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 dominion in India. The princely state existed until the year 1947, as after the country achieved independence, Mysore state was acceded to the newly formed Union of India. The princely state of Mysore was created out of the Kingdom of Mysore, which was much larger than the princely state. The Kingdom of Mysore was ruled by the well known Muslim Sultans, Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan between the years 1761 and 1799. The Princely State of Mysore was among the 3 largest princely states during the British rule in India.
History of Princely State of Mysore
The British East India Company annexed the southern and coastal regions of the Kingdom of Mysore to the Madras Presidency under British India. Moreover the British administration turned over the north eastern regions to the state of Hyderabad. The interior region of the Kingdom was converted into a princely state which was state under the suzerainty of the British Crown. The Hindu Wodeyar dynasty was reinstated as the rulers of the princely state of Mysore. They merely acted as puppet monarchs, who had local authority but the economic and political control of the state remained under the control of the British Government of India. The rulers were titled and styles as Maharajas of Mysore. Thus Krishna Raja Wodeyar III, also known as Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, ascended the throne of the princely state of Mysore.
The last Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar Bahadur, reigned over the territory from 1940 to 1950. His rule ended after he signed the instrument of accession after India gained independence in the year 1947. The last ruler of Mysore merged his state with the Union of India by signing the instrument of accession on 9th August 1947. The regions of the former princely state of Mysore were restructured into a state within the newly formed Union of India.
Rulers of Princely State of Mysore
The chronology of the Maharajas of the Princely State of Mysore is discussed as follows-
* Mummadi Krishna Raja Wodeyar III (1799- 1868)
* Chamaraja Wodeyar X (1868- 1894)
* Vani Vilasa Sannidhana- Regent (1894- 1902)
* Nalvadi Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV (1902- 1940)
* Jayachamaraja Wodeyar (1940- 1947)
