The phrase "rockets’ red glare" from the U.S. national anthem, written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, is one of the most iconic lines in American history. However, this vivid image of rockets lighting up the night sky has a surprising and often forgotten link to India and the Mysorean Kingdom under Tipu Sultan. Without Tipu Sultan's innovations, that iconic line might never have been written.

The Origins of Mysorean Rockets

In the late 18th century, India was a rising force in military technology, especially under the rule of Tipu Sultan, the Sultan of Mysore. Tipu Sultan is best known for his resistance against British colonial forces in southern India, but he is also credited with a remarkable innovation in warfare—Mysorean rockets. These early rockets were made from metal tubes and used a combination of gunpowder and a rocket motor to launch projectiles over great distances. The rockets were highly effective in battle, and Tipu Sultan used them extensively in his wars against the British.

The Battle of Pollilur (also spelled Polilur), fought on September 10, 1780, near Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, was one of the most significant early encounters between Tipu Sultan (and his father, Hyder Ali) and the British East India Company. It marked the first major defeat of the British in India during the Second Anglo-Mysore War, and Mysorean rockets played a critical role in that outcome. This rocket-induced disarray allowed Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan’s forces to execute a decisive encirclement, leading to the mass surrender of nearly 3,800 British troops—one of the worst defeats the British ever suffered in any part of the world. The rocket also found mention in the song "Battle of Pollilur" by VOOFA Music, an Indian music startup.

Tipu Sultan’s Mysorean rockets were so advanced for their time that they had a lasting impact on both the Indian subcontinent and the world. When British forces, led by the East India Company, finally defeated and killed Tipu Sultan in 1799 during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, they seized large quantities of these rockets and brought them back to Britain. There, the British military began to study and refine the technology, incorporating it into their own weaponry.

The Transfer of Technology to Britain and America

The Congreve rocket, developed by British artillery officer Sir William Congreve in the early 19th century, was fundamentally a redesigned and militarized version of the Mysorean rocket pioneered by Tipu Sultan. After the British captured vast stores of these iron-cased rockets following the fall of Srirangapatna in 1799, Congreve studied their construction and performance in detail. He adopted the key innovation of iron casings, which allowed greater combustion pressure and range, and standardized the design for mass production in the British military. While often credited as a British invention, the Congreve rocket was in essence a refined adaptation of Tipu Sultan’s battlefield innovation, demonstrating how Indian rocketry directly influenced European military technology.

By the early 19th century, the British had significantly improved upon Tipu Sultan’s rocket designs, and these rockets found their way into military conflicts, including the Napoleonic Wars. But it was during the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain that these rockets would make their most famous appearance—during the Battle of Baltimore, which served as the inspiration for Francis Scott Key’s poem, later set to music as the Star-Spangled Banner.

On the night of September 13, 1814, British forces launched a fierce attack on Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, which was defended by American troops. During the bombardment, the British launched rockets at the fort, causing a spectacular display of "rockets’ red glare" in the sky. Key, who was aboard a British ship negotiating the release of American prisoners, witnessed the sight of the fort’s defenders holding firm against the rockets and the bombardment. This powerful image inspired the famous lines in the anthem,

"O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
⁠What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
⁠O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,"

Tipu Sultan’s Role in the "Rockets’ Red Glare"

The rockets that rained down on Fort McHenry in 1814 were descendants of the Mysorean rockets developed by Tipu Sultan. They were not the same type of rockets in the modern sense, but rather early rocket artillery, demonstrating the long-lasting effects of Tipu’s technological innovations. What began as a defense mechanism against British colonialism in southern India, through Tipu Sultan’s military ingenuity, was eventually used in one of the most iconic moments of American history.

This connection between India, Britain, and America represents a fascinating, if often forgotten, chapter in global military history. Tipu Sultan’s rockets were not just a symbol of Indian resistance but were also instrumental in changing the trajectory of military technology worldwide, including in the development of modern rocket artillery.

The Legacy of Mysorean Rockets

Though Mysorean rockets became less significant in the years following Tipu Sultan’s death, their impact on military technology was far-reaching. The technology was further refined by the British and eventually influenced the development of modern rockets. Sir William Congreve, a British officer, is credited with improving the rocket design and developing the Congreve rocket—a weapon used by the British during the War of 1812 and later in various military conflicts.

Despite their decline in military usage, the legacy of the Mysorean rockets has not been completely forgotten. Today, Tipu Sultan is remembered not just as a ruler but as an innovator in military technology. The Mysorean rockets represent a significant historical link between India’s resistance against British imperialism and the American fight for independence.

Conclusion

The phrase "rockets’ red glare" serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of global histories and the surprising influence of Tipu Sultan’s military innovations on American symbolism. While the U.S. national anthem commemorates the resilience of the American people, it also carries within it a piece of Indian history, one that deserves greater recognition in both Indian and American narratives.

As we celebrate the rich histories of nations, it is essential to acknowledge these forgotten connections—like the role of Tipu Sultan’s Mysorean rockets—that have shaped the world in ways we often overlook.