Daulatrao Sindhia
Encyclopedia
Daulatrao Sindhia was the king (Maharaja
) of Gwalior state
in central India
from 1794 until his death in 1827. His reign coincided with struggles for supremacy within the Maratha Confederacy, and with Maratha resistance to the consolidation of British hegemony over northern and central India in the early 18th century. Daulatrao played a significant role in the Second
and Third Anglo-Maratha war
s.
s and the empire expanded greatly in the 18th century at the expense of the Mughal Empire
. As the empire expanded, commanders of the Maratha armies were given authority to collect chauth
(tribute) in the conquered territories on behalf of the Peshwa. Daulatrao's ancestor Ranoji Sindhia had conquered territories in the Malwa and Gird
regions from the Mughals, eventually establishing a state which was initially based at Ujjain
, but was named after the strategic fortress of Gwalior. His wife Baija Bai was a powerful and an intelligent lady of her time. She played an important role in the affairs of the Gwalior state.
The Maratha defeat at the Third Battle of Panipat
checked the Maratha expansion towards the Northwest, and hastened the decentralization of power in the empire to a 'pentarchy' made up of the five most powerful Maratha dynasties: the Peshwas of Pune
, the Sindhias of Gwalior, the Holkar
s of Indore
, the Bhonsle
s of Nagpur
, and the Gaekwad
s of Baroda.
Daulatrao's predecessor Mahadji had, in the aftermath of Panipat, turned Gwalior into a chief military power of the confederacy, developing a well-trained modern army under the command of Benoît de Boigne
. Daulatrao therefore looked upon himself less as a member of the Maratha Confederacy and more as the chief sovereign in India.
(1795), and the troubles which it occasioned, the demise of Tukojirao Holkar and the rise of the turbulent Yashwantrao Holkar
, together with the intrigues of Nana Farnavis
, threw the confederacy into confusion and enabled Sindhia to gain the ascendancy. He also came under the influence of Sarjerao Ghatge, a dubious character from Maratha point of view, whose daughter he had married (1798). Urged possibly by this adviser, Daulatrao aimed at increasing his dominions at all costs, and seized territory from the Maratha Ponwars of Dhar
and Dewas
. The rising power of Yashwantrao Holkar
of Indore
, however, alarmed him. In July 1801, Yashwantrao appeared before Sindhia's capital of Ujjain, and after defeating some battalions under John Hessing
, extorted a large sum from its inhabitants, but did not ravage the town. In October, however, Sarjerao Ghatge took revenge by sacking Indore, razing it almost to the ground, and practicing every form of atrocity on its inhabitants.
Then, in 1802, on the festival of Diwali, Yashwantrao Holkar
defeated the combined armies of Scindia and Peshwa Bajirao II at Hadapsar, near Pune. The battle took place at Ghorpadi, Banwadi, and Hadapsar. From this time dates the gardi-ka-wakt, or 'period of unrest', as it is still called, during which the whole of central India was overrun by the armies of Sindhia and Holkar and their attendant predatory Pindari
bands, under Amir Khan
and others. Benoît de Boigne
had retired as commander of Gwalior's army in 1796; and his successor, Pierre Cuillier-Perron
, was a man of a very different stamp, whose determined favouritism of French officers, in defiance of all claims to promotion, produced discontent in the regular corps.
, by which the British were recognized as the paramount power in India. The continual evasion shown by Sindhia in all attempts at negotiation brought him into conflict with the British, and his power in both western and northern India was brought down by the British victories at Ahmadnagar, Assaye
, Battle of Argaon
, Asirgarh and Laswari
. On December 30, 1803, he signed the Treaty of Surji Anjangaon, by which he was obliged to give up his possessions between the Yamuna and the Ganges, 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 Surji 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. A fresh treaty in 1818 effected a readjustment of boundaries, Ajmer
and other lands being ceded.
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
) of Gwalior state
Gwalior state
Gwalior State was an Indian kingdom and princely state ruled by the Maratha dynasty. The state took its name from the old town of Gwalior, which, although never the actual capital, was an important place because of its strategic location and the strength of its fort. The state was founded in the...
in central India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
from 1794 until his death in 1827. His reign coincided with struggles for supremacy within the Maratha Confederacy, and with Maratha resistance to the consolidation of British hegemony over northern and central India in the early 18th century. Daulatrao played a significant role in the Second
Second Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
and Third Anglo-Maratha war
Third Anglo-Maratha War
The Third Anglo-Maratha War was the final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of Maratha territory by 110,400 British East India Company troops, the largest...
s.
Ascent of Scindias
Daulatrao was a member of the Sindhia dynasty, and succeeded to the Gwalior throne in February 1794 at the age of 15, upon the death of Maharaja Mahadji Sindhia. Mahadji left no heir, and Daulatrao was a grandson of his brother Tukaji. Gwalior state was part of the Maratha Empire, which was founded by Shivaji in the 17th century. De facto control of the empire passed from Shivaji's successors to the hereditary chief ministers of the Empire, entitled peshwaPeshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
s and the empire expanded greatly in the 18th century at the expense of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
. As the empire expanded, commanders of the Maratha armies were given authority to collect chauth
Chauth
Chauth was a tax or tribute imposed, from early 18th century, by the Maratha Empire in India. It was nominally levied at 25% on revenue or produce, hence the name....
(tribute) in the conquered territories on behalf of the Peshwa. Daulatrao's ancestor Ranoji Sindhia had conquered territories in the Malwa and Gird
Gird
Gird is a region of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. It includes the districts of Bhind, Gwalior, Morena, Sheopur, and Shivpuri. Gwalior is the largest city in the region, and its historic center.The Chambal and Yamuna rivers form the northwestern and northern boundaries of the region...
regions from the Mughals, eventually establishing a state which was initially based at Ujjain
Ujjain
Ujjain , is an ancient city of Malwa region in central India, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River , today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative centre of Ujjain District and Ujjain Division.In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini...
, but was named after the strategic fortress of Gwalior. His wife Baija Bai was a powerful and an intelligent lady of her time. She played an important role in the affairs of the Gwalior state.
The Maratha defeat at the Third Battle of Panipat
Third battle of Panipat
The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761, at Panipat , about 60 miles north of Delhi between a northern expeditionary force of the Maratha Confederacy and a coalition of the King of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Abdali with 2 Indian Muslim allies—the Rohilla Afghans of the Doab, and the...
checked the Maratha expansion towards the Northwest, and hastened the decentralization of power in the empire to a 'pentarchy' made up of the five most powerful Maratha dynasties: the Peshwas of Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, the Sindhias of Gwalior, the Holkar
Holkar
The Holkar dynasty , whose earliest known clan-man was Malhar Rao, who joined the service of the Peshwa in 1721, and quickly rose to the ranks of Subedar...
s of Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, the Bhonsle
Bhonsle
The Bhonsle were a prominent clan within the Maratha clan system who served as rulers of several states in India.The most prominent member of the clan was Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire...
s of Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
, and the Gaekwad
Gaekwad
The Gaekwad or Gaikwad was a Maratha dynasty that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947...
s of Baroda.
Daulatrao's predecessor Mahadji had, in the aftermath of Panipat, turned Gwalior into a chief military power of the confederacy, developing a well-trained modern army under the command of Benoît de Boigne
Benoît de Boigne
Benoît Leborgne , better known as Count Benoît de Boigne or General Count de Boigne, was a military adventurer from the Alps of French Savoy, who made his fortune and name in India...
. Daulatrao therefore looked upon himself less as a member of the Maratha Confederacy and more as the chief sovereign in India.
Scindia-Holkar Confrontation
At this time the death of the young Peshwa, Madhavrao IIMadhavrao II
Madhavrao II , also Madhu Rao Narayan, was Peshwa of the Maratha Empire in India, from a young age. He was known as Sawai Madhavrao...
(1795), and the troubles which it occasioned, the demise of Tukojirao Holkar and the rise of the turbulent Yashwantrao Holkar
Yashwantrao Holkar
H. H. Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Shrimant Yashwant Rao Holkar Bahadur, Nusrat Jang, Maharaja of Maratha Empire, was born on 3 December 1776...
, together with the intrigues of Nana Farnavis
Nana Farnavis
Nana Phadnavis , born Balaji Janardan Bhanu, was an influential minister and statesman of the Maratha Empire during the Peshwa administration in Pune, India...
, threw the confederacy into confusion and enabled Sindhia to gain the ascendancy. He also came under the influence of Sarjerao Ghatge, a dubious character from Maratha point of view, whose daughter he had married (1798). Urged possibly by this adviser, Daulatrao aimed at increasing his dominions at all costs, and seized territory from the Maratha Ponwars of Dhar
Dhar
Dhār is located in the Malwa region of western Madhya Pradesh state in central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dhar District. The town is located west of Mhow, above sea level...
and Dewas
Dewas
Dewas is an ancient town situated on the Malwa plateau in the West-central part of Indian state called Madhya Pradesh, about 160 km south west from state capital, Bhopal. It is the administrative center of the Dewas District, and was formerly the seat of two princely states during the British...
. The rising power of Yashwantrao Holkar
Yashwantrao Holkar
H. H. Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Shrimant Yashwant Rao Holkar Bahadur, Nusrat Jang, Maharaja of Maratha Empire, was born on 3 December 1776...
of Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, however, alarmed him. In July 1801, Yashwantrao appeared before Sindhia's capital of Ujjain, and after defeating some battalions under John Hessing
John Hessing
John Hessing was a military officer who served in the armies of the Maratha Confederacy in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He commanded 3000 Maratha regular troops in the Battle of Kardla, where the Maratha armies defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad on March 12, 1795...
, extorted a large sum from its inhabitants, but did not ravage the town. In October, however, Sarjerao Ghatge took revenge by sacking Indore, razing it almost to the ground, and practicing every form of atrocity on its inhabitants.
Then, in 1802, on the festival of Diwali, Yashwantrao Holkar
Yashwantrao Holkar
H. H. Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Shrimant Yashwant Rao Holkar Bahadur, Nusrat Jang, Maharaja of Maratha Empire, was born on 3 December 1776...
defeated the combined armies of Scindia and Peshwa Bajirao II at Hadapsar, near Pune. The battle took place at Ghorpadi, Banwadi, and Hadapsar. From this time dates the gardi-ka-wakt, or 'period of unrest', as it is still called, during which the whole of central India was overrun by the armies of Sindhia and Holkar and their attendant predatory Pindari
Pindari
The Pendharis or Free Companions were dispersed throughout the Maratha states and were countenanced and protected by the Maratha chiefs to whom they acted as agents for supplying all the commissariat required by their armies. They were composed of different tribes who congregated together solely...
bands, under Amir Khan
Amir Khan (Pindari)
Nawab Muhammad Amir Khan was a leader, of Pashtun origin belonging to its Salarzai branch and the first ruler of the princely state of Tonk . He was the son of Hayat Khan and the grandson of Taleh Khan.He is often confused as a member of the Pindaris although he was a Pathan with his Pathan...
and others. Benoît de Boigne
Benoît de Boigne
Benoît Leborgne , better known as Count Benoît de Boigne or General Count de Boigne, was a military adventurer from the Alps of French Savoy, who made his fortune and name in India...
had retired as commander of Gwalior's army in 1796; and his successor, Pierre Cuillier-Perron
Pierre Cuillier-Perron
Pierre Cuillier-Perron , French military adventurer in India, whose name was originally Pierre Cuillier, was born at Luceau near Château-du-Loir in France, the son of a cloth merchant....
, was a man of a very different stamp, whose determined favouritism of French officers, in defiance of all claims to promotion, produced discontent in the regular corps.
Scindia-British treaty
Finally, on December 31, 1802, the Peshwa signed the Treaty of BasseinTreaty of Bassein
The Treaty of Bassein could refer to one of the articles shown below.*Treaty of Bassein - a treaty signed by Sultan Bahadur of Gujarat and the Portuguese....
, by which the British were recognized as the paramount power in India. The continual evasion shown by Sindhia in all attempts at negotiation brought him into conflict with the British, and his power in both western and northern India was brought down by the British victories at Ahmadnagar, Assaye
Battle of Assaye
The Battle of Assaye was a major battle of the Second Anglo-Maratha War fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company...
, Battle of Argaon
Adgaon
Adgaon, known as Argaon during the period of the British Raj, is a village located in the Telhara tehsil near Akot in the Akola district of Maharashtra, India...
, Asirgarh and Laswari
Laswari
The Battle of Laswari took place on November 1, 1803 and was part of the Second Anglo-Maratha War.The British, commanded by General Lake were about 10,000 men strong, opposing the Sindhia's Maratha army of 9,000 veteran infantry and 5,000 cavalry...
. On December 30, 1803, he signed the Treaty of Surji Anjangaon, by which he was obliged to give up his possessions between the Yamuna and the Ganges, the district of Bharuch
Bharuch district
Bharuch in India, is a district in the southern part of the Gujarat peninsula on the west coast of state of Gujarat with a size and population comparable to that of Greater Boston...
, 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 Surji Anjangaon he was deprived of the fortresses of Gwalior and Gohad
Gohad
Gohad , also Gohud, is a city and a municipality in Bhind district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. A town of historical importance it is situated close to the city of Gwalior.-History:...
, 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
Chambal River
The Chambal River is a tributary of the Yamuna River in central India, and forms part of the greater Gangetic drainage system. The river flows north-northeast through Madhya Pradesh, running for a time through Rajasthan, then forming the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh before turning...
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
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
, Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
, Kotah, or any chief tributary to Sindhia in Malwa, Mewar
Mewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...
, or Marwar
Marwar
Marwar is a region of southwestern Rajasthan state in western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. In Rajasthani dialect "wad" means a particular area. The word Marwar is derived from Sanskrit word 'Maruwat'. English translation of the word is 'The region of desert'., The Imperial Gazetteer...
.
In 1811, Daulat Rao annexed the neighboring kingdom of Chanderi
Chanderi
Chanderi चंदेरी شندرئ is a town of historical importance in Ashoknagar District of Madhya Pradesh state in India. It is situated at a distance of 127 km from Shivpuri,37 km from Lalitpur,55 km from Ashok Nagar and about 45 km from Esagarh It is surrounded by hills southwest of...
. 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
Asirgarh
Asirgarh Qila is an Indian fortress situated in the Satpura Range, about 20 km north of the town of Burhanpur, in Burhanpur District of Madhya Pradesh state. The fortress commands a pass through the Satpuras connecting the valleys of the Narmada and Tapti rivers, one of the most important...
, which had been ceded by the treaty. A fresh treaty in 1818 effected a readjustment of boundaries, Ajmer
Ajmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
and other lands being ceded.