Gwalior State

Coordinates: 26°13′N 78°10′E / 26.22°N 78.17°E / 26.22; 78.17
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Maharaja of Gwalior
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Gwalior State
1731–1948
Flag of Gwalior
Flag of the state (1731–1818)
Coat of arms of Gwalior
Coat of arms
Princely State of the British Raj (1857–1947)
State of the Dominion of India
(1947–1948)
Capital
Common languagesBundeli, Hindi, Marathi
GovernmentMonarchy
Raja 
• 1731 – 1745 (first)
Ranoji Scindia
• 1925 – 1948 (last)[a]
Jiwajirao Scindia
History 
• Established
1731
• Accession to
Dominion of India
15 June 1948
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Maratha Empire
Jhansi State
Dominion of India
Today part ofMadhya Pradesh, India
The Maharaja of Gwalior before his palace by Edwin Lord Weeks.

Gwalior state was a semi-autonomous Maratha state. It was centred in modern-day Madhya Pradesh, arising due to the rise of the Maratha Empire and fragmentation of the Mughal Empire.

It was ruled by the

Maratha Confederacy. The administration of Ujjain was assigned by Peshwa Bajirao I to his faithful commander Ranoji Shinde and his Sarsenapati was Yasaji Rambhaji (Rege). The Mahakaaleshwara temple situated in ujjain was reconstructed during the administration of Shrimant Ranojirao Scindia in ujjain.[2][full citation needed
]

Under

Anglo-Maratha Wars brought Gwalior State under British suzerainty, so that it became a princely state of the British Indian Empire. Gwalior was the largest state in the Central India Agency, under the political supervision of a Resident at Gwalior. In 1936, the Gwalior residency was separated from the Central India Agency, and made answerable directly to the Governor-General of India. After Indian Independence in 1947, the Scindia rulers acceded to the new Union of India, and Gwalior state was absorbed into the new Indian state of Madhya Bharat.[3]

Geography

The state had a total area of 64,856 km2 (25,041 sq mi), and was composed of several detached portions, but was roughly divided into two, the Gwalior or Northern section, and the

Kotah in the Rajputana Agency.[4]

The Malwa section, which included the city of Ujjain, had an area of 20,774 km2 (8,021 sq mi). It was made up of several detached districts, between which portions of other states were interposed, and which were themselves intermingled in bewildering intricacy.

In 1940, Gwalior State had 4,006,159 inhabitants.[5]

History

The predecessor state of Gwalior was founded in the 10th century. In 1231 Iltutmish captured Gwalior and from then till 1398 it was a part of Delhi Sultanate.

In 1398, Gwalior came under the control of the

Gwalior fort.[6]

It came under the Mughals in 1528 and was a part of the empire till 1731.

Ranoji Scindia, founder of the Scindia dynasty of Gwalior

The founder of the ruling house of Gwalior was

Sindhia house which traced its descent from a family of which one branch held the hereditary post of patil in Kanherkhed, a village 16 miles (26 km) east of Satara
.

In 1726, Ranoji along with

Mahadji. Jayappa succeeded to the territories of Ranoji, but was killed at Nagaur in 1755. He was followed by his son Jankoji Rao Scindia, who was taken prisoner at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 and put to death, and Mahadji succeeded.[citation needed
]

Rulers

Mahadji Sindhia (1761–1794)

Mahadaji Shinde
Standard of the Maharaja of Gwalior.

Madhavrao I, Mahadji, and his successor Daulatrao took a leading part in shaping the history of India during their rule. Mahadji returned from the Deccan to Malwa in 1764, and by 1769 reestablished his power there. In 1772

Raghoba Dada Peshwa threw himself on the protection of the British. The reverses which Sindhia's forces met with at the hands of Colonel Goddard after his famous march from Bengal to Gujarat (1778) the fall of Gwalior to Major Popham (1780), and the night attack by Major Camac, opened his eyes to the strength of the new power which had entered the arena of Indian politics. In 1782 the Treaty of Salbai was made with Sindhia, the chief stipulations being that he should withdraw to Ujjain, and the British north of the Yamuna, and that he should negotiate treaties with the other belligerents. The importance of the treaty can scarcely be exaggerated. It made the British arbiters of peace in India and virtually acknowledged their supremacy, while at the same time Sindhia was recognized as an independent chief and not as a vassal of the Peshwa. A resident, Mr. Anderson (who had negotiated the treaty) was at the same time appointed to Sindhia's court.[7]
Between 1782 and December 1805 Dholpur State was annexed by Gwalior.[8]

Sindhia took full advantage of the system of neutrality pursued by the British to establish his supremacy over Northern India. In this he was assisted by the genius of

Lord Clare in the famous Irish Brigade at Fontenoy and elsewhere and who after many vicissitudes, including imprisonment by the Turks, reached India and for a time held a commission in the 6th Madras Infantry
. After resigning his commission he had proposed to travel overland to Russia, but was prevented by the loss of his possessions and papers, stolen, it appears, at the instigation of Mahadji, who was suspicious of his intentions. De Boigne finally entered Mahadji's service, and by his genius for organization and command in the field, was instrumental in establishing the Maratha supremacy. Commencing with two battalions of infantry, he ultimately increased Sindhia's regular forces to three brigades. With these troops Sindhia became a power in northern India.

In 1785 Sindhia reinstated the Mughal emperor

Maratha supremacy over North India . De Boigne defeated the forces of Tukaji Holkar
at Lakheri on 1 June 1793. Mahadji was now at the zenith of his power, when all his schemes for further aggrandizement were cut short by his sudden death in 1794 at Wanowri near Pune. Mahadji's death was mystery.

Daulatrao Sindhia (1794–1827)

Daulatrao Scindia
, c. 1825

Mahadji left no heir, and was succeeded by Daulat Rao, a grandson of his brother Tukaji, who was scarcely 15 years of age at the time. Daulat Rao saw himself as the chief sovereign in India rather than as a member of the Maratha Confederacy. At this time the death of the young Peshwa,

Amir Khan and others. De Boigne had retired in 1796; his successor, Pierre Cuillier-Perron
, was a man of a very different stamp, whose determined favouritism of French officers, ind defiance of all claims to promotion, produced discontent in the regular corps.

Finally, on 31 December 1802, the Peshwa signed the

district of Bharuch, and other lands in the south of his dominions; and soon after by the Treaty of Burhanpur he agreed to maintain a subsidiary force to be paid for out of the revenues of territory ceded by the treaty. By the ninth article of the Treaty of Sarji Anjangaon he was deprived of the fortresses of Gwalior and Gohad
. The discontent produced by the last condition almost caused a rupture, and did actually result in the plundering of the Resident's camp and detention of the Resident as a prisoner.

In 1805, under the new policy of Lord Cornwallis, Gohad and Gwalior were restored, and the Chambal River was made the northern boundary of the state, while certain claims on Rajput states were abolished, the British government at the same time binding itself to enter into no treaties with Udaipur, Jodhpur, Kotah, or any chief tributary to Sindhia in Malwa, Mewar, or Marwar. In 1811, Daulat Rao annexed the neighboring kingdom of Chanderi. In 1816 Sindhia was called on to assist in the suppression of the Pindaris. For some time it was doubtful what line he would take, but he ultimately signed the Treaty of Gwalior in 1817 by which he promised full cooperation. He did not, however, act up to his professions, and connived at the retention of the fort of Asirgarh, which had been ceded by the treaty. In 1818, after the Third Anglo-Maratha War, the rule of the Peshwa was formally ended. A fresh treaty effected a readjustment of boundaries, Ajmer and other lands being ceded.[9]


Jankojirao II Sindhia (1827–1843)

Young Jayaji Rao Sindhia, studying English, 1846

In 1827 Daulat Rao died, leaving no son or adopted heir. His widow, Baiza Bai, adopted Mukut Rao, a boy of eleven belonging to a distant but legitimate branch of the family, who succeeded as Jankojirao Sindhia. Jankojirao was a weak ruler and feuds were constant at his court, while the army was in a chronic state of mutiny. Upon his succession, difficulties arose as to whether the Bai should ruler in her own right or as regent, and her behaviour towards the young king finally caused a rise in feeling in his favour which impelled the Bai to take refuge in British territory. She returned after an interval and lived at Gwalior until her death in 1862. The chief's maternal uncle, known as Mama Sahib, had meanwhile become minister. The most important event during this period was the readjustment of the terms for maintaining the contingent force raised under the treaty of 1817.[10]

Jayajirao Sindhia (1843–1886)

Jagirdars & Mankaris
) in Indore, Holkar State, c. 1879.
Jayajirao Scindia, in 1875

Jankojirao died in 1843; and in the absence of an heir, his widow Tara Bai adopted Bhagirath Rao, a son of Hanwant Rao, commonly called Babaji Sindhia. He succeeded under the name of Jayajirao Sindhia, the Mama Sahib being chosen as regent. Tara Bai, however, came under the influence of Dada Khasgiwala, the comptroller of her household, an unscrupulous adventurer who wished to get all power into his own hands. A complicated series of intrigues followed, which it is impossible to unravel. The Dada, however, succeeded in driving Mama Sahib from the state and became minister. He filled all appointments with his relatives, and matters rapidly passed from bad to worse, ending in the assemblage of large bodies of troops who threatened an attack on Sironj, where Mama Sahib was then residing. War was impending in the Punjab, and, as it was essential to secure peace, the British Government decided to interfere. Colonel Sleeman, the Resident, was withdrawn, and the surrender of Dada Khasgiwala was demanded.[11]

A British force under Sir Hugh Gough moved on Gwalior, and crossed the Chambal in December 1843. On 29 December followed the simultaneous Battles of Maharajpur and Panniar, in which the Gwalior army was annihilated. A treaty was then made, under which certain lands to the value of 1.8 million, including Chanderi District, were ceded for the upkeep of a contingent force, besides other lands for the liquidation of the expenses incurred in the late war, the State army was reduced, and a Council of Regency was appointed during the minority, to act under the residents advice.

In 1852

Sir Hugh Rose and Maharaja Sri Jayajirao was reinstated. For his services lands worth 300,000 per year, including the portion of Chanderi District west of the Betwa River, were granted to him and he was allowed to increase his infantry from 3000 to 5000 men, and his artillery from 32 to 36 guns. In 1858 Gwalior annexed Chanderi State.[8]

Development in Gwalior State

Madhav Rao Scindia, about 1903.
Jivajirao Sindhia

Jayajirao Shinde was the founder of Development in Gwalior after 1857 and worked for the people of Gwalior to establish their own businesses. He was a very good artist of Gwalior Gharana classical music and opened a school for learning music. The Gwalior got its music in his regein.[check spelling] GCB – Knight Grand Cross Order of the Bath (medal 1.1.1877), GCSI – (25.6.1861), CIE (1.1.1878). In 1872 the state lent 7.5 million for the construction of the Agra-Gwalior portion of the

Great Indian Peninsular Railway
.

In 1885 Gwalior fort and Morar cantonment, with some other villages, which had been held by British troops since 1858, were exchanged for Jhansi city.[13]

Madhavrao II Sindhia (1886–1925)

Copper coins, minted in Gwalior, issued on the name of Madho Rao Scindia.

Jayaji Rao died in 1886 and was succeeded by his son, Madho Rao Sindhia, then a boy in his tenth year. A council of Regency conducted the administration until 1894, when the Maharaja obtained powers. He took a deep and active interest in the administration of the state, and had a comprehensive grasp of the work done in each department. In 1900 the Maharaja went to China during the Boxer Rebellion, at the same time presenting a hospital ship for the accommodation of the wounded.

Jivajirao Sindhia (1925–1948)

Jivajirao Sindhia ruled the state of Gwalior as absolute monarch until shortly after India's independence on 15 August 1947. The rulers of Indian princely states had the choice of acceding to either of the two dominions (India and Pakistan) created by the India Independence Act 1947 or remaining outside them. Jivajirao signed a covenant with the rulers of the adjoining princely states that united their several states to form a new state within the union of India known as Madhya Bharat. This new covenanted state was to be governed by a council headed by a ruler to be known as the Rajpramukh. Madhya Bharat signed a fresh Instrument of Accession with the Indian dominion effective from 13 September 1948.[14] Jivajirao became the first rajpramukh, or appointed governor, of the state on 28 May 1948. He served as Rajpramukh until 31 October 1956, when the state was merged into Madhya Pradesh.

Scindia Maharajas of Gwalior

The rulers of Gwalior bore the title of Maharaja Scindia.[8] The Gwalior State

Jagirdars, Sardars, Istamuradars, Mankaris, Thakurs and Zamindars.[15][16]

Reigning Maharajas

Jai Vilas Mahal was the seat of the ruling dynasty till 1947.

Titular Maharajas since Union

Administration

The revenue of the state in 1901 was Rs. 150,00,000.[17]

For administrative purposes the state was divided into two prants or divisions; Northern Gwalior and Malwa. Northern Gwalior comprised seven zilas or districts:

Shajapur, and Amjhera. The zilas were subdivided into parganas
, the villages in a pargana being grouped into circles, each under a patwari.

Gwalior State, 1931

The administration of the state was controlled by the Maharaja, assisted by the Sadr Board. This Board consisted of seven members, the Maharaja himself being president and the members being in charge of different departments, of which the most important were the Revenue, Land Records and Settlement, Forest, Accounts, Public Works, Customs, and Post Office. The Maharaja had no minister, but a staff of secretaries, supervised by a chief secretary, prepared cases for the final orders of the Maharaja. The zilas were overseen by

subahs
, or district magistrates; in Northern Gwalior, the subahs answered directly to the Sadr Board, while in Malwa, a Sar Subah was in general charge of the Malwa prant, and controlled and oversaw the work of the four Malwa subahs.

The numerous feudal estates under Gwalior were administered by the local rulers, and were outside the administration of the zilas and prants. The small estates (

diwans
) of Sangul Wardha'Agra ' were nominally under the authority of Gwalior state, but the British Resident had certain administrative and judicial powers.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Gwalior – Princely State (21 gun salute)". Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  2. ^ Website of Shri Mahakaleshwar temple, Ujjain
  3. .
  4. ^ Great Britain India Office. The Imperial Gazetteer of India. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908.
  5. ^ Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer, p. 740
  6. ^ Paul E. Schellinger & Robert M. Salkin 1994, p. 312.
  7. .
  8. ^ a b c Princely States of India
  9. .
  10. .
  11. .
  12. .
  13. ^ Markovits, Claude (ed.) (2004). A History of Modern India: 1480-1950. Anthem Press, London.
  14. ^ Madhya Bharat- Execution of Instrument of Accession signed by Maharajadhiraja Sir George Jivaji Rao Scindia Bahadur, Raj Pramukh of Madhya Bharat State on 19.7.1948 and its acceptance by Governor General of India on 13.09.1948. New Delhi: Ministry of States, Government of India. 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 2 January 2024 – via National Archives of India.
  15. . Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  16. ^ Russell, Robert Vane (1916). "Pt. II. Descriptive articles on the principal castes and tribes of the Central Provinces".
  17. ^ "Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 12, page 433 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library".

Notes

  1. Republic of India
  2. Viceroy from 1943 to 1947 and was entitled to a 31-gun salute because of his position, reminded himself of these 21-gun states with the mnemonic of "Hot kippers make good breakfast".[12]

Sources

Further reading

26°13′N 78°10′E / 26.22°N 78.17°E / 26.22; 78.17