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{{Short description|British Army general (1726-1783)}}
{{For|other people named Eyre Coote|Eyre Coote (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = Lieutenant-General Sir
| name = Eyre Coote
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|KB|size=100%}}
| image = Eyre Coote.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth year|1726}}
| birth_place = [[Kilmallock]], Ireland
| death_date = {{dda|1783|04|28|1726|||df=y}}
| death_place = [[Madras]]
| resting_place = St Andrew's Church, [[Rockbourne]]
| office1 = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Poole (UK Parliament constituency)|Poole]]
| alongside = Joshua Mauger
| term_start1 = 1774
| term_end1 = 1780
| predecessor1 = [[Joshua Mauger]] Thomas Calcraft
| successor1 = [[Joseph Gulston (collector)|Joseph Gulston]] William Morton Pitt
| nickname = Coote the Brave
| allegiance = [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] [[East India Company]]
| branch = [[British Army]] [[Bengal Army]]
| serviceyears = 1745–1783
| rank = Lieutenant general
| commands = [[84th Regiment of Foot (1759)|84th Regiment of Foot]] [[Commander-in-Chief, India|Commander-in-Chief of India]]
| battles = [[Jacobite rising of 1745|Jacobite Rebellion]] [[Second Carnatic War]] [[Seven Years' War]] [[Second Anglo-Mysore War]] [[Battle of Plassey]]
| awards = [[Order of the Bath]]
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation =
| relatives =
| spouse =
| website =
| laterwork =
| footnotes =
}}
[[Lieutenant-General]] '''Sir Eyre Coote''', [[Order of the Bath|KB]] (1726 – 28 April 1783) was a British soldier and politician who sat in the [[House of Commons]] from 1768 to 1780. He is best known for his many years of service with the [[British Army]] in [[British Raj|India]]. His victory at the [[Battle of Wandiwash]] is considered a decisive turning point in the struggle for control in India between Britain and France. He was known by his [[sepoy]] troops as '''Coote Bahadur''' (Coote the Brave).<ref>Turnbull p.128</ref>

==Early life==
A member of the Coote family headed by the [[Coote baronets|Earl of Mountrath]], he was born in [[Kilmallock]], near [[Limerick]], Ireland, the son of the [[Reverend]] Chidley Coote and Jane Evans, daughter of George Evans, and sister of [[George Evans, 1st Baron Carbery]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coote, Sir Eyre {{!}} Dictionary of Irish Biography |url=https://www.dib.ie/biography/coote-sir-eyre-a2023 |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=www.dib.ie |language=en}}</ref> He entered the [[27th Regiment of Foot]]. He first saw active service in the [[Jacobite rising of 1745]], and later obtained a captaincy in the [[39th Regiment of Foot|39th Regiment]], the first regular British regiment to serve in [[British India|India]].<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911|wstitle=Coote, Sir Eyre|volume=7|page=93|inline=1}}</ref>

==Career in India==
{{further|Great Britain in the Seven Years' War}}
[[File:Clive.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Coote served under [[Robert Clive|Clive]] at the [[Battle of Plassey]] in 1757 where he first distinguished himself.]]

===Recapture of Calcutta===
{{further|Siege of Calcutta}}
In 1756 a part of the regiment, then quartered at [[Madras]], was sent forward to join [[Robert Clive]] in his operations against [[Calcutta]]<ref name=EB1911/> which had [[Siege of Calcutta|recently been captured]] by the forces of the Nawab of Bengal, which had been followed by the [[Black Hole of Calcutta]]. The city was [[Siege of Calcutta|reoccupied without difficulty]] in January 1757. However, Coote and Clive argued so violently over who should reoccupy [[Fort William, India|Fort William]] that they almost fired at each other, which began a lifelong rivalry and hatred between the two men.<ref>Turnbull p.128-129</ref>

===Plassey===
{{Main|Battle of Plassey}}
Coote was soon given the local rank of major for his good conduct in surprising the camp of the [[Nawab of Bengal]]. Soon afterwards came the [[Battle of Plassey]], which would probably never have taken place but for Coote's advice at the council of war; after the defeat of the Nawab he led a detachment in pursuit of the [[French Army|French]] for 400 miles under extraordinary difficulties. His conduct won him the rank of lieutenant-colonel and the command of the [[84th Regiment of Foot (1759)|84th Regiment of Foot]], newly raised in Britain for Indian service, but his exertions had seriously damaged his health.<ref name=EB1911/>

===Wandiwash===
{{Main|Battle of Wandiwash}}
In October 1759 Coote's regiment arrived to take part in the decisive struggle between French and British in the [[Carnatic region|Carnatic]]. He took command of the [[Madras Army|forces at Madras]], where a French siege [[Siege of Madras|had recently been defeated]], and on 22 January 1760 led them in the decisive victory of [[Battle of Wandiwash]].<ref name=EB1911/>

After a time the remnants of [[Thomas Arthur, comte de Lally|Lally]]'s forces were [[Siege of Pondicherry (1760)|besieged]] in [[Pondicherry (city)|Pondicherry]]. For some reason Coote was not entrusted with the siege operations, but loyally supported [[William Monson (British army officer)|William Monson]], who brought the siege to a successful end on 15 January 1761.<ref name=EB1911/> In the latter year he sat for [[Maryborough (Parliament of Ireland constituency)|Maryborough]] in the [[Irish House of Commons]].

Soon afterwards Coote was given the command of the [[British East India Company]]'s forces in [[Bengal]], and settled a serious dispute between the [[Nawab]] [[Mir Qasim]] and a powerful subordinate.<ref name=EB1911/>

==Member of Parliament==
In 1762 he returned to Britain, receiving a jewelled sword of honour from the company and other rewards for his great services.<ref name=EB1911/> In 1771 he was made a [[Knight of the Order of the Bath]]. In 1768, he was elected M.P. for the borough of [[Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester]] in the [[Parliament of Great Britain]], before transferring to [[Poole (UK Parliament constituency)|Poole]], nearer his Hampshire estates, in 1774. He relinquished the seat in 1780 after his last return to India.<ref name=odnb>{{cite book|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Volume 13|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=299|isbn=0-19-861363-6}}Article by G.J. Bryant.</ref>

==Return to India==
[[File:Battle of Porto Novo, 1781.JPG|thumb|Memorial for the [[Battle of Porto Novo]], 1781 at [[Parangipettai|Porto Novo]]]]
In 1779 he sailed on {{ship||Stafford|1769 EIC ship|2}} to India to assume the role of commander in chief of the company forces in India. He allied himself to [[Warren Hastings]], the [[Governor-General of India|Governor General]] who generally deferred to him and gave him a free hand over military matters, in opposition to Hasting's opponents on the [[Calcutta Council|ruling Council]] Edward Wheler and [[Philip Francis (politician)|Philip Francis]]. He spent much of his time visiting outlying garrisons and chose to attend meetings of the Calcutta Council only when it was necessary to pass some important measure.<ref>Turnbull pp. 129–130</ref> Without Coote's support, Hastings was likely to be outvoted on the council.<ref>Turnbull p. 134</ref> This situation only ended when Francis returned home where he began to stir up criticism of Hastings' conduct which ultimately led to [[Impeachment of Warren Hastings|his failed impeachment]].

===Second Anglo-Mysore War===
{{further|Second Anglo-Mysore War}}
Following [[Hyder Ali]]'s opening of the [[Second Anglo-Mysore War]] in southern India Coote returned to active service. It was not until 1 June 1781 that Coote struck the first heavy blow against Hyder in the decisive [[Battle of Porto Novo]]. The battle was won by Coote against odds of five to one. It was followed up by another hard-fought [[Battle of Pollilur (1781)|battle at Pollilur]] (the scene of [[Battle of Pollilur|an earlier triumph]] of Hyder over a British force) on 27 August, in which the British won another success, and by the rout of the Mysore troops at [[Sholinghur]] a month later. His last service was the arduous campaign of 1782, which finally shattered a constitution already gravely impaired by hardship and exertions.<ref name=EB1911/>

==Death==
[[File:Eyre Coote monument, Westminster Abbey 04.jpg|thumb|Memorial at Westminster Abbey by [[Thomas Banks]]]]
[[File:Eyre Coote's Monument - geograph.org.uk - 2042332.jpg|thumb|150px|Monument to Eyre Coote in West Park]]
In 1782, Coote relinquished his command, and moved to Calcutta. However amid increasing French harassment, and ruptures between the governor and new commander in chief, Hastings persuaded Coote to return to his command. He died of a stroke soon after returning to Madras on 28 April 1783. His body was brought back to England and buried in the parish church of [[Rockbourne]] in [[Hampshire]], the location of his estate.

===Legacy===
Coote is generally remembered for his victory at Wandiwash and capture of [[Pondicherry district|Pondicherry]] which were decisive moments in the struggle between Britain and France for dominance in India.<ref name="Turnbull p.129">Turnbull p.129</ref> Although he often quarrelled with other British officers and officials, Coote was adored by the [[sepoy]] troops under his command.<ref name="Turnbull p.129"/> Following his death a monument was erected to him in [[Westminster Abbey]]<ref name=EB1911/> and another, in the form of a tall column, within his estate at West Park, [[Rockbourne]], [[Hampshire]]. His nephew was [[Eyre Coote (British Army officer, born 1762)|Eyre Coote]] who served as [[Governor General of India]].

He had married in 1769 a daughter of Charles Hutchinson, Governor of [[St. Helena]]. They had no children, and his property, worth over £200,000, was left to his brother, Doctor Charles Coote, [[Dean of Kilfenora]], in [[County Clare]], Ireland.<ref>[[Richard Ryan (biographer)|Richard Ryan]], ''Biographia Hibernica'', 1821, p. 20</ref> In his autobiography the American General and [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Colin Powell]] claims direct descent from Coote's identically named nephew [[Eyre Coote (British Army officer)|Eyre Coote]] while the latter was serving as [[Governor of Jamaica]], which has led to Powell sometimes being incorrectly referred to as a direct descendant of the elder General Coote.

== Bibliography==
* Harvey, Robert. ''Clive: The life and Death of a British Emperor''. Hodder and Stoughton, 1998.
* Sheppard E. W. ''Coote Bahadur: A Life of Lieutenant-General Sir Eyre Coote, KB'' Werner Laurie 1956
* Turnbull, Patrick. ''Warren Hastings''. New English Library, 1975.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{UK National Archives ID}}
*[http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/clementsmss/umich-wcl-M-4428coo Eyre Coote papers], [[William L. Clements Library]], [[University of Michigan]].
*[http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/member/coote-eyre-1726-83 COOTE, Eyre (1726-83), of West Park, nr. Rockbourn, Hants.] at [[The History of Parliament]] Online
{{S-start}}
{{s-par|ie}}
{{s-bef| before = [[Warner Westenra (Irish MP)|Warner Westenra]] [[Bartholomew William Gilbert]] }}
{{s-ttl| title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Maryborough (Parliament of Ireland constituency)|Maryborough]]
| with = [[William Gilbert (politician)|William Gilbert]]
| years = 1761 }}
{{s-aft| after = [[William Gilbert (politician)|William Gilbert]] [[Sir John Parnell, 1st Baronet|John Parnell]] }}
{{s-par|gb}}
{{s-bef
| before =[[John Darker]]
| before2 = [[Anthony James Keck]]
}}
{{s-title
| title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester]]
| years = [[1768 British general election|1768]]–[[1774 British general election|1774]]
| with = [[Booth Grey]]
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [[Booth Grey]]
| after2 = [[John Darker]]
}}

{{s-bef| before = [[Thomas Calcraft]] [[Joshua Mauger]]}}
{{s-ttl| title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Poole (UK Parliament constituency)|Poole]]
| with = [[Joshua Mauger]]
| years = 1774–1780}}
{{s-aft| after = [[Joseph Gulston (collector)|Joseph Gulston]] [[William Morton Pitt]]}}
{{s-mil}}
{{succession box | title=[[Commander-in-Chief, India]] | before=[[John Carnac]] | after=[[Thomas Adams (British Army officer)|Thomas Adams]] | years=1761–1763}}
{{succession box|title=Colonel of the [[27th Regiment of Foot]]|years=1771–1773|before=[[Hugh Warburton]]|after=[[Eyre Massey, 1st Baron Clarina|The Lord Clarina]]}}
{{succession box|title=Colonel of the [[37th Regiment of Foot]]|years=1773–1783|before=[[Sir George Gray, 3rd Baronet|Sir George Gray]]|after=[[Sir John Dalling, 1st Baronet|Sir John Dalling]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Commander-in-Chief, India]] | before=[[Giles Stibbert]] | after=[[Giles Stibbert]] | years=1779–1783}}
{{S-end}}

{{Commander-in-Chief, India}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coote, Eyre}}
[[Category:1726 births]]
[[Category:1783 deaths]]
[[Category:27th Regiment of Foot officers]]
[[Category:37th Regiment of Foot officers]]
[[Category:39th Regiment of Foot officers]]
[[Category:84th Regiment of Foot officers]]
[[Category:British Army lieutenant generals]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Jacobite rising of 1745]]
[[Category:British Commanders-in-Chief of India]]
[[Category:British East India Company Army generals]]
[[Category:British MPs 1774–1780]]
[[Category:Irish MPs 1761–1768]]
[[Category:Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for Queen's County constituencies]]
[[Category:Military personnel from County Limerick]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Seven Years' War]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Mysore War]]
[[Category:Coote family|Eyre]]

Eyre Coote East India Company officer - Revision history

92.239.103.64 at 15:51, 22 December 2022