The victory of a co-religionist like Haider Ali roused the ambitions of Ali Raja of Cannanore, the only Muslim ruler of Malabar. Haider on ascending the throne of Mysore launched a programme of conquest and annexation. The Bednore Kingdom, on the northern frontiers of Kerala was subdued by him in 1763. The Kolattiri in north Kerala was having a dispute with a junior prince.

This prince approached Haider for help. Ali Raja of Cannanore, fully realizing the importance of the chance ahead of him, requested Haider to interfere in the Kolathunad dispute. Haider managed to obtain an assurance from the English at Tellicherry that they will not interfere in his campaigns in Kerala. According to Peixoto, Ali Raja “informed Hyder that he would find much wealth if he invaded Malabar.”

Ali Raja’s support might have induced Haider to move his troops to Malabar. MMDLT, the author of The History of Hyder Ali Cawn, says that Haider was very particular to establish a navy and was very glad to make use to the large fleet of Ali Raja. He made, “Ali Rajah, his High Admiral and his brother Sheik Ali, Intendant of the Marine of the Ports and of the Maritime Commerce of his dominions.”

The failure of the Zamorin in paying the war indemnity of 12 lakhs to Haider invited problems. Perumpadappu Svarupam Granthavari records that the messengers Haider sent to collect the amount were often sent back without payment and sometimes even put to death. Hence Haider decided to invade Calicut through Bednore in February 1766. His army aided by a large body of irregulars supplied by Ali Raja, took possession of the temple at Kunnimangalam and laid siege to Madayi on the 19th February Later he subdued Baliappatam.

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Kottayam, Kadatanad and Kurumbranad. The administration of Kadathanad was entrusted to the Ali Raja of Cannanore. Haider’s victorious march finally reached the boundaries of the Zamorin, who for fear of the mighty weaponry of the enemy, sued for peace. But the demands of Haider being too exorbitant to have conceded, the Zamorin sent all members of his family to Ponnani and committed suicide, after blowing up his palace.

According to MMDLT, the suicide of the Zamorin was largely due to a feeling of remorse caused by letters he received from his nephews and Kings of Travancore and Cochin. “These letters”, he writes, “contained the bitterest reproaches and execrations, treating him the betrayer of his country and apostate to his religions, which he had abandoned to the Mohammedans”.

But the next Zamorin’s view expressed to the first Malabar Commission was that fearing “that Haider might inflict some further disgrace upon him either by causing him to be hanged or blown from a gun, the Raja set fire to the house with his own hand and was consumed in it.”

Thus by the middle of April 1766 Haider completed his conquest of the Zamorin’s kingdom. Having established his supremacy over Calicut, he returned to Coimbatore, leaving a small force behind. The Ali Raja and local Mappilas were entrusted with the task of assisting the Mysorean garrison. But after the departure of Haider the local chieftains and Nayars rose in revolt.

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Hence he led a second expedition to Calicut and put down all rebellious groups. The states of Malabar which Haider attacked were not as organised as the Travancore Kingdom. The States here were mostly petty principalities except perhaps the Zaorin’s territory. The defeat of the Rajas and the easy subjugation of the country did not, however, mean the conquest of the people. The lack of political unity was both a strength and weakness in this case.

The impending threat of a Maratha invasion on Mysore created difficulties for Haider. Taking advantage of these difficulties the Kerala chiefs again organised themselves for active resistance. Madanna, the Mysorean administrator in Malabar meanwhile, tried to save from annihilation the Mysorean power in the areas conquered by Haider.

After prolonged negotiations, Haider agreed to withdraw his army from Kerala provided (a) he would be paid a war indemnity, (b) Ali Raja of Cannanore would not be disturbed and (c) the Palghat fort would remain in his possession. These terms were agreed to and December 1768 Hider’s forces, after a troubled occupation of two years, during which Commander Assud Khan Mihtru had himself fallen in action and a large num’ destroyed by the Nayars, re-crossed the Ghats to the intense relief of the Kerala chief In short, Haider’s first effort to conquer Kerala ended in failure, but as K.M. Panikkar put it, “the Ruler of Mysore was not the man either to forget or forgive and he biden his time to wreck vengeance on the unruly Nayars whom he despised as heathens and hated as his inveterate enemies.”