Meet the King Whose Iron Rockets Changed War Forever
Long before modern missiles, one king used iron rockets in battle. Find out who he was and how his invention changed modern warfare.
Meet the King Whose Iron Rockets Changed War Forever
Key Takeaways
-
First iron-cased rockets were built in the Kingdom of Mysore, India, between the 1760s and 1780s
-
The iron rockets were pioneered by Haider Ali, the Sultan or de facto ru of Mysore
-
The range of rockets was about 2 kilometers, far more than any European rocket of that era
-
It was used against British East India Company in the Anglo-Mysore Wars
Hyder Ali, the king of Mysore, built the world's first iron-cased war rockets during his rule between 1760s and 1780s. His son Tipu Sultan later improved them by adding swords and bam. These rockets were unlike anything seen at that time. These rockets changed the course of military warfare in the days to come.
According to the Historian and aerospace scientist Roddam Narasimha, the use of iron rockets was "a remarkable example of advanced engineering practice in pre-industrial India."
Who Was Hyder Ali?
Hyder Ali ruled the Kingdom of Mysore in South India from 1761 to 1782. He rose from a local army officer to become the kingdom's most powerful ruler.
He saw early rockets used by Indian armies and decided to make them stronger. He ordered craftsmen to pack gunpowder into iron tubes instead of paper casings. This single change made Mysorean rockets far more powerful than any rocket built before them.
How Did Tipu Sultan Improve the Rockets?
After the death of Hyder Ali in 1782 due to cancer, his son Tipu Sultan took charge of the empire. During his tenure, he introduced innovations in the rocket by setting up rocket research facilities in cities like Srirangapatna and Bangalore.
His engineers refined the iron casings and added bamboo shafts for stability. Some rockets were tied with sharp blades that spun through enemy ranks on landing. Tipu also had written a military manual called Fathul Mujahidin written, which detailed how to use the rockets. He trained 200 rocket men for every army unit also known as Cushoons. The rocketry unit expanded to about 5000 soldiers eventually.
What made the rockets highly effective in warfare?
According to the Narasimha’s research paper in 1985, titled "Rockets in Mysore and Britain, 1750-1850 A.D." the iron cylinder enabled much higher combustion pressure, allowing greater thrust and range up to two kilometres under favourable conditions.
An iron-cased rocket uses a metal tube instead of paper or bamboo to hold gunpowder. The metal casing let the rocket handle far more internal pressure. That gave it a longer range and a higher firepower than the older paper rockets used in China and Europe.
Where Were the Rockets Used in Battle First?
Mysorean rockets first proved deadly at the Battle of Pollilur in 1780 during the second Anglo-Mysore War. In that battle, a stray rocket is believed to have destroyed the British ammunition store, helping Mysore win the fight.
The rockets struck again at Srirangapatna in 1792 and 1799. British soldiers had never faced flying iron tubes before, and according to accounts from the time, they described them as "flying plagues."
How Did These Rockets Change Military Warfare?
After Mysore fell in 1799, British forces captured 600 launchers, 700 serviceable rockets and 9000 empty rockets. Several rocket cases were collected and sent to England for study at the Woolwich Arsenal.
Engineer William Congreve studied the design and built his own version in 1805. It was named Congreve rocket later on to honour his contribution. The Congreve rocket later helped Britain fight in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812.
Mysorean Rockets at a Glance
| Ruler or Engineer | Active Years | Key Advance |
| Hyder Ali | 1761 to 1782 | First iron casing for war rockets |
| Tipu Sultan | 1782 to 1799 | Added blades, bamboo shafts, wrote training manual called Fathul Mujahidin |
| William Congreve | From 1805 | Built British rocket after studying Mysore designs |
Modern rockets and missiles trace their roots to the 18th century period where they were developed as iron tube rockets by Hyder Ali. This invention reshaped the military technology that was in use at that time. It remained a symbol of advancement of Indian military technology.
Check out some more interesting articles from the general knowledge section to boost your knowledge of national and international topics. Stay connected with Jagran Josh for more topics like this.
Mriganka Chakraborty is a seasoned digital journalist and communications professional who is currently working as Deputy Manager at Jagran Josh, where he leads the General Knowledge Section. As a subject matter expert with 8+ years of editorial experience, he has created authoritative content that is trusted by millions of readers around the world in Science, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Sports, and Technology. His extensive expertise in these subjects enables him to present complex topics in an engaging, accurate, and reader-friendly manner to a global audience, making learning addictive and fun.
His background in a wide range of content areas and his ability to move between them make him a trusted voice to readers who want reliable, well-researched content across a variety of disciplines.
In his leisure time, Mriganka enjoys reading fiction novels and watching action and thriller movies, and cricket, which not only hone his storytelling skills but also keep his editorial vision fresh and dynamic.
