Passage 3

At Mangalore, Tipu inflicted a crushing defeat on the large English Army under Campbell. Then Tipu left for Cuddapah to join his commander Qamar-ud-din. There he defeated the troops under traitor Sayyad Mohammad and then routed the English Army sent under Montgomery to assist Sayyad Mohammad.

At the end of the battle, Tipu looked down on Sayyad Mohammad who surrendered before him and begged for mercy. His cold calm figure glowed in splendid armour. He listened attentively but without change of expression. Every onlooker thought that he could forecast what the answer would be, for Sayyad Mohammad had added to his treachery by killing in cold blood hundreds of Tipu’s loyalists. Tipu replied: ‘I grant you your life, not in forgetfulness of what you did but in remembrance of who your father was.’ Sayyad Mohammad’s father was a man of religion, attached to the tomb of Gisu Daraz at Gulbarga.

The reply almost led to a quarrel between Tipu Sultan and his trusted commander, Qamar-ud-din. The quarrel ended only when Tipu Sultan cried: ‘You call me a king but question each act. It seems, I amyour king only when I command to kill. But I cannot, it seems, command to spare a life, if I choose.’ This was not a kingly act, Qamar-ud-din thought to himself. We are only increasing the number of wolves against us, he wanted to say. But after this outburst, he knew, it was no use arguing further.

1. Why did Sayyad Mohammad beg Tipu Sultan for mercy?
(a) Sayyad was an honest man.
(b) The English captain had advised him accordingly.
(c) His father had suggested himlikewise.
(d) He had tried to protect Tipu’s loyalists.
(e) None of these

2. Why did Tipu grant mercy to Sayyad Mohammad?
(a) Sayyad was a man of religion.
(b) Tipu forgot the acts of Sayyad.
(c) It was a kingly act.
(d) He had promised his father to spare Sayyad’s life.
(e) None of these

3. According to Qamar-ud-din, what was not a kingly act?
(a) To defeat English army twice in succession
(b) To spare a dangerous traitor
(c) Demanding explanation from a king
(d) Killing hundreds of loyalists
(e) To punish a man of religion

4. Who had come to help Sayyad Mohammad?
(a) Campbell
(b) His father
(c) Qamar-ud-din
(d) Montgomery
(e) None of these

5. According to Tipu’s commander, Tipu’s decision would
(a) support the loyalists.
(b) defeat Qamar-ud-din’s army.
(c) encourage the traitors.
(d) bring back Sayyad to Tipu’s camp.
(e) weaken the English army.

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