In 1767, the British (English East India Company) waged the First Mysore War against Hyder Ali. With the support of which Indian ally did the British initially launch this war?

Introduction / Context:
The First Mysore War was one of a series of conflicts between the Kingdom of Mysore under Hyder Ali and the British East India Company. These wars played a major role in shaping the political map of southern India in the eighteenth century. Understanding which local powers allied with the British and which opposed them is important for studying the pattern of alliances and rivalries in this period. This question asks you to identify the Indian ally who supported the British when they waged the First Mysore War in 1767.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The war in question is the First Mysore War, starting in 1767.
• The main opponent of the British is Hyder Ali of Mysore.
• The question asks for the Indian ally who initially cooperated with the British.
• We are given four possible allies: the Nizam of Hyderabad, the Maratha Confederacy, the Nawab of Bengal, and the Sikh ruler of Punjab.

Concept / Approach:
The key to this question is to remember the complex network of alliances in southern India. At the beginning of the First Mysore War, the British sought allies to counter Hyder Ali's power. The Nizam of Hyderabad joined the British in an alliance against Mysore. The Marathas had their own shifting relations with Mysore and the British, but the specific alliance described in this question refers to the Nizam. The Nawab of Bengal and the Sikh ruler of Punjab were associated with other regions and conflicts and were not central players in the First Mysore War.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the First Mysore War pitted Hyder Ali of Mysore against the British East India Company and its allies.Step 2: Recall that in southern India, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Maratha Confederacy were major regional powers that sometimes allied with or opposed the British.Step 3: Remember that at the start of the First Mysore War in 1767, the British formed an alliance with the Nizam of Hyderabad against Hyder Ali.Step 4: Recognize that the Nawab of Bengal and the Sikh rulers were associated with eastern and northern India and played little direct role in this particular conflict.Step 5: Conclude that the correct ally named in the question is the Nizam of Hyderabad.

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical accounts of the Anglo Mysore Wars state that the British initially joined with the Nizam of Hyderabad and sometimes with the Marathas to contain Hyder Ali's expansion. The pattern of alliances shifted over time, but the First Mysore War is specifically remembered for the early alliance between the British and the Nizam. In contrast, the Nawab of Bengal is more closely connected with earlier British expansion in eastern India, such as the Battle of Plassey, and the Sikh rulers are central to later conflicts in Punjab. These associations help verify that the Nizam of Hyderabad is the correct answer here.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Maratha Confederacy was an important power that sometimes fought against Mysore and sometimes against the British, but in the specific context of the initial British alliance in 1767, the Nizam of Hyderabad is the more accurate answer.
The Nawab of Bengal was involved mainly in earlier British expansion in eastern India and is not known as the key ally in the First Mysore War.
The Sikh ruler of Punjab was associated with northern India and played no direct role in the Anglo Mysore conflicts in southern India.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the roles of the Nizam and the Marathas because both appear frequently in discussions of eighteenth century Indian politics. Another pitfall is to select any familiar regional power without checking the specific war mentioned in the question. To avoid such mistakes, always link each conflict with its main region and players. For the First Mysore War, remember the triangle of Mysore, the British, and the Nizam of Hyderabad as the key actors at the start of the conflict.

Final Answer:
In the First Mysore War of 1767, the British waged war on Hyder Ali with the support of the Nizam of Hyderabad.