Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/161

Rh the name of the principal city into Hydernagur, he transferred thither the seat of his Government.

This career of success, however, received a severe check the following year, when his newly-acquired territory was invaded by an overwhelming force of Mahrattas, from whom he received a signal defeat near his new capital; and so severe was the blow that he was obliged to purchase the absence of those marauders by submitting to a considerable draft upon his treasury.

In a short interval of peace which succeeded this irruption of the Mahrattas, Hyder re-organised his military force, and improved his dominions in every respect. But the demon of conquest had taken full possession of his mind, and rendered a period of inaction painful to his restless spirit. He accordingly, in 1764, invaded the kingdoms of Coorg and Malabar, which for three years his armies continued successfully to overrun; but finding it impracticable to reduce them to a state of permanent submission, he consented to withdraw his forces on the promise of an annual tribute.

In 1766 died Chick Kistna, the Rajah of Mysore, whose feeble reign had been nothing but a long minority. On hearing of his decease, Hyder, who was then prosecuting his victories in Malabar, strictly adhering to his scheme of policy, and disdaining the outward tinsel and equipage of royalty, ordered Nundo Raj, son of the preceding prince, to be placed on the musnud with the usual ceremonies.

Nundo Raj, like his predecessor, an imbecile prince, addicted to pleasure, and unconscious of the contemptible figure he made on the musnud, gave no disturbance to the enterprising Hyder, who prosecuted his conquests with a rapidity which rendered him an object of general envy and jealousy to the neighbouring princes. This jealousy soon evinced itself in a formidable confederacy between the Nizam of the Deccan and the Peishwa of