5. Mysore, Marathas and the expansion of paramountcy
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The Anglo-Mysore Wars ended with the death of Tipu Sultan at Seringapatam in 1799 and the redistribution of Mysorean territories. The Anglo-Maratha Wars (1775–82, 1803–05 and 1817–18) ended Maratha confederate power. Lord Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance required an Indian ruler to accept British troops, pay for them and surrender independent diplomacy. It expanded British control without immediate annexation.
Exam lens Pair ruler, war and policy. Tipu Sultan is linked with Mysore and Seringapatam; the Peshwa and Maratha confederacy with the Third Anglo-Maratha War; Wellesley with Subsidiary Alliance. |
Exact associations
Association | Correct pairing |
Tipu Sultan | Fourth Anglo-Mysore War; 1799 |
Baji Rao II | Treaty of Bassein, 1802 |
Subsidiary Alliance | Wellesley; dependent alliance |
Third Anglo-Maratha War | 1817–18; end of Peshwa authority |
Worked understanding
Read this chapter as a connected chain: Mysore, Marathas and the expansion of paramountcy is linked to the institutions, people, dates and consequences above. On a direct SSC question, retrieve the exact association; on a higher-level question, add the reason or consequence rather than listing names.
Memory reconstruction Close the book and write five anchors for Mysore, Marathas and the expansion of paramountcy: date/period, place, person or organisation, immediate issue, and consequence. Then compare your answer with the table. |
Solved examples from this chapter
Question focus | Correct move | Answer |
Tipu Sultan died in: | He died defending Seringapatam in 1799. | B. 1799 |
Treaty of Bassein was signed with: | The treaty strengthened British influence over the Maratha confederacy. | A. Baji Rao II |
Subsidiary Alliance meant that the ruler generally: | The system created political dependence. | A. Accepted British troops and lost independent diplomacy |
What an examiner is testing
The options around Mysore, Marathas and the expansion of paramountcy are usually built from a nearby date, person, place or organisation. Read the stem for its anchor word, eliminate options from the wrong period, and then use the table to confirm the exact pair. A one-line explanation is the best protection against a lucky guess.
Step-by-step answer construction
Example 1: Tipu Sultan died in: Start by locating the question in the chapter’s period and association table. Eliminate the options belonging to another movement, Act, person or region. The supported answer is 1799, because He died defending Seringapatam in 1799.
Example 2: Treaty of Bassein was signed with: Start by locating the question in the chapter’s period and association table. Eliminate the options belonging to another movement, Act, person or region. The supported answer is Baji Rao II, because The treaty strengthened British influence over the Maratha confederacy.
Example 3: Subsidiary Alliance meant that the ruler generally: Start by locating the question in the chapter’s period and association table. Eliminate the options belonging to another movement, Act, person or region. The supported answer is Accepted British troops and lost independent diplomacy, because The system created political dependence.
Chapter practice
1. Tipu Sultan died in:
(A) 1757 (B) 1799 (C) 1805 (D) 1818
Answer: B. 1799 | Explanation: He died defending Seringapatam in 1799.
2. Treaty of Bassein was signed with:
(A) Baji Rao II (B) Ranjit Singh (C) Nizam Ali (D) Siraj-ud-daulah
Answer: A. Baji Rao II | Explanation: The treaty strengthened British influence over the Maratha confederacy.
3. Subsidiary Alliance meant that the ruler generally:
(A) Accepted British troops and lost independent diplomacy (B) Ended all land revenue (C) Joined the French (D) Abolished the army without replacement
Answer: A. Accepted British troops and lost independent diplomacy | Explanation: The system created political dependence.
Chronology and causation drill
For Mysore, Marathas and the expansion of paramountcy, write the five-link chain: period or date → place → person or organisation → immediate issue → consequence. Then add the nearest confusing event and one precise difference. This is the format that turns static history into reliable SSC CGL recall.
Recall layer | Question to answer | Student check |
Exact fact | What is the date, place or association for Mysore, Marathas and the expansion of paramountcy? | I can state it without options. |
Causation | What pressure or event produced it? | I can name the immediate issue. |
Consequence | What changed after it? | I can state one consequence. |
Trap | Which nearby event is easiest to confuse? | I can distinguish both. |