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Title: BRITISH VERSUS AND SUPPRESSION OF POLIGARS IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES OF MADRAS, 1799-1801
Authors: Dr. I. ELANGOVAN
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Dr. I. ELANGOVAN Assistant Professor in History, PG & Research Centre in History, Sri S.R.N.M College, Sattur, Virudhunagar District, Tamilnadu (India)
MLA 8 ELANGOVAN, Dr. I. "BRITISH VERSUS AND SUPPRESSION OF POLIGARS IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES OF MADRAS, 1799-1801." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 3, no. 12, Dec. 2018, pp. 6597-6609, ijsser.org/more2018.php?id=464. Accessed Dec. 2018. APA ELANGOVAN, D. (2018, December). BRITISH VERSUS AND SUPPRESSION OF POLIGARS IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES OF MADRAS, 1799-1801. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 3(12), 6597-6609. Retrieved from ijsser.org/more2018.php?id=464 Chicago ELANGOVAN, Dr. I. "BRITISH VERSUS AND SUPPRESSION OF POLIGARS IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES OF MADRAS, 1799-1801." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 3, no. 12 (December 2018), 6597-6609. Accessed December, 2018. ijsser.org/more2018.php?id=464.
References [1]. Madras Council, 28 Nov.1800, Revenue Consultations, (hereinafter referred to as R.C.), Vol.106, p.3199. [2]. Ibid., 6 May 1800, Military Consultations, (hereinafter referred to as M.C.), Vol.268, pp.2690-2691. [3]. Board of Revenue, 14 Dec.1728, letter to Madras Council, R.C., Vol.91, p.4396. [4]. Madras Council, 31 Oct.1800, Secret Consultations, (hereinafter referred to as S.C.), Vol.11, pp.757-758. [5]. Ibid, 6 Aug.1799, M.C., Vol.256, p.4788. [6]. Ibid., 15 Oct.1798, Revenue Despatches to England, (hereinafter referred to as P.D.T.E.), Vol.6, pp.323-324. [7]. Ibid., 9 June 1801, M.C., Vol.284, p.4296. [8]. Ibid., 15 Oct.1801, Military Despatches to England, (hereinafter referred to as M.D.T.E.), Vol.31, p.157. [9]. Ibid., 23 Mar.1802, M.D.T.E., Vol.32, p.383. [10]. Ibid., Oct.1798, R.C., Vol.89, pp.3378-3379. [11]. Ibid., 12 Oct.1798, R.C., Vol.88, p.3206. [12]. Ibid., 13 June 1799, R.C., Vol.229, p.4891. [13]. Ibid., 6 Dec.1799, R.C., Vol.99, p.3321. [14]. Ibid., Sept.1799, R.C.,Vol.97, p.2420 [15]. Ibid., 24 Sept.1798, R.C., Vol.88, p.2716. [16]. Ibid., 28 May 1799, M.C., Vol.253, p.3031. [17]. Ibid., 20 Aug.1799, S.C., Vol.8, p.1260. [18]. Madras Council, 28 May 1799, M.C., Vol.253, p.3031. [19]. Ibid., Aug.1799, R.C., Vol.96, pp.1569-1570. [20]. Ibid., Sept.1799, R.C., Vol.97, p.2419. [21]. Ibid., 8 Nov.1799, R.C., Vol.98, p.2771. [22]. Ibid., 16 June 1801, Revenue Sundries, (hereinafter referred to as R.S.), Vol.26, p.452. [23]. Board of Revenue, 10 June 1799, R.C., Vol.229, pp.4853-4891. [24]. Board of Revenue, 21 Aug.1799, R.C., Vol.231, pp.6903-6904. [25]. Madras Council, Sept.1799, R.C., Vol.97, pp.2419-2420. [26]. Ibid., Sept.1799, R.C., Vol.98 A, p.2705. [27]. Ibid., 8 Nov.1799, R.C., Vol.98, p.2704. [28]. James Welsh, Military Reminiscences, Vol.1, London, 1830, pp.61-62. [29]. Madras Council, 5 Sept.1799, R.C., Vol.98, pp.2710-2711. [30]. Ibid., 22 Nov.1799, R.C., Vol.98, pp.2779-2782. [31]. Ibid., 8 Nov. 1799, R.C., Vol.98, pp.2706-2709. [32]. Ibid., 5 Sept.1799, R.C., Vol.187, p.2707. [33]. Madras Council, 8 Nov.1799, R.C., Vol.98, pp.2718-2724. [34]. Board of Revenue, 24 Sept.1799, letter to Madras Council, R.C., Vol.235, pp.8069-8070. [35]. Madras Council, 8 Nov.1799, R.C., Vol.98A, p.2713. [36]. Ibid., p.2742. [37]. Rajayyan, K., Rise and Fall of the Poligars of Tamilnadu, Madras, 1974, pp.99-100. [38]. Madras Council, 31 Aug.1801, R.D.T.E., Vol.2, p.247. [39]. Madras Council, 1 Dec.1801, Madurai Collectorat Records, (hereinafter referred to as M.C.R.), Vol.1181, pp.455-456. [40]. Board of Revenue, 4 Jan.1802, letter to Madras Council, M.C.R., Vol.1139, pp.61-62. [41]. Ibid., 2 Jan.1802, letter to Madras Council, M.C.R., Vol.1184, pp.1-2. [42]. Madras Council, 3 Aug.1801, S.D.T.E., Vol.2, p.92. [43]. Ibid., 17 Dec.1802, M.D.T.E., Vol.31, p.272. [44]. Ibid., 1 Dec.1801, M.C., Vol.289, p.7663. [45]. Ibid., 29 May 1802, M.D.T.E., Vol.32, p.454. [46]. Ibid., 1801, Revenue Sundries, (hereinafter referred to as R.S), Vol.26, p.447. [47]. Ibid., 22 Dec.1801, M.C., Vol.290, p.8178. [48]. Ibid., 9 Nov.1800, R.C., Vol.9, p.2941.
Abstract: The Poligars of several palayams withheld the payment of tribute to the Company. The collector assumed power over the defaulted palayams to recover the balance of rent. The arrear of the revenue was collected wih the help of Company's sepoys. The Collector in this period frequently requested the government to provide him with Company's sepoys to collect the arrears from the poligars. The Company's administration and had to deal with the auxiliary powers of poligars in the southern region. Large tracts of territory in Manaparai, Kallarnadu, Dindigul and Tirunelveli remained under their control. The most prominent of the pollams were Sivagiri, Nelkatanseval and Panchalamkurichi in Tirunelveli and Ramnad and Sivaganga in Madurai. In addition to the usual tribute, the chieftains were required to make frequent contributions and presents to the Company. The revenue servants forced them to send eggs, poultry and goats to their houses. Poligar war refers to the wars fought between the poligars of former Madurai kingdom in Tamilnadu and the English East India Company forces between March 1799 and May 1802. The Court of Directors in their dispatch of 5 June 1799 issued an order for the abolition of the military power of the poligars. A major insurrection took place in the southern palayams of Tirunelveli, Dindigul and Sivaganga and shook the authority of the British in 1801. The British took strong measures by mobilizing a powerful army to suppress them; consequently they defeated the rebellious poligars and strengthened their authority. Thus in 1801 the era of war between the poligars and the ruling powers came to an end. After the suppression of the rebellion the savage and violent character of the poligari system was given up and the peaceful and beneficial condition of the zamindaries under the new revenue settlement on the basis of Zamindari system came into being. Thus the Company made itself powerful and was striding forward to becoming the sovereign of the country.

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