Bhonsles of Nagpur

The Bhonsles of Nagpur were a Maratha royal house that ruled the Kingdom of Nagpur from 1739-1853.[1] They hailed from the Bhonsle clan of Marathas and were one of the most important and powerful Maratha chiefs in the Maratha Empire.

Bhonsles of Nagpur
Parent houseHouse of Bhonsle
CountryKingdom of Nagpur
Founded1739
FounderRaghoji I
Current headRaghuji V
Final rulerRaghuji III
TitlesSena Sahib Subah, Sardar, Maharaja of Nagpur
Estate(s)Kingdom of Nagpur
Bhonsle kingdom of Nagpur

Origin

The Bhonsle family branch of Raghoji were known as Hinganikar as they were originally chiefs of Berdi near Hingani in Pune District established by Bimbaji Bhonsle I. The earliest prominent historically relevant members of the branch were the two brothers Rupaji I and Mudhoji Bhonsle. They served under Shivaji Maharaj, a fellow Bhonsle clansman of Verulkar branch. Mudhoji was bestowed with Pandogarh mauza in Maharashtra as a jagir for his spectacular exploits and his brother Rupaji I resided at Bham in the district of Yavatmal.[2] Though Chhatrapati Shivaji favoured Rupaji, as Rupaji I was childless , his fiefdom passed over to his brother Mudhoji which gave Hinganikar Bhonsles a foothold in east Maharashtra for future conquests. Mudhoji had three sons Bapuji, Sabaji and Parsoji who were entrusted high military command and the forcible collection of chauth (tribute) in Mughal territories of Berar. Mudhoji's son Sabaji was given villages of Rakhswari and Poorkikotar however it was Parsoji who attained highest position in the family during Mughal-Maratha Wars. The title of "Senasahibsubha" (meaning Master of provinces and armies) was bestowed on Parsoji Bhonsle by Chhatrapati Rajaram along with rights to regions of Devgad, Gondwana, Chanda and Varhad from where he could exact tribute and effectively settle. Bapuji only had one son Bimbaji who was the father of Raghuji I. Parsoji had three sons; Santaji, Kanhoji and Ranoji each with a distinguished career. Senasahibsubha Parsoji Bhonsle was among the first of Maratha lords to pledge himself and his army of 20,000 to Chhatrapati Shahu I after his escape from Mughal camp. In recognition of these acts of loyalty Shahu had the title of Senasahibsubha reconfirmed in 1708 along with various sanads for Parsoji.

Parsoji's son Santaji Bhonsle was part of various campaigns of Chhatrapati Shivaji and the other commanders, till his murder in Delhi during the 1719 campaign to depose Farrukhsiyar led by Senapati Khanderao Dabhade. Ranoji was given title of Sawai Santaji (meaning Superior Santaji) along with other compensations for the loss of his brother's life. In 1722, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj presented Badnera and Amravati to Ranoji further extending presence of Hinganikar Bhonsles in east. Kanhoji went on to secure the family title of Senasahibsubha after the death of Parsoji in 1709 or 1710. Senasahibsubha Kanhoji ruled for twenty years and laid the foundation of a strict rule in east Maharashtra.[3][4]

Ascension to power

After Chand Sultan, the Gond raja of Nagpur's death in 1739,[5] there were quarrels over the succession, leading to the throne being usurped by Wali Shah,[6][7][8] an illegitimate son of Bakht Buland Shah.[6][9] Chand Sultan's widow invoked the aid of the Maratha leader Raghuji Bhonsle of Berar in the interest of her sons Akbar Shah and Burhan Shah. Wali Shah was put to death and the rightful heirs placed on the throne. Raghoji I Bhonsle was sent back to Berar with a plentiful bounty for his aid. The Maratha general judged that Nagpur must be a plentiful and rich country by the magnificence of his reward.[8][10][11][12][13][14][15][6][16][5][7][9][17]

However, dissensions continued between the brothers and once again, the elder brother Burhan Shah requested the aid of Raghuji Bhonsla. Akbar Shah was driven into exile and finally poisoned at Hyderabad. However this time, Ragoji Bhonsle did not have the heart to leave such a plentiful and rich country, with it being within his grasp.[7][6] He declared himself 'protector' of the Gond king. Thus in 1743, Burhan Shah was practically made a state pensionary, with real power being in the hands of the Maratha ruler. After this event the history of the Gond kingdom of Deogarh is not recorded.[5] A series of Maratha rulers came to power following the fall of the Gonds from the throne of Nagpur, starting with Raghoji Bhonsle.[18][19]

History

The Bhonsles of Nagpur were near relations of Chhatrapati Shahu, who raised them to riches and power.[20] Raghoji I Bhonsle overran Bengal & Bihar during the reign of Alivardi Khan, occupying Orissa from the Nawab.[21][22] However, they did not play any part in the Third Battle of Panipat and First Anglo-Maratha War, so they gradually sank to a secondary position in the Maratha Confederacy.[20] The reason for their half-hearted cooperation with the other Maratha chiefs was that they were bribed by Warren Hastings.[20] They were generally opposed to the Peshwa, and claimed independent authority as they essentially controlled the Gond king of Nagpur.[21]

Deposition

Raghuji Bhonsle III died without a male heir in 1853, and the kingdom was annexed by the British under the doctrine of lapse.[23][1] The territories of the former kingdom was administered as Nagpur Province, under a commissioner appointed by the Governor-General of India, until the formation of the Central Provinces in 1861.[24]

Rulers
  • Raghoji I Bhonsle (1739 – 14 Feb 1755)
  • Janoji Bhonsle (1755 – 21 May 1772)
  • Mudhoji Bhonsle (1772 – 19 May 1788)
  • Raghoji II Bhonsle (1788 – 22 Mar 1816)
  • Parsoji Bhonsle (1816 – 2 Feb 1817) (b. 1778 – d. 1817)
  • Mudhoji II Bhonsle "Appa Sahib" (1817 – 15 Mar 1818) (b. 1796 – d. 1840)
  • Raghuji Bhonsle III (1818 – 11 Dec 1853) (b. 1808 – d. 1853)
  • Janoji Bhonsle II
  • Raghuji Bhonsle IV
  • Fatehsingh Rao Bhonsle

References
  1. S. Shabbir (2005). History of Educational Development in Vidarbha, 1882-1923 A.D. (Hardcover). Northern Book Centre. p. 1. ISBN 9788172111878.
  2. Proceedings of Indian History Congress Volume 36 - Page 311
  3. Kanhoji ruled for twenty years and paved the foundation of a solid rule in BerarCoinage of the Bhonsla Rajas of Nagpur by Prashant P. Kulkarni pg. 7
  4. Maratha Generals and Personalities: A gist of great personalities of Marathas. Pratik gupta. 1 August 2014.
  5. Kurup, Ayyappan Madhava (1986). Continuity and Change in a Little Community. Concept Publishing Company.
  6. Proceedings of a Public Meeting for the formation of The Northern Central British India Society held in the Corn Exchange, Manchester, on Wednesday evening, August 26th, 1840. Northern Central British India Society. 1840.
  7. Hunter, William Wilson (1881). Naaf to Rangmagiri. Trübner.
  8. Thusu, Kidar Nath (1980). Gond Kingdom of Chanda: With Particular Reference to Its Political Structure. Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India.
  9. Deogaonkar, Shashishekhar Gopal (2007). The Gonds of Vidarbha. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-8069-474-5.
  10. Host Bibliographic Record for Boundwith Item Barcode 30112050248951 and Others. 2013.
  11. Sil, Jogendra Nath (1917). History of the Central Provinces and Berar. J.N. Sil.
  12. Krishnan, V. S. (1995). Madhya Pradesh District Gazetteers: Chhindwara. Government Central Press.
  13. Bulletin of the Anthropological Survey of India. Director, Anthropological Survey of India, Indian Museum. 1976.
  14. Bahadur), Sarat Chandra Roy (Rai (1979). Man in India. A. K. Bose.
  15. Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Bhandara. Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State. 1979.
  16. Naik, C. D. (2010). Buddhism and Dalits: Social Philosophy and Traditions. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7835-792-8.
  17. Indian Railways. Railway Board. 1997.
  18. "Nagpur – History – People – Art and Culture – Festivals". Nagpur-hotels.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  19. "Gond King". Archived from the original on 31 May 2014.
  20. R.S. Chaurasia (2004). History of the Marathas (Hardcover). Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. p. 3. ISBN 9788126903948.
  21. Stewart Gordon (February 2007). The Marathas 1600-1818 Part 2, Volume 4 (Paperback). Cambridge University Press. p. 158. ISBN 9780521033169.
  22. Poonam Dalal Dahiya (15 September 2017). Ancient and Medieval India Ebook (EBook). McGraw-Hill Education. ISBN 9789352606733. The Bhonsles of Nagpur were clearly subordinate to the Satara rulers. An important ruler from this line was Raghuji Bhonsle (c.1727–55 CE), who was responsible for the Maratha incursions on Bengal and Bihar in the 1740s & early 1750s. He occupied Orissa from Nawab Alivardi Khan.
  23. Barbara N. Ramusack (8 January 2004). The Indian Princes and Their States (EBook). Cambridge University Press. p. 82. ISBN 9781139449083.
  24. Dr Murhari Kele (2015). Distribution Franchisee Business The Case Study of Nagpur. Dr Murhari Kele.
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