129-555: The Hill States of India were princely states lying in the northern border regions of the British Indian Empire . Prior to the late 1940's, the region that is now classified as Jammu and Himachal Pradesh was termed the "Punjab Hills". The Punjab Hills are around 483 kilometres (300 miles) long and 161 kilometres (100 miles) wide. It consisted of a range of foot-hills, known as the Shivalik Range , meeting
258-435: A centre of painting. The tradition of painting later developed in the hill states of Jasrota, Mankot, Lakhanpur, Samba, Bhoti, Bandralta, Bhadrawaha, Poonch, and Rajauri. As for Jammu State, the first paintings seem to date to the reign of Raja Hari Dev (r. 1660–90). As Jammu became a powerful and hegemonic entity within the region above the rest, this brought upon peace, prosperity, and stability, which attracted painters to
387-522: A chief can neither attack his neighbour nor fall out with a foreign nation, it follows that he needs no military establishment which is not required either for police purposes or personal display, or for cooperation with the Imperial Government. The treaty made with Gwalior in 1844, and the instrument of transfer given to Mysore in 1881, alike base the restriction of the forces of the State upon
516-518: A few particular titles, such as Sardar , Mankari , Deshmukh , Sar Desai, Istamuradar, Saranjamdar , Raja Inamdar, etc. The most prestigious Hindu rulers usually had the prefix "maha-" ("great", compare for example " grand duke ") in their titles, as in Maharaja, Maharana, Maharao , etc. This was used in many princely states including Mewar , Travancore and Cochin . The state of Travancore also had queens regent styled Maharani , applied only to
645-579: A kingdom by this name, but it could have been referred to by its capital (either Vallapura , modern Balor, or Babbapura , modern Babor). In modern times, the term Dogra turned into an ethnic identity, claimed by all those people that speak the Dogri language . Prior to the arrival of the Dogras in the region, the local inhabitants of the Durgara region were likely Khasas and Kanets , who originally inhabited
774-671: A level of Maharaja was used. There were also compound titles, such as (Maha)rajadhiraj, Raj-i-rajgan, often relics from an elaborate system of hierarchical titles under the Mughal emperors . For example, the addition of the adjective Bahadur (from Persian, literally meaning "brave") raised the status of the titleholder one level. Furthermore, most dynasties used a variety of additional titles such as Varma in South India. This should not be confused with various titles and suffixes not specific to princes but used by entire (sub)castes. This
903-471: A loyal and faithful subject of Ranjit Singh during the ruler's life, however after the death of Ranjit in 1839, conspiracies, rivalries, and intrigues arose in the Sikh court, with varying factions vying against one another for their own benefit. In the turmoil for succession of the Sikh empire that followed Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death in 1839, two of Gulab Singh's sons Udham Singh, and Sohan Singh were killed in
1032-409: A population of slightly over 4 million. At the other end of the scale, the non-salute principality of Lawa covered an area of 49 km (19 sq mi), with a population of just below 3,000. Some two hundred of the lesser states even had an area of less than 25 km (10 sq mi). The princely states at the time of Indian independence were mostly formed after the disintegration of
1161-432: A quarter of the total – had the status of a salute state , one whose ruler was entitled to a set number of gun salutes on ceremonial occasions. The princely states varied greatly in status, size, and wealth; the premier 21-gun salute states of Hyderabad and Jammu and Kashmir were each over 200,000 km (77,000 sq mi) in size. In 1941, Hyderabad had a population of over 16 million, while Jammu and Kashmir had
1290-575: A rebellion in the western districts of the state and a Pakistan-supported tribal invasion , leading him to accede to the Union of India and receive military assistance. Pakistan contested the accession, giving rise to the enduring Kashmir conflict . With India's support, the popular leader of Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah , forced the Maharaja to abdicate in favour of his son, Yuvraj (Crown Prince) Karan Singh , who subsequently accepted
1419-480: A result of their states' contributions to the war effort. It was also not unusual for members of princely houses to be appointed to various colonial offices, often far from their native state, or to enter the diplomatic corps. The gun salute system was used to set unambiguously the precedence of the major rulers in the area in which the British East India Company was active, or generally of
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#17327767029131548-501: A rule the majority of gun-salute princes had at least nine, with numbers below that usually the prerogative of Arab Sheikhs of the Aden protectorate , also under British protection. There were many so-called non-salute states of lower prestige. Since the total of salute states was 117 and there were more than 500 princely states, most rulers were not entitled to any gun salute. Not all of these were minor rulers – Surguja State , for example,
1677-578: A ruler to appoint his own heir. The doctrine of lapse was pursued most vigorously by the Governor-General Sir James Ramsay , 10th Earl (later 1st Marquess) of Dalhousie . Dalhousie annexed seven states, including Awadh (Oudh), whose Nawabs he had accused of misrule, and the Maratha states of Nagpur , Jhansi , Satara , Sambalpur , and Thanjavur . Resentment over the annexation of these states turned to indignation when
1806-581: A semi-promotion. The states of all these rulers (about 120) were known as salute states . After Indian Independence , the Maharana of Udaipur displaced the Nizam of Hyderabad as the most senior prince in India, because Hyderabad State had not acceded to the new Dominion of India , and the style Highness was extended to all rulers entitled to 9-gun salutes. When the princely states had been integrated into
1935-553: A settelement at Jammu after he witnessed a wild goat and lion drinking from the same water-hole in a forest that was located at the site, being impressed by how two species of predator and prey could peacefully co-exist. From there onwards, branches of the family spread-out to conquer the surrounding mountainous areas of the region, establishing their own dynasties. In around the year 850, the Dogras came to power in Jammu, being establshed by Raja Bhuj or Bhuj Dev. The centres of power for
2064-901: A sum of 7.5 million Nanakshahee rupees to Gulab Singh, hereafter bestowed with the title of Maharaja. Thus the Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir came into being under Gulab Singh, as per the treaty of Lahore , signed between the British and the Sikhs . Gulab Singh had to pay a large indemnity to the British on behalf of the Sikhs. Maharaja Partab Singh (enthroned in 1885) saw the construction of Banihal Cart Road (B.C. Road) mainly to facilitate telegraph services. During WWI he provided one Mountain Battery and three Infantry Battalions to fight for
2193-651: A temple at Purmandal was constructed under the purview of a Brahmin and was decorated with murals but this Brahmin was engaged in a trading profession in Gujarat rather than traditional Brahmin customs. Some prominent artisan families that were employed by the Dogra rulers are the Seu-Nainsukh family . The Seu-Nainsukh family was the dominant artisan family in the hill states of the Western Himalayas during
2322-436: A tribal name. In medieval times the term became Dugar , which later turned into Dogra. Kalhana's Rajatarangini makes no mention of a kingdom by this name, but it could have been referred to by its capital (either Vallapura , modern Balor, or Babbapura , modern Babor). In modern times, the term Dogra turned into an ethnic identity, claimed by all those people that speak the Dogri language . The family of Raja Gulab Singh
2451-675: Is a reference to a ruler of Jammu ("Raja-Jammu") but no mention of their specific name is given but it would have been Raja Mal Dev of Jammu who resisted the Timurids. This is the first mention of the region of Jammu in recorded-history. According to the Timurid account, Jammu was invaded and Raja Bhim was converted to Islam. The Timurid account mentions that large amounts of booty that consisted of grain and property were taken from Jammu by them. However, these early contracts with Islamic polities did not leave any lasting impression on Jammu until
2580-699: Is almost analogous to Singh title in North India. The actual importance of a princely state could not be read from the title of its ruler, which was usually granted (or at least recognized) as a favor, often in recognition for loyalty and services rendered to the British Raj . Although some titles were raised once or even repeatedly, there was no automatic updating when a state gained or lost real power. In fact, princely titles were even awarded to holders of domains (mainly jagirs ) and even taluqdars and zamindars , which were not states at all. Most of
2709-544: Is believed to have founded the city of Jammu in antiquity. Prior to the arrival of the Dogras in the region, the local inhabitants of the Durgara region (also known as Durgara Pradesh ) were likely Khasas and Kanets , who originally inhabited the Western Himalayan-range. Migrations of Dogri-speaking peoples later followed. The Dogras claim descent from migrants who originated from the present-day regions of Uttar Pradesh , Bihar , and Bengal prior to
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#17327767029132838-483: Is organised for the defence not merely of British India , but of all the possessions under the suzerainty of the King-Emperor. In addition, other restrictions were imposed: The treaties with most of the larger States are clear on this point. Posts in the interior must not be fortified, factories for the production of guns and ammunition must not be constructed, nor may the subject of other States be enlisted in
2967-571: Is referred to as Jamwal (or Jamuwal ). According to some accounts, Raja Kapur Dev, who ruled the area of Jammu around 1560 AD had two sons named Jag Dev and Samail Dev. The two sons ruled from the Bahu and Jammu on the opposite banks of the Tawi River and their descendants came to be called Bahuwals and Jamuwals respectively. The members of the family however claim descent from a legendary Suryavanshi (solar) dynasty ruler Jambu Lochan , who
3096-471: Is the case with Jammu State , which rose in insurrection against the Mughals on three separate instances during this time: the first between the years 1588–9, the second between 1594–5, and the third from 1616–17. During the reign of Akbar between the years 1594–95, the Jammu ruler Raja Parasram Dev teamed-up with fellow Pahari rulers Rai Pratap of Jasrota and Rai Balbhadra of Lakhanpur in a rebellion against
3225-590: The BJP , stating that he had done so to satisfy the "people’s desire to have a corruption and dynasty-free government". Ankit Love , son of Bhim Singh the founder of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party , claimed to be the "Emperor (Maharaja) of the Sovereign State of Jammu and Kashmir" when he was a candidate in the 2016 London Mayoral Election , and again in the 2016 Richmond Park by-election for
3354-685: The Eastern States Agency , Punjab States Agency , Baluchistan Agency , Deccan States Agency , Madras States Agency and the Northwest Frontier States Agency . The Baroda Residency was combined with the princely states of northern Bombay Presidency into the Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency . Gwalior was separated from the Central India Agency and given its own Resident, and
3483-684: The Islamic invasions of the Indian subcontinent . Most of the ruling families of the Pahari Hill States traditionally trace their ancestry back to Ayodhya , claiming descent from Sumitra, who was the last descendant of the Suryavanshi lineage of Rama . An ancestor named Jambu Lochan is said to have first moved to the Jammu region , where he established the settlement of Jammu . According to local mythology, Jambu decided to construct
3612-618: The Kashmiri rulers , such as during the reign of Kalasa and Bhikshachara. The Dogra-ruler Vajradhara is said to have allied with Trigarta ( Kangra ), Vallapura (Balaor), Vartula (Batal), and Thakkuras of the Chandrabhaga Valley, to pledge alliegance to Bhikshachara of Kashmir. Bhikshachara asceded to the throne of Kashmir in 1120. In the autobiography of Timur from 1399, known as the Malfuzat-i-Timuri , there
3741-544: The King-Emperor to provide a forum in which the rulers could voice their needs and aspirations to the government. It survived until the end of the British Raj in 1947. By the early 1930s, most of the princely states whose agencies were under the authority of India's provinces were organised into new Agencies, answerable directly to the governor-general, on the model of the Central India and Rajputana agencies:
3870-464: The Maharaja of Patiala and the Maharaja of Travancore – were entitled to 19-gun salutes. The most senior princely ruler was the Nizam of Hyderabad , who was entitled to the unique style Exalted Highness and 21-gun salute . Other princely rulers entitled to salutes of 11 guns (soon 9 guns too) or more were entitled to the style Highness . No special style was used by rulers entitled to lesser gun salutes. As paramount ruler , and successor to
3999-900: The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India and the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire . Women could be appointed as "Knights" (instead of Dames) of these orders. Rulers entitled to 21-gun and 19-gun salutes were normally appointed to the highest rank, Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India. Many Indian princes served in the British Army , the Indian Army , or in local guard or police forces, often rising to high ranks; some even served while on
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4128-688: The Pashtun Yousafzai . In 1820, Ranjit Singh then bestowed the territory as a hereditary fiefdom to Gulab Singh's father Kishore Singh, a distant kinsman of Raja Jit Singh. Ranjit Singh bestowed the place as a jagir on Kishore Singh, who belonged to the Jamwal Rajput clan that ruled Jammu. Kishore Singh was introduced to Ranjit Singh by his son Gulab Singh, who had joined Ranjit Singh's army in 1809. Upon this introduction, Ranjit Singh employed Kishore Singh and two brothers of Gulab Singh, Suchet Singh and Dhian Singh. During Sikh-rule,
4257-799: The United Kingdom parliament . In 2022, Ankit Love asserted in Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom, that he was the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir and had judge Griffith issue a court order against the Secretary of State to provide under Section 21 of the State Immunity 1978 Act a certificate to address whether Jammu and Kashmir is recognised as a state. This is a list of rulers of State of Jammu and Kashmir from 1846–1952 CE. No Dogra artwork from before
4386-659: The diwan of Mir Mannu), and Dalpat Rai (s/o Lakhpat Rai ) The downfall of the Mughals led the Sikh Misls to arise in the Punjab in the subsequent power-vacuum that followed, with this change having repercussions on the Hill States. Towards the end of Ranjit Dev's rule, the Sikh clans of Punjab ( misls ) gained ascendency, and Jammu began to be contested by the Bhangi , Kanhaiya and Sukerchakia misls . Around 1770,
4515-483: The zamindars who held princely titles were in fact erstwhile princely and royal states reduced to becoming zamindars by the British East India Company. Various sources give significantly different numbers of states and domains of the various types. Even in general, the definition of titles and domains are clearly not well-established. In addition to their titles, all princely rulers were eligible to be appointed to certain British orders of chivalry associated with India,
4644-509: The 18th and 19th centuries, including in Jammu. Seu's son, Nainsukh, was directly employed by Balwant Singh of Jasrota, whom was the youngest son of Raja Dhruv Dev of Jammu State. Nainsukh later moved to Basohli to work under that state's patronage. Nainsukh and his son Ranjha (also an artist) worked under Raja Amrit Pal of Basohli State in the mid-18th century. Ranjha's sons, Gur Sahai and Sukh Dayal, went to Jammu State to work as artists. Three artists named Arjun, Ruldu, and Kanchu worked under
4773-465: The Bhangi misl attacked Jammu and forced Ranjit Dev to become a tributary. Other sources state that Ranjit Dev was able to successfully fend-off the Sikh attacks on Jammu that occurred later-on in his reign and that it was his successors that succumbed to the Sikhs. Raja Ranjit Dev was succeeded by Raja Braj Dev who killed his brother and nephew to become king. Brij Lal Dev, Ranjit Dev's successor,
4902-589: The British Raj (the "Indian Empire") consisted of two types of territory: British India and the native states or princely states . In its Interpretation Act 1889 , the British Parliament adopted the following definitions: (4.) The expression "British India" shall mean all territories and places within Her Majesty's dominions which are for the time being governed by Her Majesty through
5031-514: The British and Indian Armed Forces. Those ranks were conferred based on several factors, including their heritage, lineage, gun-salute (or lack of one) as well as personal character or martial traditions. After the First and Second World Wars, the princely rulers of several of the major states, including Gwalior , Patiala , Nabha , Faridkort , Bikaner , Jaipur , Jodhpur , Jammu and Kashmir and Hyderabad, were given honorary general officer ranks as
5160-633: The British in East Africa, Palestine and Mesopotamia . For the services of his troops the state was awarded a hereditary 21-guns salute. One of the main residences of the maharajas was the Sher Garhi Palace in their summer capital Srinagar . The last ruler of Jammu and Kashmir was Maharaja Hari Singh , who ascended the throne in 1925. He made primary education compulsory in the State, introduced laws prohibiting child marriage and allowed low castes to go to places of worship. Hari Singh
5289-461: The Dogra rulers at this era were Bahu, Babbapura (Babor), and Jammu. The first historical mention to a Pahari ruler relates to two copper-plate inscription dated to the years 1056 and 1066 that eulogize the feats of Raja Sahilavarman of Chamba State (r. 920–940). The earliest type of administration in the region consisted of reigns by feudal cheiftains, referred to as a thakur or rana . This form of government gradually shifted to one that
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5418-695: The Dogras and local people. The worship of Vishnu and his avatars can be evinced in the early portraits of the Jammuite rulers Raja Ananta Dev and Raja Dhruv Dev, who bear Vaishnavist-orientated tilaks in their painted portraits. During the Sikh-period in Jammu, the Jammuite nobles venerated the Sikh gurus and respected the Guru Granth Sahib , with them patronizing the painting of Sikh themes, such as paintings depicting Guru Nanak . However, there are secular paintings related to hunting, which
5547-484: The Governor-General of India or through any governor or other officer subordinate to the Governor-General of India. (5.) The expression "India" shall mean British India together with any territories of any native prince or chief under the suzerainty of Her Majesty exercised through the Governor-General of India, or through any governor or other officer subordinate to the Governor-General of India. In general
5676-652: The Indian Union their rulers were promised continued privileges and an income (known as the Privy Purse ) for their upkeep. Subsequently, when the Indian government abolished the Privy Purse in 1971, the whole princely order ceased to be recognised under Indian law, although many families continue to retain their social prestige informally; some descendants of the rulers are still prominent in regional or national politics, diplomacy, business and high society. At
5805-550: The Indian subcontinent, apart from thousands of zamindari estates and jagirs . In 1947, princely states covered 40% of the area of pre-independence India and constituted 23% of its population. The most important states had their own British political residencies: Hyderabad of the Nizams , Mysore , Pudukkottai and Travancore in the South, Jammu and Kashmir , and Indore in Central India. The most prominent among those – roughly
5934-460: The Jammu ruling house, albeit with minor variations. The Jammu rulers were close with the Kashmiri rulers , such as during the reign of Kalasa and Bhikshachara. The Dogra-ruler Vajradhara is said to have allied with Trigarta ( Kangra ), Vallapura (Balaor), Vartula (Batal), and Thakkuras of the Chandrabhaga Valley, to pledge alliegance to Bhikshachara of Kashmir. Bhikshachara asceded to the throne of Kashmir in 1120. The Mughals were aggressive toward
6063-534: The Jammuite court, leading to the developing of Jammu State as a painting centre in the hills region. Raja Dhruv Dev's four sons were all patrons of painting, especially Raja Balwant Singh of Jasrota State. When Mughal officials sought refuge in Jammu State, they possibly brought Mughal miniature paintings with them and had an impact on the local fashion of Jammu, which is revealed in the miniature paintings produced after their arrival. The extant wall-paintings of
6192-579: The Mughal empire. Many Princely states had a foreign origin due to the long period of external migration to India. Some of these were the rulers of Hyderabad ( Turks ), Bhopal ( Afghans ) and Janjira ( Abyssinian ). Among the Hindu kingdoms, most of the rulers were Kshatriya . Only the Rajput states and a scattering of South Indian kingdoms could trace their lineage to the pre-Mughal period. India under
6321-464: The Mughal-era has been found or come down to us. At the height of the reign of the Dogras, artists were patronized and temples and fortresses were decorated with mural paintings, such as the temples of Krimchi, Babbor, and in the fort at Bahu. Artwork flourished under the Dogras due to two main reasons: contact with the Mughals and the ascendance of the Jammu State. Exchanges between the Dogras and
6450-563: The Mughals led to the transmission of Mughal manners, methods, and tastes regarding artwork, to the Dogras. The first Pahari ruler to directly interact with the Mughals was Raja Bhupat Pal of Basohli State (r. 1598–1635), who was imprisoned by Jahangir from 1613–1627, during which he likely witnessed Mughal artwork. This led to the art of painting to arise first in Basohli State , with the successors Raja Sangram Pal (r. 1635–73) and Raja Kirpan Pal (r. 1678–93) further developing Basohli as
6579-591: The Mughals, the British King-Emperor of India, for whom the style of Majesty was reserved, was entitled to an 'imperial' 101-gun salute—in the European tradition also the number of guns fired to announce the birth of an heir (male) to the throne. There was no strict correlation between the levels of the titles and the classes of gun salutes, the real measure of precedence, but merely a growing percentage of higher titles in classes with more guns. As
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#17327767029136708-603: The Mughals, which raged from Kangra to the Jammu Hills. During the 17th, 18th, and early 19th century, there were thirty-five feudal states located in the Punjab Hills. Each state was ruled by a Rajput ruler. Around two-thirds of the states were patrons of painting . The following were some of the polities (kingdoms and principalities) located in the Punjab Hills region during the pre-colonial period: The Punjab Hills could be further subdivided into three areas: During
6837-406: The Nawab of Oudh . There were also certain estates of British India which were rendered as political saranjams , having equal princely status. Though none of these princes were awarded gun salutes, princely titles in this category were recognised as a form of vassals of salute states, and were not even in direct relation with the paramount power. A controversial aspect of East India Company rule
6966-497: The Punjab Plains. The hills of the region are stony and rough. The term Dogra is thought to derive from Durgara , the name of a kingdom mentioned in an eleventh century copper-plate inscription in Chamba . According to Mira Seth, the Durgara region was situated between the outer hills located between the Ravi and Chenab rivers and was derived from a tribal name. In medieval times the term became Dugar , which later turned into Dogra. Kalhana's Rajatarangini makes no mention of
7095-414: The Punjab and invaded Poonch State, however he did not attack Jammu State and the polity was spared from fighting. There is a mention in Kalhana 's Rajatarangini of three Dogra rulers, namely Kirti and Vajradhara of Babbapura and Umadhara. All three of these rulers are also mentioned in the Vansavali (genealogy) of the Jammu ruling house, albeit with minor variations. The Jammu rulers were close with
7224-432: The Punjab when he shifted to Jammu after he defended Chand Kaur from Sher Singh. Gulab Singh managed to survive this time and returned to Jammu. Gulab Singh, came into possession of the Koh-i-noor diamond, after Maharaja Kharak Singh 's mysterious death in prison in 1840, and had previously presented the famous stone to Maharaja Sher Singh to win his favour. After the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1846, Sir Henry Lawrence
7353-432: The Sikhs. Jammu State was annexed by the Sikh Empire in 1808 or 1812, the smaller states of Basohli and others soon followed and fell to the Sikhs. Kharak Singh's agents were unable to maintain law and order, with locals led by Mian Dedo rebelling against the Sikh jagirdar (governor). In 1812, the Dogra commander Gulab Singh led the Sikh forces against Kashmir and assisted their attacks on Multan in 1819 and against
7482-501: The Sutlej : NB - For various of the entities above, the authentic title of the chieftain is missing. While some of the lowest ranking may have had none, for the princes that can merely be due to insufficient sources available The princely states of the Simla Hills all ultimately became part of the modern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh . Some nearby Hindu and Sikh states include : Princely state A princely state (also called native state or Indian state )
7611-410: The Western Himalayan-range. Migrations of Dogri-speaking peoples later followed. The Dogras claim descent from migrants who originated from the present-day regions of Uttar Pradesh , Bihar , and Bengal prior to the Islamic invasions of the Indian subcontinent . Most of the ruling families of the Pahari Hill States traditionally trace their ancestry back to Ayodhya , claiming descent from Sumitra, who
7740-403: The about 4,800 square miles (12,000 km), on both sides of the Sutlej river, was the territory of the Raja (earlier Rana) of Bashahr . The direct tributaries of Bashahr were : Initially both Khaneti and Delath were feudatory of Kumharsain . The other, all far smaller, princely states, including a few with some petty dependencies of their own, were further south, on the left bank of
7869-414: The administrators of India's provinces. The agents of five princely states were then under the authority of Madras , 354 under Bombay , 26 of Bengal , two under Assam , 34 under Punjab , fifteen under the Central Provinces and Berar and two under the United Provinces . The Chamber of Princes ( Narender Mandal or Narendra Mandal ) was an institution established in 1920 by a royal proclamation of
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#17327767029137998-414: The affairs of the states. In the same year, Gandhi played a major role in proposing a federation involving a union between British India and the princely states, with an Indian central government. In 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru observed that no princely state could prevail militarily against the army of independent India. At the time of the British withdrawal, 565 princely states were officially recognized in
8127-461: The beginning of the 20th century, relations between the British and the four largest states – Hyderabad , Mysore , Jammu and Kashmir, and Baroda – were directly under the control of the governor-general of India , in the person of a British resident . Two agencies, for Rajputana and Central India , oversaw twenty and 148 princely states respectively. The remaining princely states had their own British political officers, or Agents, who answered to
8256-450: The boundaries of the Sikh Empire to western Tibet with the help of his fine General Zorawar Singh . Gulab Singh conquered the states of Kashtwar, Mankotia, Chenehni, Bandralta, and Padar (a minor province of Chamba State). The Sikh rule was then extended beyond the Jammu Region and the Kashmir Valley to include the Tibetan Buddhist kingdom of Ladakh (conquered in 1834 ) and the Emirates of Hunza , Gilgit and Nagar . Gulab Singh had been
8385-404: The broad ground of protection. The former explained in detail that unnecessary armies were embarrassing to the State itself and the cause of disquietude to others: a few months later a striking proof of this was afforded by the army of the Sikh kingdom of Lahore. The British Government has undertaken to protect the dominions of the Native princes from invasion and even from rebellion within: its army
8514-415: The colonial Raj period, two groups of princely states in direct relations with the Province of British Punjab became part of the British Indian Empire later than most of the former Mughal Empire , in the context of two wars and an uprising. For its princely rulers the informal term Hill Rajas has been coined. It does not apply to other native hill country princes such as the Rawat of Rajgarh . After
8643-435: The complete list of princely states in 1947, see lists of princely states of India . Central India Agency , Gwalior Residency , Baluchistan Agency , Rajputana Agency , Eastern States Agency Gwalior Residency (two states) Other states under provincial governments Madras (5 states) Bombay (354 states) Central Provinces (15 states) Punjab (45 states) Assam (26 states) The armies of
8772-450: The courts of the princely states existed under the authority of the respective rulers of those states. The Indian rulers bore various titles including Maharaja or Raja ("king"), Sultan , Nawab , Emir , Raje , Nizam , Wadiyar (used only by the Maharajas of Mysore , meaning "lord"), Agniraj Maharaj for the rulers of Bhaddaiyan Raj, Chogyal , Nawab ("governor"), Nayak , Wāli , Inamdar , Saranjamdar and many others. Whatever
8901-407: The doctrine, it was discontinued with the end of Company rule and the British Parliament 's assumption of direct power over India. By treaty, the British controlled the external affairs of the princely states absolutely. As the states were not British possessions, they retained control over their own internal affairs, subject to a degree of British influence which in many states was substantial. By
9030-437: The family of Raja Jai Singh Jaswal. Zorawar Singh's son was named Kishore Singh, with Kishore later marrying a Bhadwal woman from Marhta in Basohli tehsil . Kishore's son was Gulab Singh. Ghansar Dev, also known as Ghansar Chand, was the second son of Dhruv Dev and was born in ca.1715 (or perhaps earlier). He occupied the regency of Jammu State from 1735–1747, as Ranjit Dev had been arrested and imprisoned at Lahore between
9159-412: The family spread-out to conquer the surrounding mountainous areas of the region, establishing their own dynasties. In around the year 850, the Dogras came to power in Jammu, being establshed by Raja Bhuj or Bhuj Dev. The centres of power for the Dogra rulers at this era were Bahu, Babbapura (Babor), and Jammu. The first historical mention to a Pahari ruler relates to two copper-plate inscription dated to
9288-458: The feuding between the Sikh heirs. His youngest brother Suchet Singh, was killed by his own nephew Hira Singh, the Vizir (prime minister) of the Sikh empire. Hira Singh, was a great favourite of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Gulab Singh once even aspired to have him installed as the Sikh emperor. Hira Singh had become prime minister aged 24, after his father and Gulab Singh's brother Vizir Dhian Singh
9417-427: The fighters and retreated to Jammu. In October 1947, Singh appealed to India for help and acceded Jammu to India, although there is considerable controversy over exactly at what point, and whether or not his accession included the sovereignty of the state. In June 1952, Singh's rule was terminated by the state government of Indian-administered Kashmir. His son Yuvraj (Crown Prince) Karan Singh too abdicated and
9546-466: The first between the years 1588–9, the second between 1594–5, and the third from 1616–17. During the reign of Akbar between the years 1594–95, the Jammu ruler Raja Parasram Dev teamed-up with fellow Pahari rulers Rai Pratap of Jasrota and Rai Balbhadra of Lakhanpur in a rebellion against the Mughals, which raged from Kangra to the Jammu Hills. As per the Ain-i-Akbari , Raja Sangram Dev of Jammu
9675-570: The heirlooms of the Maharajas of Nagpur were auctioned off in Calcutta. Dalhousie's actions contributed to the rising discontent amongst the upper castes which played a large part in the outbreak of the Indian mutiny of 1857 . The last Mughal badshah (emperor), whom many of the mutineers saw as a figurehead to rally around, was deposed following its suppression. In response to the unpopularity of
9804-549: The hill chiefs were amicable to the Mughals still, as the rulers of Basohli State, resisted them further between 1635–73, whilst the Mughal forces were commanded by Zain Khan Koka. Raja Hari Dev died in 1686 during the Deccani campaigns of Aurangzeb . The successor of Hari Dev, who was Raja Gajai Dev (r. 1686–1707), moved toward re-establishing the independence of Jammu from the Mughals. His successor, Dhruv Dev, worked toward
9933-451: The hill states recognized the soverignty of Akbar and each dispatched a local prince to the Mughal court. The princes would effectively be hostages to ensure that the small hill states would act courteous to the Mughal authority. However, the hill states often resisted the Mughals and rose up in rebellion against them, such is the case with Jammu State, which rose in insurrection against the Mughals on three separate instances during this time:
10062-528: The independence and split-up of British India, the Hill States acceded to the new Dominion of India and were later divided between India 's constituent states of Punjab (proper), Haryana and Himachal Pradesh . 28 princely states (including feudatory princes and zaildars ) in the promontories of the western Himalaya were named after Shimla as the Simla Hill States . These states were ruled mainly by Hindu Rajputs . Three quarters of
10191-455: The independence of Jammu. During the reign of Raja Ranjit Dev, Jammu dominated twenty-two surrounding Hill States, with them becoming tributaries of Jammu, such as formerly powerful states such as Basohli, Bhadarwah, Kishtwar, and Chinaini states. This reality led to the coining of a local phrase: bāyaṅ vīch Jammu sirdār hai (meaning "Jammu is the chief of the twenty-two hill states"). Ranjit Dev had five ranis (queens), with polygamy being
10320-588: The literal meaning and traditional prestige of the ruler's actual title, the British government translated them all as "prince", to avoid the implication that the native rulers could be "kings" with status equal to that of the British monarch. More prestigious Hindu rulers (mostly existing before the Mughal Empire, or having split from such old states) often used the title " Raja ", or a variant such as Raje, Rai , Rana , Babu , Rao , Rawat, or Rawal . Also in this 'class' were several Thakurs or Thai ores and
10449-498: The local forces. ... They must allow the forces that defend them to obtain local supplies, to occupy cantonments or positions, and to arrest deserters; and in addition to these services they must recognise the Imperial control of the railways, telegraphs, and postal communications as essential not only to the common welfare but to the common defence. The Imperial Service Troops were routinely inspected by British army officers and had
10578-563: The norm for wealthy Dogra families. Ranjit Dev, like his brother Balwant Dev, was a patron of the arts. During Ranjit's reign, Jammu's local economy benefited, as trading developed, which was noted by the English traveller George Forster in 1783. Forster also noted that the Jammuite rulers were tolerant on the matter of religion. Many refugees from other areas of India settled in Jammu during this period, such as Malka Zamani , Mughlani Begum (widow of Mir Mannu), Hari Singh (s/o Kaura Mal,
10707-414: The patronage of Ranbir Singh's court. A prominent artist of late 19th century Jammu was Jagat Ram Dube, who was nicknamed as Chuniya and was of a Brahmin background. Another artist was Haricharan, possibly a member of the family of the artist Sajnu who worked under Mandi State patronage. As per lore, a Tarkhan artist named Hiru mistri of Suneeta village was the one who carried out the painting work of
10836-514: The position of a constitutional head of state ( Sadr-i-Riyasat ) and voluntarily gave up the title of Maharaja . The term Dogra is thought to derive from Durgara , the name of a kingdom mentioned in an eleventh century copper-plate inscription in Chamba . According to Mira Seth, the Durgara region was situated between the outer hills located between the Ravi and Chenab rivers and was derived from
10965-477: The position of prime minister of the Sikh Empire in 1828. Dhian Singh was given control over Poonch State and was bestowed the jagirs of Jasrota, Basholi, and Bhadu. Suchet Singh was given Ramnagar as a raja . At various points, Gulab Singh was bestowed with the jagirs of Bhera, Miani, Qadirabad, Dangi, Pind Dadda Khan, Jhelum, and Gujarat. As a jagirdar (governor) for the Sikhs, Gulab Singh extended
11094-748: The prime minister of the Sikh Empire. Appointed by Ranjit Singh as the hereditary Raja of the Jammu principality, Gulab Singh established his supremacy over all the hill states surrounding the Kashmir Valley . After the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1846, under the terms of the Treaty of Lahore , 1846, the British East India Company acquired Kashmir from the Sikh Empire and transferred it to Gulab Singh, recognising him as an independent Maharaja . Thus, Jammu and Kashmir
11223-478: The princely states were bound by many restrictions that were imposed by subsidiary alliances . They existed mainly for ceremonial use and for internal policing, although certain units designated as Imperial Service Troops, were available for service alongside the regular Indian Army upon request by the British government. According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India vol. IV 1907 , p. 85, Since
11352-546: The princes of India to establish responsible government. Jawaharlal Nehru played a major role in pushing Congress to confront the princely states and declared in 1929 that "only people who have the right to determine the future of the States must be the people of these States". In 1937, the Congress won in most parts of British India (not including the princely states) in the provincial elections , and started to intervene in
11481-501: The provincial governments of British India under a governor, lieutenant-governor, or chief commissioner. A clear distinction between "dominion" and "suzerainty" was supplied by the jurisdiction of the courts of law: the law of British India rested upon the legislation enacted by the British Parliament, and the legislative powers those laws vested in the various governments of British India, both central and local; in contrast,
11610-588: The royal-class by patronizing artists. The patrons of temple construction, usually the mercantile-classes belonging to the Vaishya varna that were engaged in trade and industry, had the temple walls decorated with murals. Many of the extant Dogra wall paintings cover religious themes as this was the primary reason for executing them, to pay respect to the divinity of the deity, area, or temple. Vaishnavism , Shaivism , and Shaktism (especially veneration of Vaishno Devi ) were prominent streams of Hinduism amongst
11739-411: The royal-courts were paid in-cash. Examples of land deeds bestowed upon any particular artists have not been found in this region. When the Jammuite rulers would leave for religious pilgramages, such as the tirth-yatra , such as to Prayag, Haridwar, or Gaya, their artists would accompany them, as evidenced by the genealogical registers present at popular religious destinations, such as the bahis of
11868-572: The rule of the Mughals. Raja Mal Dev was the fourth ruler of the Dev dynasty and he ruled Jammu from 1361 to 1400, establishing his headquarters at Purani Mnadi. After Raja Mal Dev, between the years 1400 to 1733, ten descendants of Raja Mal Dev ruled Jammu. For some centuries, the Jammu-Babbapura rulers would reign nearly independently and supported the Sultans of Delhi . Raja Hamir or Bhim Dev
11997-515: The same ambition. Jammu was a small principality until the decline of Mughal authority in the early 18th century, where-after it arose to became a regional powerhouse during the reign of Raja Dhruv Dev. Jammu was ruled by the Dev Dynasty, which descends from Raja Mal Dev. Raja Dhruv Dev laid down the foundations of the Jamwal rulers of Jammu in 1703. During the reign of Dhruv Dev, Jammu
12126-741: The same equipment as soldiers in the British Indian Army . Although their numbers were relatively small, the Imperial Service Troops were employed in China and British Somaliland in the first decade of the 20th century, and later saw action in the First World War and Second World War . Jammu State The Dogra dynasty of Dogra Rajputs from the Shivalik hills created Jammu and Kashmir through
12255-753: The sister of the ruler in Kerala . Muslim rulers almost all used the title " Nawab " (the Arabic honorific of naib , "deputy") originally used by Mughal governors, who became de facto autonomous with the decline of the Mughal Empire, with the prominent exceptions of the Nizam of Hyderabad & Berar , the Wali / Khan of Kalat and the Wali of Swat . Other less usual titles included Darbar Sahib , Dewan , Jam , Mehtar (unique to Chitral ) and Mir (from Emir ). The Sikh princes concentrated at Punjab usually adopted titles when attaining princely rank. A title at
12384-439: The small states of the Western Himalayas, with Akbar declaring himself as their sovereign ruler. Twenty-two of the hill states recognized the sovereignty of Akbar and each dispatched a local prince to the Mughal court. The princes would effectively be hostages to ensure that the small hill states would act courteous to the Mughal authority. However, the hill states often resisted the Mughals and rose up in rebellion against them, such
12513-549: The state of Jammu was heavily under the sway of the Punjabi court. His infant son Raja Sampuran Dev (1787–1797) succeeded with Jammu becoming an autonomous tributary under the Sikh Confederacy Misls . The young Sampuran Singh was declared as the feudal lord but would be under the watch of his uncle Mian Mota. Sampuran Singh died at the age of eleven with no issue. Thus, he was succeeded by Raja Jit Singh, who
12642-518: The states and their dynasties. As heads of a state, certain princely rulers were entitled to be saluted by the firing of an odd number of guns between three and 21, with a greater number of guns indicating greater prestige. Generally, the number of guns remained the same for all successive rulers of a particular state, but individual princes were sometimes granted additional guns on a personal basis. Furthermore, rulers were sometimes granted additional gun salutes within their own territories only, constituting
12771-746: The states of Rampur and Benares , formerly with Agents under the authority of the United Provinces, were placed under the Gwalior Residency in 1936. The princely states of Sandur and Banganapalle in Mysore Presidency were transferred to the agency of the Mysore Resident in 1939. The native states in 1947 included five large states that were in "direct political relations" with the Government of India. For
12900-640: The term " British India " had been used (and is still used) also to refer to the regions under the rule of the East India Company in India from 1774 to 1858. The British Crown 's suzerainty over 175 princely states, generally the largest and most important, was exercised in the name of the British Crown by the central government of British India under the Viceroy; the remaining approximately 400 states were influenced by Agents answerable to
13029-450: The territories of J&K State all date back to the reign of Gulab Singh, however there are miniature paintings that pre-date this time. The brothers of Gulab Singh, Dhian Singh and Suchet Singh, were patrons of wall-paintings. Gubab Singh's son and successor, Ranbir Singh, kept an atelier of artists. The Dogra nobles were rich in wealth, this allowed them to pay for the patronization of artists. Petty Rajputs and aristorcrats also emulated
13158-437: The three Dogra brothers Suchet Singh, Gulab Singh, and Dhian Singh played prominent roles in the Sikh court, with all of them being descended from Surat Dev. On his father's death in 1821 or 1822, Jammu passed to Gulab Singh. Gulab Singh was the son of Kishore Singh, grandson of Zorawar Singh, great-grandson of Surat Dev, and great-great-grandson of Raja Dhruv Dev of Jammu. Dhian Singh eventually worked his way up and reached
13287-449: The throne. Many of these were appointed as an aide-de-camp , either to the ruling prince of their own house (in the case of relatives of such rulers) or to British monarchs. Many saw active service , both on the subcontinent and on other fronts, during both World Wars. Apart from those members of the princely houses who entered military service and who distinguished themselves, a good number of princes received honorary ranks as officers in
13416-664: The time of Indian independence, only five rulers – the Nizam of Hyderabad , the Maharaja of Mysore , the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir state , the Maharaja Gaekwad of Baroda and the Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior – were entitled to a 21-gun salute. Six more – the Nawab of Bhopal , the Maharaja Holkar of Indore , the Maharaja of Bharatpur , the Maharana of Udaipur , the Maharaja of Kolhapur ,
13545-601: The treaties with the East India Company following the First Anglo-Sikh war . Events led the Sikh Empire to recognise Jammu as a vassal state in 1820, and later the British added Kashmir to Jammu with the Treaty of Amritsar in 1846. The founder of the dynasty, Gulab Singh , was an influential noble in the court of the Sikh emperor Maharaja Ranjit Singh , while his brother Dhian Singh served as
13674-494: The walls of Ramnagar Palace. Three artisan families based out of the Kangra region had sent their sons to work under Jammuite patronage but there is no evidence that they carried-out mural work. The Dogra wall paintings of that era were likely painted by more than one person, with the artisan families possibly travelling from place-to-place in a nomadic fashion, such as by working in one house and then moving to another to work when
13803-643: The winner usually being the stronger state and the loser the smaller one. By the tenth century, the following prominent Dogra states arose in the Pahari Hills region of the Western Himalayas : There is a mention in Kalhana 's Rajatarangini of three Dogra rulers, namely Kirti and Vajradhara of Babbapura and Umadhara. All three of these rulers are also mentioned in the Vansavali (genealogy) of
13932-484: The work is completed. The walls of the Ram-Ji-Ka-Mandir were painted by artists who hailed from Jaipur. The local Radhakrishna temple of Mule Chak, Jammu region were painted by Muslims, with a Muslim painter named Aziz known to have worked in the vicinity. Traditional architects tended to have knowledge of executing wall paintings. Artists were paid in the form of grain for their services but ones attached to
14061-461: The years 1056 and 1066 that eulogize the feats of Raja Sahilavarman of Chamba State (r. 920–940). The earliest type of administration in the region consisted of reigns by feudal cheiftains, referred to as a thakur or rana . This form of government gradually shifted to one that was hereditary based on primogeniture, leading to the formation of dynasties. These states often warred with one another, absorbing or being absorbed by other states, with
14190-469: The years 1735–1747 due to the Mughals suspecting him of being disloyal to their governor of the hill region, therefore Ghansar served as regent in his elder brother's absence. Traditionally, the region of Jammu was divided into two states that were based on either side of the Tawi river: Bahu State and Jammu State. During the reign of Ghansar, Bahu State ceased to be an independent entity for unclear reasons and
14319-598: Was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party . Currently in Congress party, Karan Singh's younger son Ajatshatru Singh was a member of the National Conference (NC) headed by Omar Abdullah , grandson of Sheikh Abdullah who had abolished the monarchy in 1952. Ajatshatru Singh had served with the NC as a minister in the Jammu and Kashmir Government from 1996 to 2002. In 2014 he quit the NC to join
14448-407: Was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule , subject to a subsidiary alliance and the suzerainty or paramountcy of the British crown . In 1920, Congress (party) under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi declared swaraj (self-rule) for Indians as its goal and asked
14577-547: Was a popular past-time that involved many members of the noble-class, officials, and even the commoners. Other secular themes relate to music and dance, which is evident from murals found at Ramnagar Palace. Since miniature paintings often were part of dowries , artists would often travel with princesses to various royal courts of the surrounding region. Commoner women acted as models for artists as noble women did not appear before artists for this purpose. There are few to nil cases of other castes patronizing wall paintings, however
14706-452: Was absorbed into Jammu State. Dhruv Dev's successor Raja Ranjit Dev (1735–1781 ) introduced social reforms such as a ban on sati (immolation of the wife on the pyre of the husband) and female infanticide . Between the years 1735–1747, Ranjit Dev was imprisoned by the Mughals at Lahore as they believed he was disloyal to the Mughal regime. After Nadir Shah invaded the Mughal Empire in 1739, it allowed Raja Ranjit Dev to further develop
14835-400: Was against Raja Man, viceroy of Lahore , with him slaying Raja Man in 1616–17 during the reign of emperor Jahangir. During the reigns of the Mughal emperors Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, Dogra relations with the Mughals had pacified, with the vansavali recording that Rajas Bhup Dev (r. 1624–1650) and Raja Hari Dev (r. 1650–1686) were employed as mansabdars by the Mughals. However, not all of
14964-462: Was appointed British Resident and Vizir Lal Singh on behalf of infant emperor Duleep Singh was asked to surrender Kashmir. Vizir Lal Singh was also a Dogra, and along with Gulab Singh colluded with the British to deliberately break the Sikh army and facilitate the British victory. Under the terms of the Treaty of Amritsar that followed in March 1846, the British government sold Kashmir for
15093-616: Was as a member of Churchill's British War Cabinet in WWII, and supplied troops for the Allies . Singh's reign saw the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the newly independent Indian Union in 1947. He originally manoeuvered to maintain his independence by playing India and Pakistan off against each other. There was an armed movement against the Maharaja's rule, especially in the Poonch district of Jammu, where his troops were unable to control
15222-656: Was assassinated in his blotched September 1843 coup d'état against Sikh emperor Sher Singh in Lahore. During the regency of Maharani Jind Kaur , Hira Singh was killed by the Sikh army in December 1844. Another son of Gulab Singh, named Randhir Singh, was killed during this time. During this period of turmoil, the Sikh Khalsa Army invaded Jammu and brought Gulab Singh back to Lahore as a prisoner, partly because Gulab Singh had taken precious treasures and resources from
15351-439: Was both larger and more populous than Karauli State , but the Maharaja of Karauli was entitled to a 17-gun salute and the Maharaja of Surguja was not entitled to any gun salute at all. A number of princes, in the broadest sense of the term, were not even acknowledged as such. On the other hand, the dynasties of certain defunct states were allowed to keep their princely status – they were known as political pensioners , such as
15480-522: Was defeated by the Sikh Sukerchakia chief Mahan Singh , who sacked Jammu and plundered it. Mahan Singh is said to have taken loot worth two crore rupees from Jammu. Thus Jammu lost its supremacy over the surrounding country. In the Battle of Rumal, the Jammu ruler was killed by Sikhs . Raja Braj Dev was killed during the Sikh invasion of Jammu in 1787. After the death of Raja Braj Dev,
15609-635: Was elected Sadr-e-Riyasat ('President of the Province') and Governor of the state in 1964. Yuvraj (Crown Prince) Karan Singh after serving as the President of Jammu and Kashmir from 1952 to 1964 went on to become the youngest cabinet minister as a leading member of the Indian Congress Party in 1967. He was also the Indian ambassador to the US in 1989. His elder son Vikramaditya Singh
15738-543: Was established as one of the largest princely states in India, receiving a 21-gun salute for its Maharaja in 1921. It was ruled by Gulab Singh and his descendants until 1947. The last ruling Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir was Hari Singh , who contributed troops to the British war effort in World War II and served on Churchill 's Imperial War Cabinet. Following the Partition of India in 1947, Hari Singh faced
15867-412: Was hereditary based on primogeniture, leading to the formation of dynasties. These states often warred with one another, absorbing or being absorbed by other states, with the winner usually being the stronger state and the loser the smaller one. By the tenth century, the following prominent Dogra states arose in the Pahari Hills region of the Western Himalayas : Mahmud of Ghazni 's army passed through
15996-718: Was recorded as being a supporter of Mubarak Shah (r. 1421–1434) of the Sayyid dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate against the Khokhars of the Darvabhisara Hills. With the oncoming of the Mughal empire, the Jammuite rulers resisted their attempts overwhelm them but finally succumbed once they could reach favourable terms. The Mughals were aggressive toward the small states of the Western Himalayas, with Akbar declaring himself as their soverign ruler. Twenty-two of
16125-399: Was the doctrine of lapse , a policy under which lands whose feudal ruler died (or otherwise became unfit to rule) without a male biological heir (as opposed to an adopted son) would become directly controlled by the company and an adopted son would not become the ruler of the princely state. This policy went counter to Indian tradition where, unlike Europe, it was far more the accepted norm for
16254-504: Was the last descendant of the Suryavanshi lineage of Rama . An ancestor named Jambu Lochan is said to have first moved to the Jammu region , where he established the settlement of Jammu . According to local mythology, Jambu decided to construct a settelement at Jammu after he witnessed a wild goat and lion drinking from the same water-hole in a forest that was located at the site, being impressed by how two species of predator and prey could peacefully co-exist. From there onwards, branches of
16383-559: Was the patron of Pahari artists , such as Nainsukh . Surat Dev, the third son of Dhruv Dev, was married to two women, one from the Slahria clan of Bara Pind, and the other from the Chibs of Batala. Surat Dev would go-on to produce four sons with these two wives: Zorawar Singh, Mian Mota, Bhulla, and Dulla. Zorawar Singh was granted the jagir of Deval. Zorawar Singh would later marry a Jit Rajput women of Charhai whilst Mian Mota married into
16512-400: Was the son of Dalel Singh. During the reign of Jit Singh, Mian Mota was granted the jagir of Purmandal. Jit Singh was involved in another conflict with the Sikh empire, which he lost and was exiled into British territory. With Jammu fully annexed by the Sikhs around 1808, Ranjit Singh first allotted it to his son Kharak Singh . Other sources give the year 1812 as when Jammu was annexed by
16641-438: Was unified and it established authority and dominance over the other surrounding Hill States . The other hill states of Jasrota, Basohli, Mankot, and Bandralta were brought under Jammu's writ under Raja Dhruv Dev. Raja Ranjit Dev had four sons: Ranjit Dev, Ghansar Dev, Surat Dev, and Balwant Dev. Ranjit Dev was the successor to the Jammu throne whilst Balwant Dev was given control over the jagir of Sarunisar. Balwant Dev
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