General David Baird Discovering the Body of Tipu Sultan on 4 May, 1799
In a previous post, we explored the heroic downfall of Tipu Sultan as he valiantly defended his kingdom during the 4th Anglo-Mysore War on May 4, 1799.
The siege of Srirangapatna began on 4 May, 1799, around 1:30 pm, with the British gaining full control of the area by 2:30 pm. It was believed that Tipu Sultan, along with his chief officers, had escaped the assault and sought refuge within the palace.
General David Baird tasked Major Alexander Allan, the Deputy Quarter-master General, with offering protection to the people inside the palace, including Tipu Sultan himself, on the condition of their immediate surrender. Major Allan's mission was to ease their fears and persuade them to open the palace gates to the British troops outside, who were prepared to either storm the walls or peacefully take control.
Carrying a white cloth attached to a sergeant's pike, Major Allan approached the palace. Upon arrival, he noticed several of Tipu's people gathered on a balcony, visibly distressed. Allan relayed General Baird's message, offering them their lives in exchange for surrendering without resistance. He urged them to promptly inform Tipu Sultan of this proposal.
The killedar (Officer-in-charge of the fort) and a few others hesitantly descended from the balcony. Major Allan assured them of their protection and proposed personally delivering these assurances to Tipu by going to the palace. Despite their reluctance, Major Allan insisted on accompanying them back to the palace.
Accompanied by Captain Hastings Fraser and Captain Scohey, a skilled linguist, Major Allan entered the balcony. Mir Nadim, the killedar, and others confirmed that Tipu's family were inside the palace, but not the Sultan himself.
Major Allan immediately sent a message to the princes, warning them of their critical situation. In response, the princes conveyed that they would receive him once a carpet had been prepared for his arrival. Shortly thereafter, Mir Nadim arrived to escort Allan to the princes.
Two of the princes, Muiz-ud-din and Muhi-ud-din, were seated on a carpet, surrounded by numerous attendants. Major Allan graciously accepted their invitation and took a seat in front of them. Meeting Muiz-ud-din once more brought back memories for Major Allan of the time when Muiz-ud-din and his brother were captured as hostages by Marquis Cornwallis. Despite their efforts to hide it, their fear was evident. Allan extended his hand to Muiz-ud-din, assuring him that no harm would come to him, his brother, or anyone in the palace.
Allan pleaded with Muiz-ud-din, explaining that revealing his father's hiding place was the only way to save his life. After consulting with his attendants, Muiz-ud-din informed Allan that the Sultan was not in the palace. Allan then requested the princes to open the gates, but they insisted that only their father had the authority to make that decision.
To gain their trust, Major Allan suggested placing their own sepoy guard inside the palace and a group of Europeans outside. He promised that no one would enter the palace without his authorization, and pledged to stay with them until General David Baird's arrival.
The gate swung open, and the princes were escorted to the entrance where General Baird and several officers awaited them. Major Allan briefed General Baird on the situation with the two princes, who maintained their innocence and ignorance about their father's whereabouts, except that he was not in the palace. The princes expressed their willingness to surrender themselves and the palace in exchange for protection.
David Baird welcomed the princes, reassuring them of their safety, and then handed them over to Lieutenant-Colonel Agnew and Captain Marriott, who escorted them to the headquarters.
General Baird decided to search the palace, stationing a strong force outside the Zenana to prevent Tipu's escape.
Major Allan implored the killedar to reveal the Sultan's hiding place for the safety of both the killedar and the Sultan. The killedar solemnly declared that the Sultan was not in the palace, revealing that he had been severely wounded during the attack and was lying in a gateway on the north side of the fort.
Upon receiving the news, General Baird proceeded to the gateway, which was strewn with the bodies of hundreds of slain soldiers. The darkness and the sheer number of corpses made it difficult to identify anyone, creating a truly shocking scene. However, recognizing the immense political significance of confirming the death of Tipu, the bodies were moved out, and the killedar and two others were instructed to examine them one by one.
As darkness fell, a light was procured. Tipu's horse, which had been shot, and his palanquin were first discovered. Amidst the search, Raza Khan, one of Tipu's most trusted servants who had stayed by his side all day, was found wounded and lying under the palanquin. Raza Khan, upon being informed of the purpose of the search, pointed out the spot where the Sultan had fallen.
Despite the dim light making it difficult for the killedar to identify the features, the body was eventually located and confirmed to be that of the Sultan. It was then carried in a palanquin to the palace, where it was once again identified by the eunuchs and other servants of the family.
When the body of Tipu Sultan was brought out from under the gateway, his eyes were open and his body was still warm. For a brief moment, Colonel Arthur Wellesley and Major Allan were unsure if he was still alive. However, after checking his pulse and heart, they confirmed his passing. Tipu had sustained four wounds, three in his body, likely from bayonets, and one in his temple. A musket ball had entered just above his right ear and lodged in his cheek.
"The Sultan had been shot, a little above the right ear, by a musket ball, which lodged near the mouth, in his left cheek; he had also received three wounds, apparently with the bayonet, in his right side," noted Alexander Beatson.
Tipu Sultan was dressed in a fine white linen jacket, loose flowered chintz trousers, and a crimson silk and cotton cloth around his waist. He wore a handsome pouch with a red and green silk belt slung across his shoulder. His turban had fallen off, leaving his head bare. He wore an amulet on his arm, but no other ornaments.
"Tipu was of low stature; corpulent, with high shoulders, and a short thick neck, but his feet and hands were remarkably small; his complexion was rather dark; his eyes large and prominent, with small arched eye-brows, and his nose aquiline. He had an appearance of dignity, or perhaps of sternness in his countenance, which distinguished him above the common order of people," recorded Major Allan.
Another officer noted, "The body was still warm when we discovered it. He appeared to be rather above the middle size, stout and well made; his head was shaved close, he seemed to be between forty and fifty, and rather corpulent. His dress was very plain."
A British officer removed from the Sultan's right arm a talisman containing an amulet made of a fragile silver-colored metallic substance. The amulet was sewn into pieces of fine flowered silk, along with manuscripts written in magical Arabic and Persian characters. Another officer found a small Koran enclosed in a silver case that the Sultan always wore around his neck, which had become detached during the commotion.
Afterwards, Tipu Sultan's body was interred in the mausoleum of his father, Hyder Ali Khan at Lal Bagh.
With the fall of Tipu Sultan, Mysore came under British rule, and a small portion of it was restored to the Wodeyars.
Notes:
General David Baird, who was part of Colonel Baillie's force, was taken prisoner at Pollilur on 10 September, 1780. He was imprisoned by Hyder Ali at Srirangapatna, where he spent nearly four years in a dungeon before being released at the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784.
The siege of Srirangapatna began on 4 May, 1799, around 1:30 pm, with the British gaining full control of the area by 2:30 pm. It was believed that Tipu Sultan, along with his chief officers, had escaped the assault and sought refuge within the palace.
General David Baird tasked Major Alexander Allan, the Deputy Quarter-master General, with offering protection to the people inside the palace, including Tipu Sultan himself, on the condition of their immediate surrender. Major Allan's mission was to ease their fears and persuade them to open the palace gates to the British troops outside, who were prepared to either storm the walls or peacefully take control.
 |
| Sir Alexander Allan (Oil on canvas) By Arthur William Devis |
Carrying a white cloth attached to a sergeant's pike, Major Allan approached the palace. Upon arrival, he noticed several of Tipu's people gathered on a balcony, visibly distressed. Allan relayed General Baird's message, offering them their lives in exchange for surrendering without resistance. He urged them to promptly inform Tipu Sultan of this proposal.
The killedar (Officer-in-charge of the fort) and a few others hesitantly descended from the balcony. Major Allan assured them of their protection and proposed personally delivering these assurances to Tipu by going to the palace. Despite their reluctance, Major Allan insisted on accompanying them back to the palace.
Accompanied by Captain Hastings Fraser and Captain Scohey, a skilled linguist, Major Allan entered the balcony. Mir Nadim, the killedar, and others confirmed that Tipu's family were inside the palace, but not the Sultan himself.
Major Allan immediately sent a message to the princes, warning them of their critical situation. In response, the princes conveyed that they would receive him once a carpet had been prepared for his arrival. Shortly thereafter, Mir Nadim arrived to escort Allan to the princes.
Two of the princes, Muiz-ud-din and Muhi-ud-din, were seated on a carpet, surrounded by numerous attendants. Major Allan graciously accepted their invitation and took a seat in front of them. Meeting Muiz-ud-din once more brought back memories for Major Allan of the time when Muiz-ud-din and his brother were captured as hostages by Marquis Cornwallis. Despite their efforts to hide it, their fear was evident. Allan extended his hand to Muiz-ud-din, assuring him that no harm would come to him, his brother, or anyone in the palace.
Allan pleaded with Muiz-ud-din, explaining that revealing his father's hiding place was the only way to save his life. After consulting with his attendants, Muiz-ud-din informed Allan that the Sultan was not in the palace. Allan then requested the princes to open the gates, but they insisted that only their father had the authority to make that decision.
To gain their trust, Major Allan suggested placing their own sepoy guard inside the palace and a group of Europeans outside. He promised that no one would enter the palace without his authorization, and pledged to stay with them until General David Baird's arrival.
The gate swung open, and the princes were escorted to the entrance where General Baird and several officers awaited them. Major Allan briefed General Baird on the situation with the two princes, who maintained their innocence and ignorance about their father's whereabouts, except that he was not in the palace. The princes expressed their willingness to surrender themselves and the palace in exchange for protection.
David Baird welcomed the princes, reassuring them of their safety, and then handed them over to Lieutenant-Colonel Agnew and Captain Marriott, who escorted them to the headquarters.
 |
| General Sir David Baird Discovering the Body of Sultan Tippoo Sahib after having Captured Seringapatam, on the 4th May, 1799 (Oil on canvas) By Sir David Wilkie |
General Baird decided to search the palace, stationing a strong force outside the Zenana to prevent Tipu's escape.
Major Allan implored the killedar to reveal the Sultan's hiding place for the safety of both the killedar and the Sultan. The killedar solemnly declared that the Sultan was not in the palace, revealing that he had been severely wounded during the attack and was lying in a gateway on the north side of the fort.
Upon receiving the news, General Baird proceeded to the gateway, which was strewn with the bodies of hundreds of slain soldiers. The darkness and the sheer number of corpses made it difficult to identify anyone, creating a truly shocking scene. However, recognizing the immense political significance of confirming the death of Tipu, the bodies were moved out, and the killedar and two others were instructed to examine them one by one.
As darkness fell, a light was procured. Tipu's horse, which had been shot, and his palanquin were first discovered. Amidst the search, Raza Khan, one of Tipu's most trusted servants who had stayed by his side all day, was found wounded and lying under the palanquin. Raza Khan, upon being informed of the purpose of the search, pointed out the spot where the Sultan had fallen.
Despite the dim light making it difficult for the killedar to identify the features, the body was eventually located and confirmed to be that of the Sultan. It was then carried in a palanquin to the palace, where it was once again identified by the eunuchs and other servants of the family.
When the body of Tipu Sultan was brought out from under the gateway, his eyes were open and his body was still warm. For a brief moment, Colonel Arthur Wellesley and Major Allan were unsure if he was still alive. However, after checking his pulse and heart, they confirmed his passing. Tipu had sustained four wounds, three in his body, likely from bayonets, and one in his temple. A musket ball had entered just above his right ear and lodged in his cheek.
 |
| The Finding of the Body of Tippoo Sahib (Oil on canvas) By Arthur William Devis |
"The Sultan had been shot, a little above the right ear, by a musket ball, which lodged near the mouth, in his left cheek; he had also received three wounds, apparently with the bayonet, in his right side," noted Alexander Beatson.
Tipu Sultan was dressed in a fine white linen jacket, loose flowered chintz trousers, and a crimson silk and cotton cloth around his waist. He wore a handsome pouch with a red and green silk belt slung across his shoulder. His turban had fallen off, leaving his head bare. He wore an amulet on his arm, but no other ornaments.
"Tipu was of low stature; corpulent, with high shoulders, and a short thick neck, but his feet and hands were remarkably small; his complexion was rather dark; his eyes large and prominent, with small arched eye-brows, and his nose aquiline. He had an appearance of dignity, or perhaps of sternness in his countenance, which distinguished him above the common order of people," recorded Major Allan.
Another officer noted, "The body was still warm when we discovered it. He appeared to be rather above the middle size, stout and well made; his head was shaved close, he seemed to be between forty and fifty, and rather corpulent. His dress was very plain."
A British officer removed from the Sultan's right arm a talisman containing an amulet made of a fragile silver-colored metallic substance. The amulet was sewn into pieces of fine flowered silk, along with manuscripts written in magical Arabic and Persian characters. Another officer found a small Koran enclosed in a silver case that the Sultan always wore around his neck, which had become detached during the commotion.
Afterwards, Tipu Sultan's body was interred in the mausoleum of his father, Hyder Ali Khan at Lal Bagh.
With the fall of Tipu Sultan, Mysore came under British rule, and a small portion of it was restored to the Wodeyars.
Notes:
General David Baird, who was part of Colonel Baillie's force, was taken prisoner at Pollilur on 10 September, 1780. He was imprisoned by Hyder Ali at Srirangapatna, where he spent nearly four years in a dungeon before being released at the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784.
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