They are the remnant of a bygone era, when Sultan's ruled one of the world's oldest empires, living in a forgotten age of opulence and extravagance in India's immense palace estates. But when the Duke of Wellington 's forces defeated and killed Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore, in 1799, troops plundered the city and the palace, returning to Britain with gold, jewellery, arms, armour, clothing and even Tipu's grand throne. This month, a collection of the historic artefacts from this exotic empire will go on sale at London auction house Bonhams, and experts expect them to fetch a total of around £1million. Pure opulence: A gem-set sword with pink, green and red stones and an ornate tiger's head pommel is expected to sell for £80,000. This rare quilted helmet with a gold koftgari bar, incredibly artistic stitching and the wonderfully bright colours of India is set to sell for £35,000 . Great adversaries: The Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, left, and army general, Arthur Wellesley, right, fought in India in 1799. War was waged after spies intercepted a letter from the Sultan proposing an alliance with the French. Wellesley went on to become the Duke of Wellington, defeating Napolean in the Battle of Waterloo. But he earned his stripes fighting in Mysore and rushed to check the sultan's pulse when he was killed . The item tipped to attract the biggest price is the Sultan's personal sporting gun, a four-foot-long rifle made by his own armoury, tipped to make £150,000 alone. It was given as a present to Lord Cornwallis, the Governor General of India, after the fall of Tipu and passed on to the Earls of Pembroke, staying in the family for 200 years. A gold-coloured gem-set sword with an artistic tiger's head pommel showing the craftsmanship of 18th-century Mysore is expected to sell for £80,000. An archer's set, made for Tipu, includes a beautiful gold and red embroidered quiver and arm guards, a belt with a finely-forged buckle and seven decorated arrows. It's expected to sell for £60,000. The collection also includes a rare quilted helmet with a gold koftgari bar, stitched with a finely detailed pattern and the wonderfully bright colours associated with India, which is set to sell for £35,000. One of the prize pieces is an artistically carved hardwood tiger-paw from the foot of Tipu's throne - the only surviving piece of the once magnificent structure - which could make £20,000. Bidders can buy a piece of history with a Mughal gem-set jade plaque, complete with a note stating it was found with the body of Tipu Sultan in 1799 after he died on the battlefield. Other items up for sale include pistols, helmets, swords, intricately embroidered clothing and even a bronze field cannon used to defend the fortress at Seringapatam. Atop of an empire: This historic picture shows what Tipu's magnificent throne would have looked like before he was toppled. On sale in the auction is the only surviving piece of the magnificent throne, a decoratively carved tiger foot with a silver plaque celebrating the victory . Foot of the throne: A carved wood tiger paw from the foot of the throne of Tipu Sultan, expected to sell for £20,000 . Medal of honour: The silver plaque atop the foot of the throne commemorates the victory over one of the greatest sultans in history . A golden age: This embroidered quiver and arm guards, belt and seven decorated arrows, made for Tipu, is expected to sell for £60,000 . The items were collected over 30 years by British Tipu expert Robin Wigington, who even turned part of his house in Stratford Upon Avon into a museum and allowed some of them to be displayed in exhibitions worldwide. He sold his collection to a private collector in 2005 and they have now been put up for sale again. Claire Penhallurick, head of Islamic and Indian art at Bonhams, said: 'It is very unusual for there to be an auction of so many artefacts that once belonged to Tipu. It is the product of one man who collected for nearly 30 years. 'Robin Wigington was an arms and armour gentleman dealer who collected these pieces over three decades. He was obsessed with Tipu - he published pieces and loaned items to major exhibitions. 'In the end he built his own museum at his home in Stratford Upon Avon which was open for six years, during which time it won an award for the best British museum. 'One of the highlights of this sale is one of the feet that Tipu's throne rested on. 'Quite a few of the items are signed and dated by the manufacturer, making them incredibly important historical documents because it allows other items from the same era to be dated. 'Many of the pieces have previous metal inlays and incredibly decorative touches. It's very obvious they're Tipu's pieces. 'Wigington had an eye for quality and he collected the best of the best. These items are not just arms and armour but far more than that - they're works of art. Storming of Seringapatam under General Baird and death of Tipu Sultan, May 4, 1799, in the Mysore War. Tipu Sultan was shot and killed in the onslaught . Wellington was a 30-year-old army general when he led troops to Mysore in the late 18th century. Then a young Arthur Wellesley, he earned his stripes and learned skills fighting Tipu, nicknamed the Tiger of Mysore, that would later prove vital in defeating French dictator Napoleon on the battlefields of Waterloo. His elder brother Richard Wellesley, the British Governor General, had waged war against the sultan after a spy intercepted a letter from Napoleon proposing an alliance. It was to be the fourth war between the Brits and the southern Indian kingdom of Mysore in just over 30 years. Wellesley led the British army into Tipu's stronghold of Seringapatam, the capital of Mysore, on April 5 1799 with the military planning and precision that came to be his strongest attributes. More than two decades letter Wellesley, by then the Duke of Wellington, used the same skills he had learned against Tipu Sultan to crush Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. After several weeks of besieging the city the Brits were able to breach the walls of its fortress. Tipu Sultan was shot and killed in the onslaught, and Wellesley dashed to the scene to check his pulse. Weelington went on to become one of the most famed leaders in military history. 'Tipu Sultan was one of the greatest rulers in Indian history, but interest in him comes from all over the world.' 'He was the first adversary of General Arthur Wellesley, who went on to become the Duke of Wellington. 'It would be fair to say Wellesley learned the skills he later displayed at the Battle of Waterloo fighting against Tipu, although Tipu gave the Brits a good run for their money. 'After the fall of Tipu the British took over his palace and some of his items were divided up among officers. 'A series of auctions were held over three days in Seringapatam where more treasures were sold. 'Some of these items we are selling could have come from these auctions, or they could have been gifted to officers at the time. 'Many of the pieces have 200-year provenances in the UK. 'Some were personal weapons of Tipu's - one such is a huge gun with a crouching tiger carved into the butt which was gifted to Lord Cornwallis after the fall of Seringapatam. Mughal gem-set jade plaque with note stating it was found with the body of Tipu Sultan, left, and A metal-thread embroidered quilted velvet quirass, expected to sell for £20,000, right. The items will be on sale at the Bonhams auction on April 21 . The Duke of Wellington's former home Apsley House on Hyde Park Corner where he hosted grand events to commemorate the historic battle . The Duke of Wellington's handwritten orders from the Battle of Waterloo and a pair of the original 'Wellington boots' are among items in two exhibitions to mark the 200th anniversary of the conflict. English Heritage is putting on new displays at Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner and nearby Apsley House, the London home of the first Duke of Wellington, who commanded the army that defeated Napolean in modern day Belgium in 1815. They mark the bicentenary of the battle in which British and Prussian forces finally defeated Bonaparte, bringing an end to conflict which had raged in Europe and the wider world for 20 years. At Wellington's former home, Apsley House, which dates back to the 1770s, visitors will be able see the Waterloo Gallery as it was when he hosted annual banquets to commemorate the battle. Josephine Oxley, keeper of the Wellington collection, said visitors would be able to find out about the man behind the battle and also see the scale of the banquets which took place every year from 1820 until the duke died in 1852. 'Once the Waterloo Gallery was finished in 1828, the banquets expanded and became very glamorous affairs, so much so there were crowds outside, it was the red carpet event of its day.'
30-year-old Duke of Wellington fought Tipu Sultan as an army general in 1799 . Tipu was killed in the defeat and soldiers plundered the city and palace for jewels and riches . Modern British collector was 'obsessed with' Sultan, acquiring works over 30 years . Sale of his collection could fetch £1million with personal gun tipped to get £150,000 alone .