The Princely State of Mysore was formed by the British East India Company in the year 1799 after the victory of the British in the Fourth Anglo Mysore War. It remained under the indirect rule of the Company during the British Raj in India. The princely state existed until the year 1947 and was later acceded to the newly formed Union of India. It was created out of the Kingdom of Mysore which was ruled by the well known Muslim Sultans like Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan between the years 1761 and 1799. This State was among the 3 largest princely states during the British rule in India.

Following the fall of Tipu Sultan, a part of kingdom was annexed and shared between the Madras Presidency, under the British East India Company, and the Nizam. The rest of the territory was given the status of a Princely State under the rule of the 5-year old scion of the Wo?eyar family, Krishnaraja III, and his Chief Minister, Diwa? Pur?aiah. Lieutenant Col. Barry Close was the British resident-in-charge.

The British controlled the foreign policy for Mysore and extracted an annual tribute and subsidy for maintaining a standing British army in the state. The diwa? demonstrated a progressive and innovative administrative approach till he retired in 1811 CE, after the king’s 16th birthday.

Until 1820 CE, the British maintained cordial relations with the Princely State of Mysore. In 1831, complaining of maladministration, the British took direct control of the state. For the next half century, Mysore was ruled by a British Commissioner. Sir Mark Cubbon served from 1834 CE to 1861 CE and was known for his excellent statesmanship. He put an efficient and successful administration system in place and converted the Princely State into a well-developed one.

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