Which of the war/wars took place during the tenure of Lord Wellesley as Governor-General of India ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:

Richard Colley Wellesley served as the Governor-General of India from 1798 to 1805. His tenure was marked by an aggressive policy of territorial expansion, primarily through the Subsidiary Alliance system and direct warfare, to establish British supremacy (known as the policy of "Offensive Defence"). During this period, the British fought two crucial wars that significantly expanded their control over India. The **Fourth Anglo-Mysore War** (1798–1799) was immediately launched upon Wellesley’s arrival, resulting in the death of Tipu Sultan and the final annexation of Mysore. Furthermore, Wellesley also waged the **Second Anglo-Maratha War** (1803–1805), primarily aimed at breaking the power of the Maratha Confederacy. This war, concluded by the treaties of Bassein, Devgaon, and Surji-Anjangaon, brought large parts of central India under British influence and solidified Wellesley’s reputation as an expansionist ruler. Therefore, both the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War and the Second Anglo-Maratha War occurred entirely within his term as Governor-General.

The incorrect option is 1 (Only II Anglo-Mysore War): The Second Anglo-Mysore War took place from 1780 to 1784. This conflict occurred before Lord Wellesley’s governorship and ended with the Treaty of Mangalore.

The incorrect option is 2 (Only II Anglo-Maratha War): While the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805) did occur during Wellesley's time, the option ignores the crucial Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1798–1799) which was also a defining event of his tenure.

The incorrect option is 3 (Only IV Anglo-Mysore War): While the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1798–1799) was a major event in Wellesley's rule, this option ignores the subsequent large-scale conflict, the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805), which was equally significant in achieving British paramountcy.