Facts on Tiger Throne of Tipu Sultan
The Tiger Throne of Mysore is a stunning architectural masterpiece commissioned by Sultan Fateh Ali Tipu (r: 1782-1799), better known as Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore.
Tipu Sultan was the most powerful enemy of the British East India Company in India. Tipu proudly named his kingdom Sultanate-i-Khudadad and selected the tiger as its emblem.
History:
Known for his deep appreciation for architecture, Tipu Sultan's most renowned creation was the Tiger Throne. In 1783-84, Tipu Sultan dispatched envoys to the Caliph in Rum, Constantinople, seeking permission to declare himself Padshah, following the Mughal tradition. The embassy returned in 1787, "having fully obtained the objects of their mission, with a sword and shield, ornamented with jewels, and friendly and congratulatory letters from the viziers of the foot of the Musalman Throne." (The Sultan of Rum is considered the head of the Muhammadan powers.)
According to Kirmani, Tipu Sultan, heeding the recommendations of the viziers of Rum, and consulting his loyal amirs, gathered the state's wealth and adopted the regal grandeur of a monarch. Subsequently, he ordered the formation of a magnificent golden throne, ornamented with precious jewels in the shape of a tiger, a figure that was highly favored by the Sultan.
In 1793, Kirmani reamrked, "The throne of the kingdom was also at a fortunate period finished as was desired."
Description of the Throne:
The throne of Tipu Sultan was a magnificent sight, resembling a howdah atop a tiger. Made entirely of wood, this masterpiece was valued at 60,000 pagodas. The throne was octagon-shaped and adorned with plates of the pure gold, embellished with tiger stripes and Arabic verses from the Koran.
Resting on the back of a royal tiger standing in a majestic pose, the octagonal pavilion measured about eight feet in length and five feet in width. The tiger figure itself was covered in plates of pure gold, with eyes and teeth made of sparkling rock crystal, and its open mouth appeared as if it were roaring.
Elevated 1.2 meters (4 feet) from the ground on eight supports shaped like tiger legs, the throne was enclosed by a railing featuring small jeweled tiger heads above each support. Access to the throne was granted by small silver steps secured with silver nails on either side. The entire height of the throne, including the canopy, was estimated to be around eight to nine feet.
The umbrella-like canopy above the throne was constructed from a lighter wood, coated with a delicate layer of gold and adorned with a fringe of exquisite pearls strung on golden threads. A gilded iron pillar, standing seven feet tall, supported the canopy from the center of the back, opposite the large tiger head.
Atop the canopy sat the figure of a stunning Huma, or bird of paradise, crafted from gold and encrusted with precious stones such as emeralds, diamonds, and rubies. The Huma's beak featured a large emerald with a smaller one suspended from it, while its eyes sparkled with brilliant carbuncles. Its chest was covered in shimmering diamonds, and its wings, spread in a hovering pose, were lined with diamonds. The back of the figure showcased an array of large, fancifully arranged jewels. The tail, resembling that of a peacock, was also adorned with pearls and precious stones, adding to the overall grandeur of the throne.
Tipu had made a vow not to sit on it, until he had recovered the provinces that were ceded to the British by the treaty of Srirangapatna.
"Among the captured property in our hands was the superb throne overlaid with sheets of pure gold, which the Sultan had yet never mounted; and which was now destined to seal the triumph of his hated adversaries," reported Major David Price, the Prize Agent.
This masterpiece was dismantled by the British followed by the fall of Srirangapatna. According to records, this superb throne was too cumbersome to transport without damage, and too valuable to sell as a whole, was broken up within the palace.
The life-size golden tiger-head and paws that once adorned the base of the throne, along with the exquisite jeweled Huma bird, now rest in the grand halls of Windsor Castle.
Huma or the Bird of Paradise:
The Huma is a legendary bird from Iran, known as the bird of happy omens in Asia. An intriguing note on the Huma was penned by the Marquess Wellesley in 1840, found in the "Memoirs And Correspondence Of The Most Noble Richard Marquess Wellesley." The Bird of Prosperous Empire - The ancient Persians as well as the Romans, presaged by the flight of birds. Of these some were of good omen, while others foreboded evil. Among the former, the most auspicious was the Huma. It belonged to kings; and its appearance and flights, under various circumstances, were the augury for the settlement of the crown, or the affairs of royalty. It is a carnivorous bird and its high soaring habit is the origin of the belief that it never rests upon the ground.
Pictorial Representations of Tipu's Throne:
Anna Tonelli accompanied Lady Clive on her Indian journey from 1798 to 1801 as governess to her two daughters. By that time Tipu's throne had already been broken up. Anna Tonelli painted this using information provided by Tipu's Munshi (Treasurer) and from the sketch made by Capt. Marriot.
Major Price's Description of the Throne: The throne itself was a clumsy wooden platform, of 6 or 8 sides, entirely overlaid with gold, of the thickness, I should conceive, of a sheet of lead; sculptured all over with the tiger-streak device. It was to be supported on 4 tigers of wood, also covered with gold; and on an iron stay, curving over from the hinder part of the platform, was to be fixed, the Huma; also covered with gold, and set with jewels.
References:
The History of the Reign of Tip Sultan, Being a Continuation of the Neshani Hyduri By Mir Hussain Ali Khan Kirmani trans by William Miles
Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers
The Asiatic Annual Register Or a View of the History of Hindustan and of the Politics, Commerce and Literature of Asia - 1800
Images are from: Bonhams, Sotheby's, Windsor Castle & Powis Castle
Tipu Sultan was the most powerful enemy of the British East India Company in India. Tipu proudly named his kingdom Sultanate-i-Khudadad and selected the tiger as its emblem.
History:
Known for his deep appreciation for architecture, Tipu Sultan's most renowned creation was the Tiger Throne. In 1783-84, Tipu Sultan dispatched envoys to the Caliph in Rum, Constantinople, seeking permission to declare himself Padshah, following the Mughal tradition. The embassy returned in 1787, "having fully obtained the objects of their mission, with a sword and shield, ornamented with jewels, and friendly and congratulatory letters from the viziers of the foot of the Musalman Throne." (The Sultan of Rum is considered the head of the Muhammadan powers.)
According to Kirmani, Tipu Sultan, heeding the recommendations of the viziers of Rum, and consulting his loyal amirs, gathered the state's wealth and adopted the regal grandeur of a monarch. Subsequently, he ordered the formation of a magnificent golden throne, ornamented with precious jewels in the shape of a tiger, a figure that was highly favored by the Sultan.
In 1793, Kirmani reamrked, "The throne of the kingdom was also at a fortunate period finished as was desired."
Description of the Throne:
The throne of Tipu Sultan was a magnificent sight, resembling a howdah atop a tiger. Made entirely of wood, this masterpiece was valued at 60,000 pagodas. The throne was octagon-shaped and adorned with plates of the pure gold, embellished with tiger stripes and Arabic verses from the Koran.Resting on the back of a royal tiger standing in a majestic pose, the octagonal pavilion measured about eight feet in length and five feet in width. The tiger figure itself was covered in plates of pure gold, with eyes and teeth made of sparkling rock crystal, and its open mouth appeared as if it were roaring.
Elevated 1.2 meters (4 feet) from the ground on eight supports shaped like tiger legs, the throne was enclosed by a railing featuring small jeweled tiger heads above each support. Access to the throne was granted by small silver steps secured with silver nails on either side. The entire height of the throne, including the canopy, was estimated to be around eight to nine feet.
The umbrella-like canopy above the throne was constructed from a lighter wood, coated with a delicate layer of gold and adorned with a fringe of exquisite pearls strung on golden threads. A gilded iron pillar, standing seven feet tall, supported the canopy from the center of the back, opposite the large tiger head.
Atop the canopy sat the figure of a stunning Huma, or bird of paradise, crafted from gold and encrusted with precious stones such as emeralds, diamonds, and rubies. The Huma's beak featured a large emerald with a smaller one suspended from it, while its eyes sparkled with brilliant carbuncles. Its chest was covered in shimmering diamonds, and its wings, spread in a hovering pose, were lined with diamonds. The back of the figure showcased an array of large, fancifully arranged jewels. The tail, resembling that of a peacock, was also adorned with pearls and precious stones, adding to the overall grandeur of the throne.
Tipu had made a vow not to sit on it, until he had recovered the provinces that were ceded to the British by the treaty of Srirangapatna.
"Among the captured property in our hands was the superb throne overlaid with sheets of pure gold, which the Sultan had yet never mounted; and which was now destined to seal the triumph of his hated adversaries," reported Major David Price, the Prize Agent.
This masterpiece was dismantled by the British followed by the fall of Srirangapatna. According to records, this superb throne was too cumbersome to transport without damage, and too valuable to sell as a whole, was broken up within the palace.
The life-size golden tiger-head and paws that once adorned the base of the throne, along with the exquisite jeweled Huma bird, now rest in the grand halls of Windsor Castle.
Huma or the Bird of Paradise:
The Huma is a legendary bird from Iran, known as the bird of happy omens in Asia. An intriguing note on the Huma was penned by the Marquess Wellesley in 1840, found in the "Memoirs And Correspondence Of The Most Noble Richard Marquess Wellesley." The Bird of Prosperous Empire - The ancient Persians as well as the Romans, presaged by the flight of birds. Of these some were of good omen, while others foreboded evil. Among the former, the most auspicious was the Huma. It belonged to kings; and its appearance and flights, under various circumstances, were the augury for the settlement of the crown, or the affairs of royalty. It is a carnivorous bird and its high soaring habit is the origin of the belief that it never rests upon the ground.
Pictorial Representations of Tipu's Throne:
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| Front view of the Throne of the late Tippo Sultaun drawn from memory only by Captain Thomas Marriott, aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-Chief of Madras |
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| Front View of the Throne of the Late Tippoo Sultaun in the Laul Mahaul Palace of Seringapatan - Unknown artist after Thomas Marriott - Yale Center for British Art |
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| Front view of the the late Tippoo Sultan in the Laul Mahal (Palace) of Seringapatam - G. kearsley Fleet-Street |
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| Throne of the late Tipu Sultan - The history of Hyder Shah, alias Hyder Ali Khan Bahadur, and of his son, Tippoo Sultaun. By M.M.D.L.T, General in the Army of the Mogul Empire, Revised and Corrected by His Highness Prince Gholam Mohammed [Son of Tipu Sultan] |
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| Tipu Sahib Sultan Enthroned by Anna Tonelli (1800) at Powis Castle and Garden, Powys, Wales |
Anna Tonelli accompanied Lady Clive on her Indian journey from 1798 to 1801 as governess to her two daughters. By that time Tipu's throne had already been broken up. Anna Tonelli painted this using information provided by Tipu's Munshi (Treasurer) and from the sketch made by Capt. Marriot.
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| Five-clawed tiger foot from the Throne of Tipu Sultan - Gold sheet overlay is now missing |
Major Price's Description of the Throne: The throne itself was a clumsy wooden platform, of 6 or 8 sides, entirely overlaid with gold, of the thickness, I should conceive, of a sheet of lead; sculptured all over with the tiger-streak device. It was to be supported on 4 tigers of wood, also covered with gold; and on an iron stay, curving over from the hinder part of the platform, was to be fixed, the Huma; also covered with gold, and set with jewels.
References:
The History of the Reign of Tip Sultan, Being a Continuation of the Neshani Hyduri By Mir Hussain Ali Khan Kirmani trans by William Miles
Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers
The Asiatic Annual Register Or a View of the History of Hindustan and of the Politics, Commerce and Literature of Asia - 1800
Images are from: Bonhams, Sotheby's, Windsor Castle & Powis Castle
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