List of princely states of British India (by region)

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Before the Partition of India in 1947, about 584 princely states, also called "native states", existed in India.[1] These were not part of British India, the parts of the Indian subcontinent which were under direct British administration, but rather under indirect rule, subject to subsidiary alliances.

Things moved quickly after the partition of British India in 1947. By the end of 1949, all of the states had chosen to accede to one of the newly independent states of India or Pakistan or else had been conquered and annexed.

Overview[edit]

Chamber of Princes meeting in 1941
Main article: Princely state
For details of precedence between the states, see Salute state.

In principle, the princely states had internal autonomy, while by treaty the British Crown had suzerainty and was responsible for the states' external affairs. In practice, while the states were indeed ruled by potentates with a variety of titles, such as Maharaja, Raja, Nizam, Raje, Rai, Deshmukh, Nawab, Mirza, Baig, Chhatrapati, Khan, Thakur Sahab, Darbar saheb or specially Jam for Jadeja/Samma, the British still had considerable influence.

By the time of the departure of the British in 1947, only four of the largest of the states still had their own British Resident, a diplomatic title for advisors present in the states' capitals, while most of the others were grouped together into Agencies, such as the Central India Agency, the Deccan States Agency, and the Rajputana Agency.

From 1920, the states were represented in the Chamber of Princes, which held its meetings in New Delhi.

The most important states were ranked as salute states, whose rulers were entitled to a given number of salute guns.

By the Indian Independence Act 1947, the British gave up their suzerainty of the states and left each of them free to choose whether to join one of the newly independent countries of India and Pakistan or to remain outside them. For a short time, some of the rulers explored the possibility of a federation of the states separate from either, but this came to nothing. Most of the states then decided to accede to India or to Pakistan, such as Junagadh (1947–1948), Bilaspur on 12 October 1948, and Bhopal on 1 May 1949. Travancore also chose to remain an independent country.

Hyderabad State was the largest which chose to remain independent. In Operation Polo, in September 1948, it was invaded and annexed by India.

In Jammu and Kashmir, a state with a Muslim majority but a Hindu ruler, the Maharaja hoped to remain independent but acceded to India on 27 October 1947 at the outset of the invasion of Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan — leading to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.

On 31 March 1948, Kalat acceded to Pakistan, although the brother of the Khan led a rebellion against this decision.

Princely States at the time of partition on 15 August 1947[edit]

Individual residencies[edit]

Map Name of state British Resident Now part of Last or present ruler
Hyderabad 		Individual residency India Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka, India Mukarram Jah (titular)
Jammu and Kashmir Individual residency India Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, India;

Pakistan Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan;
China Aksai Chin and Trans-Karakoram Tract, China

Hari Singh
Mysore Individual residency India Karnataka, India Shri Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar
Travancore Travancore Individual residency (individual residency status under Madras Presidency) India Kerala and 5 taluks (Kanyakumari district) of Tamil Nadu, India Shri Padmanabha Dasa Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma Vanchi Pala Maharaja Martanda Varma V Shri Uthradom Thirunal Kulasekhara Kiritapati Manney Sultan Maharaja Raja Ramaraja Bahadur Shamsher Jung, Maharaja of Travancore

Baluchistan Agency[edit]

Princely States of the Baluchistan Agency.

Map Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Kalat Princely State PakistanBalochistan, Pakistan Beglar Begi Mir Agha Suleiman Jan, Khan of Kalat
State of Kharan Kharan Princely State Habibullah Khan
Las Bela Princely State Mir Muhammad Yusuf Khan, The Amir and Jam of Las Bela
State of Makran Makran Princely State Bai Khan Baloch Gikchi

Deccan States Agency and Kolhapur Residency (Maratha)[edit]

Princely States of Deccan States Agency and Kolhapur Residency (Maratha).

Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Akalkot Princely State Maharashtra, India Shrimant Malojiraje Bhosle
Aundh Princely State Maharashtra, India Meherban Shrimant Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi
Bhor Princely State Maharashtra, India Raja Shrimant Sir Raghunathrao Shankarrao Pandit Pant Sachiv, Raja of Bhor
Jamkhandi Princely State Karnataka, India Raja Saheb Shrimant Raja Pranay Rao Parshuram Rao Patwardhan
Janjira Princely State Maharashtra, India Nawab Sidi Muhammed Khan II Sidi Ahmad Khan, Nawab of Janjira
Jath Princely State Maharashtra, India Lt. Shrimant Raja Vijaysinghrao Ramrao Babasaheb Dafle
Kolhapur Princely State Maharashtra, India Rajadhiraj Chhatrapati Shahu II Bhosle
Ichalkaranji Princely State Maharashtra, India Shrimant Govindrao (Abasaheb) Ghorpade
Kurundvad Senior Princely State Maharashtra, India Raja Shrimant Bhalchandrarao Chintamanrao Patwardhan, Raja of Kurundwad Sr.
Kurundvad Junior Princely State Maharashtra, India Raja Shrimant Hariharrao Raghunathrao [Bapusaheb] Patwardhan, Raja of Kurundwad Jr.
Miraj Junior Princely State Maharashtra, India Raja Meherban Shrimant Sir Madhavrao Hariharrao Patwardhan
Miraj Senior Princely State Maharashtra, India Narayan Rao Jatya Sahib Patwardhan
Mudhol Princely State Karnataka, India Shrimant Raja Bhairavsinhrao Malojirao Ghorpade II
Phaltan Princely State Maharashtra, India Shrimant Ramraje Prataosinha Naik-Nimbalkar,
Sangli Princely State Maharashtra, India Capt. Shrimant Raja Saheb Sir Chintamanrao II Dhundirajrao Appasaheb Patwardhan
Savanur Princely State Karnataka, India Nawab of Savanur, Abdul Majid Khan II
Sawantvadi Princely State Maharashtra, India Raja Khem Sawant-Bhosle Bahadur

Gwalior Residency (Maratha)[edit]

Princely States of the Gwalior Residency.

Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Gwalior Princely State Madhya Pradesh, India Shrimant Jyotirditya Scindia
Garha Princely State Madhya Pradesh, India
Khaniyadhana Princely State Madhya Pradesh, India
Ramgadi Princely State Uttar Pradesh, India Diwan Mahadev Mishra[citation needed]
Rajgarh Princely State Madhya Pradesh, India Maharani Shushila Sinha Rudrani
Rampur Princely State Uttar Pradesh, India Raza Ali Khan of Rampur

Madras Presidency[edit]

Princely States of the Madras Presidency.

Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Banganapalle Princely State Andhra Pradesh, India Nawab Sayyid Fazl-i-'Ali Khan IV Bahadur, Nawab of Banganapalle
Cochin Princely State Kerala, India Rama Varma Pareekshit Thampuran, Maharaja of Cochin
Pudukkottai Princely State Tamil Nadu, India Rajagopala Tondaiman, Maharaja of Pudukkottai
Sandur Princely State Karnataka, India Yeshwantrao Ghorpade

North-West Frontier States Agency[edit]

Princely States of the North-West Frontier States Agency (all in present Pakistan). Agencies included the Dir Swat and Chitral Agency and the Deputy Commissioner of Hazara acting as the Political Agent for Amb and Phulra.

Map Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Amb Princely State PakistanKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Nawab Muhammad Saeed Khan Tanoli
Chitral Princely State Mehtar Saif-ul-Mulk Nasir
State of Dir Dir Princely State Muhammad Shah Khosru Khan
Phulra Princely State Khan Ata Muhammed Khan
Swat Princely State Miangul Abdul-Haqq Jahanzib

Gilgit Agency[edit]

The States of Hunza and Nagar and many feudal Jagirs (Puniyal, Shigar, etc.) in the Gilgit Agency were tributary to the Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir.

Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Hunza Gilgit Agency PakistanGilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan Mohammad Jamal Khan
Nagar Gilgit Agency Showkat Ali Khan

Province of Sind[edit]

Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Khairpur Princely State PakistanSindh, Pakistan George Ali Murad Khan

Punjab States Agency[edit]

States of the Punjab States Agency (Punjab).

Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Bahawalpur (princely state) Bahawalpur Princely State Punjab, Pakistan Nawab Sadeq Mohammad Khan V
Bilaspur Princely State Himachal Pradesh, India Raja Kirti Chand, Raja of Bilaspur
Faridkot Princely State Punjab, India Colonel Farzand-i-Saadat-i-Nishan-i-Hazrat-i-Kaiser-i-Hind Maharaja Sir Harinder Singh Brar Bans Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Faridkot
Jind Princely State Punjab and Haryana, India Maharaja Satbir Singh ["Prince Sunny"], Maharaja of Jind
Kalsia Princely State Haryana, India Raja Himmat Sher Singh Sahib Bahadur
Kangra Princely State Himachal Pradesh, India Raja Aditya Dev Chand Katoch (annexed to British India in 1846 by the Treaty of Lahore)
Kapurthala Princely State Punjab, India Brig. Maharaja Sri Sukhjit Singh Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Kapurthala

Kumharsain

Princely State Himachal Pradesh, India Rana Surendra Singh
Loharu State Princely State Haryana, India Nawab Mirza Alauddin Ahmad Khan II (alias Parvez Mirza), Nawab of Loharu
Malerkotla Princely State Punjab, India Nawab Muhammad Iftikhar 'Ali Khan Bahadur (last nawab)
Mandi Princely State Himachal Pradesh, India Maj. Raja Sir JOGINDER SEN Bahadur
Nabha Princely State Punjab, India Sir Pratap Singh Sir Hira Singh
Patiala Princely State Punjab, India Maharajadhiraj Sir Yadavindra Singh Mahendra Bahadur
Rajgarh Princely State Himachal Pradesh, India Maharani Sushila Sinha
Sirmur Princely State Himachal Pradesh, India Lt. Maharaja Rajendra Prakash Bahadur
Suket/ Sundernagar Princely State Himachal Pradesh, India Raja Hari Sen Bahadur of Suket
Siba Princely State Himachal Pradesh, India Raja Dr. Ashok K. Thakur, Raja of Siba & Tantpalan
Tharoch Princely State Himachal Pradesh, India Rana Rakesh Singh
Tehri Garhwal Princely State (Zamindari) Uttarakhand, India Maharaja Manabendra Shah Sahib Bahadur

Rajputana Agency[edit]

States of the Rajputana Agency.

Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Alwar Princely State Rajasthan, India Raj Rishi Shri Sawai Maharaja Jitendra Pratap Singhji Veerendra Shiromani Dev Bharat Prabhakar Bahadur Jitendra Singh, Maharaja of Alwar.
Banswara Princely State Rai Rayan Mahimahendra Maharajadhiraj Maharawalji Sahib Shri Jagmalji II Sahib Bahadur, Naresh Rajya, Maharawal of Banswara.
Bharatpur Princely State Shri Maharaja Shri Brajendra Sawai Vishvendra Singh Bahadur Jang
Bikaner Princely State Sri Raj Rajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Narendra Sawai Maharaja Shiromani Ravi Raj Singhji Bahadur, Maharaja of Bikaner and Head of the Royal House of Bikaner.
Bundi Princely State Col. Maharao Raja Shri Bahadur Singhji Bahadur
Dholpur Princely State Maharajadhiraja

Shri Sawai Maharaj Rana Shri Hemant Singh, Lokendra Bahadur, Diler Jang Jai Deo, Maharaj Rana of Dholpur

Dungarpur Princely State Rai-i-Rayan, Mahimahendra, Maharajadhiraj Maharawal Shri Mahipal Singhji II Sahib Bahadur, Maharawal of Dungarpur.
Jaipur Princely State HH Saramad-i-Rajahai Hindustan Raj Rajendra Shri Maharajadhiraj Sir Sawai Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II
Jaisalmer Princely State Maharajadhiraj Maharawal Sir Jawahir Singh Bahadur
Jhalawar Princely State Maharajadhiraj Maharaj Rana Shri Chandrajit Singh Dev Bahadur, Maharaj Rana of Jhalawar.
Jodhpur Princely State Raj Rajeshwar Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Hindustan Maharajadhiraja Maharaja Shri Gaj Singhji II Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Jodhpur.
Karauli Princely State Maharaja Shri Ganesh Pal Deo Bahadur Yadakul Chandra Bhal
Kishangarh Princely State Umdae Rajhae Buland Makan Maharajadhiraja Maharaja Sumer Singhji Bahadur
Kotah Princely State Maharao Shri Bhim Singh II Bahadur
Kushalgarh Princely State Rao Harendra Singh
Sardargarh (formerly Lawa), thikana in Udaipur Princely State
Mewar Princely State Maharana Sir Bhupal Singh
Patan, Rajasthan Princely State Rao Bir Bikram Singh
Pratabgarh Princely State Raja Ajit Pratap Singh

Shekhawati

Princely State Shri Maharao Sheoraj Singh
Shahpura Princely State Rajadhiraj Sudershan Singh
Sirohi Princely State Maharao Raghubir Singh
Tonk Princely State Nawab Muhammad Faruq Ali Khan

Gujarat States Agency and Baroda Residency[edit]

The Majestic Laxmi Vilas Palace of Baroda, built by the Maratha Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III

Kathiawar Agency[edit]

Princely states of Kathiawar in Saurashtra
Name of state British Resident or Agent Now part of Last or present ruler
Dhrol State Princely State Later Kathiawar, India

Now Gujarat, India

Thakor Saheb Shri Shri Chandrasinhji Jadeja
Nawanagar State Princely State Jam saheb shri Shatrushaylsinhji Digvijaysinhji Jadeja

Makaji Meghpar

Jagir Hardhrol Bhayats

Rajkot State

Princely state Thakor saheb Shri Pradhyumansinhji Jadeja
Gondal state Gondal State Princely state Thakor Saheb Shri Bhagvatsinhji Jadeja
Morvi state Morvi State Princely state Thakor Saheb Shri Lakhdhirsinhji Jadeja
Porbandar State Princely state Maharana Shri Natwarsinhji Jethwa
Bhavnagar State Princely state Maharaja Raol Shri Krishnakumarsinhji Gohil
Wadhwan State Princely state Maharaja Shri Suredrasinhji Jhala
Junagadh State Princely state Nawab sahib Mahabatkhanji 3rd.
Jafarabad State Princely state Mohammad Khan 2nd.
Kathiawar 1855 with its four prant districts: Halar, Jhalavad, Sorath and Gohelwad.
United Saurashtra (Kathiawar) State 1947-56

States of Central India Agency[edit]

The Rajwada of Indore, built by The Holkars of the Maratha Kingdom
Subhash Marg, Indore
Bhil tribe girls in Jhabua
Orchha Palace, Madhya Pradesh

Eastern States Agency[edit]

Faiz Mahal, Khairpur
Palace in Cooch Behar
Bahawalpur Nur Mahal
Girivilas Palace in Sarangarh

Orissa States Agency[edit]

Chhattisgarh States Agency[edit]

Bengal States Agency[edit]

Mahi Kantha Agency[edit]

Former Princely States annexed during the British Raj[edit]

See also: Doctrine of lapse

Former kingdoms annexed during the British East India Company era[edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Cahoon, Ben. "Indian Princely States before 1947 A-J". www.worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  2. ^ Ramusack, Barbara N. (2007). The Indian princes and their states (Digitally print. version. ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. pp. 81–82. ISBN 978-0521039895. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
Sources

Further reading[edit]

  • The Relationship Between the Indian Princely States and the Indian Central Government, 1921-1933, by Harry Dunseth Wood. Published by University of Chicago, 1951.
  • The Paramount Power and the Princely States of India, 1858-1881, by Ajit K. Neogy. Published by K. P. Bagchi, 1974.
  • Rajahs and Prajas: An Indian Princely State, Then and Now, by S. Devadas Pillai. Published by Popular Prakashan, 1976.
  • Princely States and the Paramount Power, 1858-1876: A Study on the Nature of Political Relationship Between the British Government and the Indian State, by Mihir Kumar Ray. Rajesh Publications, 1981.
  • Documents and Speeches on the Indian Princely States, by Adrian Sever. Published by B.R. Pub. Corp., 1985.
  • The Late Pre-colonial Background to the Indian Princely States, by Richard B Barnett. Published by Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Punjab, 1988.
  • Indian Princely Medals: A Record of the Orders, Decorations, and Medals of the Indian Princely States, by Tony McClenaghan. Published by Spantech & Lancer, 1996. ISBN 1-897829-19-1.
  • British Policy Towards Princely States of India: Seminar Entitled "British Policy Towards North Indian Princely States" : Selected Papers, by R P Vyas. Published by Rajasthan-Vidya Prakashan, 1992.
  • The Princely States of India: A Chronological Checklist of Their Rulers, by David P. Henige. Published by Borgo Press, 1997. ISBN 0-89370-325-7.
  • Constitutional Development in the Indian Princely States, by Ranjana Kaul. Published by UBS Publishers Distributors, 1998. ISBN 81-259-0511-1.
  • The Maharaja & the Princely States of India, by Sharada Dwivedi. Published by Lustre Press, 1999. ISBN 81-7436-081-6.
  • Illustrated Encyclopaedia & Who's who of Princely States in Indian Sub-continent, by J. C. Dua. Published by Kaveri Books, 2000. ISBN 81-7479-036-5.
  • The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled or Decorated, of the Indian Empire, by Sir Roper Lethbridge. Adamant Media Corporation, 2001. ISBN 1-4021-9328-9.
  • True Tales of British India & the Princely States: & The Princely States, by Michael Wise. Published by In Print, 1993. ISBN 1-873047-06-1.
  • Princely States of India: A Guide to Chronology and Rulers, by David P. Henige. Published by Orchid Press, 2006. ISBN 974-524-049-4.
  • India's Princely States: People, Princes and Colonialism, by Waltraud Ernst, Biswamoy Pati. Published by Routledge, 2007. ISBN 0-415-41541-1.

External links[edit]

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