weapons, both of them knew that they needed funds in their treasury for the battles. Hyder Ali had witnessed many Nawabs going bankrupt while waging war against the British. So, both of them took measures to strengthen their economic system by entering into various agreements and trade pacts. They brought tobacco, sandalwood, and others under the state monopoly. They invited French experts to improve the quality of traditional artifacts of Mysore in order to gain better market share at international markets. [CHECKPOINT] The Third Anglo Mysore War followed. The political situation of Travancore was the main reason for this war. The king of Travancore built a fort in Kochi with the help of the British and captured Ayacotta and Kanganoor forts from the Dutch. All these were a clear breach of the Mangalore Treaty. The British captured Karwar, Coimbatore, Dindigul, and other regions under the leadership of General Meadows. Tippu Sultan entered the region of Baramahal and captured Sathyamangalam. He later attempted to capture Thiruchanapalli but failed in his attempt. Meanwhile, Lord Cornwallis took over the leadership of the British Army, and this changed the course of the war. The British Army captured Kolar and Hosakote and rushed towards Bangalore under the leadership of Lord Cornwallis. The army captured Bangalore and destroyed the fort. After capturing Bangalore, Lord Cornwallis sought the help of Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad to defeat Tippu Sultan. The war took another conclusive turn with the joining of the Marathas and Hyderabad forces with the British. The Marathas captured Savanoor, Gajendraghad, Lakshmeshwara, Hubballi, and other places. The combined army marched towards Srirangapattana by capturing fort after fort in 1792. The fort was destroyed during the night. Disturbed by these developments, Tippu Sultan tried to enter into an agreement with the British. It was inevitable for him. He signed the Treaty of Srirangapatna in 1792 which had unfavourable conditions. With this, the Third Anglo Mysore War came to an end. The British were successful in inserting unfavourable conditions in order to weaken Tippu Sultan. Tippu was forced to part with half of his kingdom, was forced to pay three crore rupees as war damage fee, and had to pledge two of his sons as a guarantee against the payment. He was also forced to release the prisoners of war. The British withdrew the combined army from Srirangapatna. [CHECKPOINT] The Fourth Anglo Mysore War began after Tippu Sultan took the defeat in the Third Anglo Mysore war personally. He paid off all the dues and got his children released. He also gave away the territory to the British and its allies as agreed. He claimed his right over the Malabar regions under the British occupation. But the British refused this argument. Lord Wellesley became the Governor General of India in 1798. The political activities against Tippu Sultan became intensified during this period. Tippu’s attempt to form an alliance of local rulers and his closeness with the French angered Lord Wellesley further. Tippu sent an ambassador to France to seek the alliance of the French. This enraged the British. They thought that an alliance between France and Tippu Sultan would threaten the existence of the British in India. Another treaty, the Subsidiary Alliance, containing inhuman and impractical conditions was forced upon Tippu Sultan. Tippu rejected this. His refusal started the Fourth Anglo Mysore War. The war started in 1799. The British were able to destroy the strong Srirangapatna fort. Tippu died while fighting the British in 1799. With the death of Tippu Sultan, the British were happy as if the whole India came under their rule. Most of the territories under Tippu’s rule were shared among the British, the Marathas, and the Nizam of Hyderabad. A small territory was handed over to the royal representative of Mysore Wodeyars. This region came to be known as the Mysore Princely State. [CHECKPOINT] Let us now study Dondiya Wagh in 1800. Many rebellions and protests against the British took place in Karnataka after the death of Tippu Sultan. These were armed rebellions and took place during the first part of the 19th century. Among them, the rebellion led by Dondiya Wagh is an important rebellion. Dondiya was born in a Maratha family of Chennagiri. He was called the Wagh, the tiger, due to his bravery. Wagh means tiger in the Marathi language. In 1779, he started his career as a cavalry soldier in Hyder Ali’s army and grew to the position of a military general. He built his own private army and fought along with Tippu Sultan. Due to differences with Tippu, he was imprisoned. The British released him from the prison after the Fourth Anglo Mysore War. He built a small army and started his operations. He organized the army with the unhappy soldiers of Tippu’s army and the feudatory rulers who had lost power. He captured Bidanoor and Shivamogga forts and made an unsuccessful attempt to capture Chitradurga fort. Lord Wellesley tried to check this rebellion. An attack was organized on Shivamogga, Honnali, Harihara, and other places under the control of Dondiya. Dondiya lost his base. After the capture of Shikaripura, Dondiya ran away towards Gutti, which was under the control of the Nizam of Hyderabad. When the Nizam’s army attacked Gutti, Dondiya had to run towards the regions of the Marathas. The Maratha army attacked him and captured most of his horses, camels, and arms. In spite of these, he continued his warfare. Many unhappy palyegars encouraged Dondiya Wagh. The French at Mahe of Malabar also extended their support to him. The British army followed him in the vast area that included Harihara, Chitradurga, Shikaripura, Savanuru, Ranebennur, Kittur, and Londa. The British who took over Shirhatti killed many followers of Dondiya Wagh. Lord Wellesley decided to end the adventures of Dondiya Wagh. The British requested the help of local rulers. Dondiya had recaptured Shikaripura fort and he was scattered by the British army again. The British tried to defeat the army of Dondiya which used to move in the area between Tungabhadra and Malaprabha. They attacked him from all directions. He was followed by them when he left Raichur. When he was caught in between the Maratha Army and the Nizam’s army, the British attacked him near Yapalaperavi and killed him at Konagal. With the death of their leader, the followers of Dondiya scattered. The British captured a large scale of arms and ammunitions. [CHECKPOINT] Next is the Rebellion of Kittur, led by the Brave Queen Chennamma in 1824. The British brought in many changes in the administration after defeating the Marathas, Tippu, and Hyder Ali. Denying the right of adopted children over the throne was one of such rules. Though Dalhousie introduced The Doctrine of lapse in 1848, they followed such a principle much before in the case of Kittur without any legal sanctity. Kittur became a victim of this policy. The rebellion led by Chennamma, the queen of Kittur, opposing this law is a prominent one. Kittur lies between Dharwad and Belagavi. After the death of her husband Mallasarja, Chennamma, the queen of Mallasarja, took active interest in the administrative matters. After the death of Mallasarja, his son Shivalingarudra Sarja took over the reign of Kittur. Due to his failing health, Chennamma had to take care of day to day administration. Shivalinga Sarja supported the British during the Maratha war. As a result, the British entered into an agreement with Kittur and collected payment from him. This agreement was entered into during the time of Thomas Munroe. After the death of Shivalingarudra Sarja, Chennamma adopted a boy named Shivalingappa and started ruling Kittur as a queen regent. Then, Thackeray was the Collector and political agent of the British in Dharwad. He sent a report to the Governor of Bombay and attempted to take over Kittur Kingdom under the Doctrine of Lapse policy. He attempted to take over the treasury and fort under his control. Chennamma considered war as inevitable. She prepared for the war. Meanwhile, the British also prepared themselves for the war. In the battle, Thackeray was shot dead. Many British were taken as prisoners of war. The British attacked Kittur again under the leadership of Colonel Deak. The army fought the battle bravely. Chennamma attempted to flee from the battle field. But she was captured by the British army. Chennamma and others were imprisoned at Bylahongala fort. Queen Chennamma passed away in the prison. She has remained an ideal person till today. [CHECKPOINT] Sangolli Rayanna fought from 1829 to 1830. The name of Sangolli Rayanna has remained famous along with the name of Rani Chennamma. Rayanna was a brave soldier. He fought for the independence of Kittur and felt it was his duty to liberate his motherland. He fought against the British and was imprisoned along with her. He was later released by the British. There are many oral histories about Rayanna. He developed a sense of nationalism and went on organizing an army. He organized secret meetings at sensitive places. He aimed at looting the treasury and taluk offices of the British. He had an army of five hundred men. He became furious with the villagers who were assisting the British army. The British thought that Rayanna was being instigated by Rani Chennamma. Hence, they shifted Chennamma to Kusugal prison from Bylahongala. The British devised a cunning strategy to capture Rayanna. They encouraged Desais who were opposing Rani Chennamma. An Amaldar named Krishnaraya joined hands with them. Thus, Rayanna was cunningly captured and brought down to Dharwad. Many of his soldiers surrendered after his arrest. He was declared as a main offender and was hanged to death at Nandagadh on 26th January in 1831. Many ballads have kept the life and bravery of Rayanna alive even today. [CHECKPOINT] The Rebellion of Amara Sullya followed. This rebellion was basically a farmers’ rebellion. This rebellion needs to be understood in the backdrop of political situations prevalent in coastal Karnataka and Kodagu regions during 1835 to 1837. The British dethroned the ruler of Kodagu, Chikkaveerarajendra of the Haleri dynasty, in 1834. He was later transferred to Vellore through Bangalore and later to Kashi. This incident created political instability in Kodagu. Swami Aparampara, Kalyanaswamy, and Puttabasappa organized a rebellion against this. All three declared that they were part of the Haleri dynasty that ruled Kodagu. Swami Aparampara assumed the leadership of the rebellion. He was captured in 1834 and shifted to Bangalore. Similarly, Kalyanaswami was captured in 1837 and placed in Mysore prison. The people of lower Kodagu continued the rebellion after the capture of Kalyanaswamy. Sullia, Bellare, and Puttur, the major places of the Canara region, were part of Amara Sullia. It is interesting to note that a farmer named Puttabasappa presented himself as Kalyanaswamy. This Puttabasappa later presented himself as Swami Aparampara. This also notes the fluid nature of the rebellion. Puttabasappa took over the leadership of the rebellion. The rebellion started in the hilly region. Puttabasappa organized the rebels and calmed down the people. He declared that tax on tobacco and salt will be withdrawn if the rebel government assumed power. The rich farmers, land owners, and local chieftains were assured of this move. The capture of the government office in Bellare was the first move in this rebellion. Puttabasappa killed an Amaldhar who was known for his brutality. This further increased the popularity of Puttabasappa. This incident gained more support for the rebellion, and the rebellion became more famous. The rebels marched towards Mangalore to capture it. The British were engaged in fortifying their fort in Mangalore. The rebels marched towards Mangalore through Panemangalore and Bantwal. They looted the treasury and prison of Bantwal. The British sought the army of Thalacheri, Cannanore, and Bombay to quell this uprising. On hearing this development, Puttabasappa and his associates fled towards Sullia. The British captured them with the help of people in Kodagu. Puttabasappa, Lakshmappa, Bangarasa, Kedambadi Ramayiah Gowda, and Guddemane Appaiah were hanged to death. Though the rebellion failed, it has an important place in the history of rebellions against the British. [CHECKPOINT] Now let us study the Rebellion of Surapura and Koppal. Surapura is located in the present Yadgir District. This was an important place since the rule of Aurangazeb of the Mughals. During the reign of the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas, it became a vassal state. Later, most of the territory was lost, and Surapura remained restricted to a smaller territory. During the reign of Venkatappa Nayaka, it raised a flame of rebellion against the British. Venkatappa came to the throne after the death of his father Krishna Nayaka. He was born in 1834 and came to the throne at an early age. His ascendance to the throne was opposed by Krishna Nayaka’s brother Peddanayaka. This resulted in internal struggles. The British interfered in the affairs of Surapura. In 1842, they appointed Meadows Taylor as their Resident and gained proxy power over Surapura. Taylor was a reformist. He developed the Surapura princely state. Peddanayaka was appointed as the Dewan of the state. Taylor conducted the land survey of the kingdom. The revenue of the state increased due to the measures implemented by Taylor. He took measures to educate Venkatappa Nayaka properly. He came to power in 1853. The British government was observing the various developments of Surapura. In 1857, it came to the notice of the government that the representatives of Nana Saheb were present in Surapura. This made the British suspicious of the King’s intentions. The British appointed an officer named Campbell to report on the various activities of the King. The officer submitted a report to the resident of Hyderabad that the King is involved in maladministration. Venkatappa Nayaka is usually presented as the leader of the 1857 revolt in Karnataka by historians. The British army captured Surapura in 1858. The war continued, and there is confusion regarding Venkatappa Nayaka’s end. The Koppal rebellion is an important rebellion in the various armed rebellions against the British. Koppal and the surrounding regions were under the rule of the Nizam of Hyderabad. There were exploitations. This enraged a few Zamindars who rebelled against the Nizam. Veerappa was an important person among the rebels. Veerappa, who was a Zamindar, rebelled against the British and occupied the fort of Koppal and other forts in the vicinity. Many farmers and Zamindars supported after realizing his motives. The British contacted the Nizam and employed their army to defeat Veerappa. Veerappa, who had lesser soldiers, died fighting the army of the British. The British captured back the fort of Koppal. Though this rebellion was a short-lived one, Veerappa proved himself to be a good warrior. [CHECKPOINT] The Rebellion of Bedas of Halagali is our next topic. Halagali is a small village of the Mudhol taluk of Bagalkote district. This was part of the Mudhol principality. In 1857, the British banned the usage of weapons. The Bedas, who always kept guns as part of their customs, were good hunters. They rebelled against the British when they were asked to surrender their firearms. The Bedas of Manturu, Boodni, Alagundi, and neighbouring villages joined the Halagali Bedas. The British army entered Halagali village to suppress the rebellion. They suppressed the Bedas in an inhuman way. All the rebels were hanged to death. Note this definition carefully for your exams: Arms act states that Indians were not allowed to possess the weapons without the permission of the government. [CHECKPOINT] Now, let us move to the exercises to ensure you are fully prepared for your examinations. I will read each question and provide the complete answer. Exercise One, Fill in the blanks with suitable answers. Question one: The First Anglo Mysore war took place between Hyder Ali and the British. Question two: The Second Anglo Mysore war ended with the Treaty of Mangalore. Question three: Raja Wodeyar made Srirangapattana as his capital. Question four: Kittur Rani Chennamma adopted a boy named Shivalingappa. Question five: Rayanna of Kittur state belonged to Sangolli village. Question six: Surapura is in the present district of Yadgir. Question seven: The Bedas of Halagali village of Bagalkote district rebelled against the British. Question eight: The Amara Sullia rebellion was basically a farmers rebellion. [CHECKPOINT] Exercise Two, Discuss in groups and answer later. I will provide the complete answers for your revision. Question nine: What are the achievements of Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar? Answer: Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar was an efficient soldier and administrator. He checked the invasion of Shivaji at Madurai, Ikkeri, and Bijapur. He captured Magadi, Madhugiri, Koratagere, and other places. He purchased Bangalore from the Mughal military general. He held titles like Karnataka Kavichakravarthi, Aprathima veera, Thenkanaraja, and Navakoti Narayana. He started the council of ministers known as Athara Kacheri. The postal system began during his time. He constructed a dam across river Cauvery and built the Chikka Devaraja and Dodda Devaraja Canal for irrigation. He patronised poets like Thirumalarya and Sanchi Honnamma. Question ten: How did Hyder Ali come to power? Answer: After the death of Chikkadevaraj Wodeyar in 1704, political uncertainty clouded Mysuru. Hyder Ali gained prominence by becoming popular in using arms and experiments. He undertook the invasion of forces by active military operations and suppressed Dalvoys. He imprisoned Krishna Raja Wodeyar the Second, kept him under house arrest, and took over the power, becoming famous as Nawab Hyder Ali. [CHECKPOINT] Question eleven: What were the effects of the Second Anglo Mysore war? Answer: The Second Anglo Mysore war ended with the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784. Tippu Sultan successfully defended Mangalore and coastal regions against British invasions. The war demonstrated the military strength of Mysore, forced the British to negotiate, and temporarily halted British expansion in South India. It also solidified Tippu Sultan's position as the ruler of Mysore after Hyder Ali's death in 1782. Question twelve: What were the conditions of the Srirangapatanam treaty? Answer: The Treaty of Srirangapatna in 1792 had unfavourable conditions for Tippu Sultan. He was forced to part with half of his kingdom, pay three crore rupees as a war damage fee, pledge two of his sons as a guarantee against the payment, and release the prisoners of war. Question thirteen: What were the achievements of Krishnaraja Wodeyar the Fourth? Answer: Krishnaraja Wodeyar the Fourth abolished fees in all primary schools, promoted girls education, started the University of Mysore, and provided scholarships for foreign education. In 1909, the Indian Institute of Science was established at Bangalore with Tata's help. He focused on irrigation, building a barrage across Cauvery near Belagola, laid new railway lines, and started industries like Iron and Steel, Cement, Paper mills at Bhadravathi, Sugar Factory at Mandya, Sandal oil factory at Mysore, Soap factory at Bangalore, and Chemical and Fertilisers factory at Belagola. He formed a Legislative council, patronised fine arts and musicians, and was called Rajarshi by Mahatma Gandhiji. [CHECKPOINT] Question fourteen: The Fourth Anglo Mysore war strengthened the position of the British in Mysore. Discuss. Answer: The Fourth Anglo Mysore war in 1799 resulted in the destruction of the Srirangapatna fort and the death of Tippu Sultan. The British shared most of Tippu's territories with the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad. A small territory was handed over to the Wodeyars, creating the Mysore Princely State under British influence. This victory eliminated a major Indian resistance, secured British political and economic dominance in South India, and paved the way for direct British control over Karnataka. Question fifteen: Explain the method of resisting the British power by Dondiya Wagh. Answer: Dondiya Wagh organized a private army with unhappy soldiers of Tippu’s army and feudatory rulers who lost power. He captured Bidanoor and Shivamogga forts and attempted to take Chitradurga. He used guerrilla tactics, moving across areas between Tungabhadra and Malaprabha, and gained support from unhappy palyegars and the French at Mahe. He continuously evaded capture by fleeing to Gutti and Maratha regions until he was finally attacked and killed at Konagal. [CHECKPOINT] Question sixteen: Explain the method adopted by Rayanna to fight the British. Answer: Sangolli Rayanna organized an army of five hundred men and held secret meetings at sensitive places. He aimed at looting the treasury and taluk offices of the British. He developed a strong sense of nationalism and targeted villagers who assisted the British. He continued guerrilla warfare until he was cunningly captured with the help of opposing Desais and an Amaldar named Krishnaraya, and was hanged at Nandagadh on 26th January 1831. Question seventeen: Explain the contributions of Puttabasappa of Kodagu in the freedom struggle. Answer: Puttabasappa led the Amara Sullia rebellion after Kalyanaswamy's capture. He presented himself as Swami Aparampara, organized rebels in the hilly region, calmed the people, and promised to withdraw taxes on tobacco and salt. He captured the government office in Bellare, killed a brutal Amaldhar, and marched towards Mangalore through Panemangalore and Bantwal, looting the treasury and prison. Though captured and hanged with his associates, his rebellion highlighted strong peasant resistance against British exploitation. Question eighteen: Discuss the Surapura rebellion in brief. Answer: Surapura, located in present Yadgir District, rebelled under Venkatappa Nayaka. After Meadows Taylor's reforms and Venkatappa's ascension in 1853, the British suspected his involvement with Nana Saheb's representatives in 1857. Despite a report by officer Campbell alleging maladministration, Venkatappa Nayaka is recognized as the leader of the 1857 revolt in Karnataka. The British captured Surapura in 1858, ending the rebellion. [CHECKPOINT] Exercise Three, Activities. Activity one: Read books on Sangolli Rayanna. Activity two: Collect more information on the life history of Rani Chennamma. Exercise Four, Projects. Project one: Organize a study tour to Surapura. Visit the fort and observe the speciality of the guest house built during the British period. Project two: Collect information on Mysore Palace. I strongly recommend completing these activities and projects to deepen your understanding of Karnataka's history and prepare thoroughly for your board examinations. Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]