Princely state

South Asia
1250 CE

DELHI

SULTANATE

(MAMLUKS)

AHOM

LOHA
RAS

QARLUGHIDS

MARYUL

GUGE

KUMAON

SOOMRAS

MAKRAN
SULTANATE

MONGOL
EMPIRE

VAGHELAS

CHUDASAMAS

PARAMARAS

CHANDELAS

GUHILAS

BUNDELAS

KHANGARS

JAISALMER

MARWAR

AMBER

AMARKOT

CHEROS

NAGVANSIS

KAKATIYAS

CHODAS

EASTERN
GANGAS

YADAVAS

PANDYAS

CHOLAS

HOYSALAS

KADAMBAS

CHERAS

 

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South Asian polities, c. 1250 CE.[18]

Though principalities and chiefdoms existed on the Indian subcontinent from at least the Iron Age, the history of princely states on the Indian subcontinent dates to at least the fifth or sixth century C.E., during the rise of the middle kingdoms of India following the collapse of the Gupta Empire.[19][20] Many of the future ruling clan groups – notably the Rajputs – began to emerge during this period; by the 13th–14th centuries, many of the Rajput clans had firmly established semi-independent principalities in the north-west, along with several in the north-east. The widespread expansion of Islam during this time brought many principalities into tributary relations with Islamic sultanates, notably with the Mughal Empire. In the south, however, the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire remained dominant until the mid-17th century; among its tributaries was the future Mysore Kingdom.

The Turco-Mongol Mughal Empire brought a majority of the existing Indian kingdoms and principalities under its suzerainty by the 17th century, beginning with its foundation in the early 16th century. Despite the difference in religion, the Mughal emperors also contracted a series of marriages with Rajput princesses, and Rajput forces and generals became an important part of their military power. The advent of Sikhism resulted in the creation of the Sikh Empire in the north by the early 18th century, by which time the Mughal Empire was in full decline. The Muslim nawabs had begun as appointed governors of territories conquered by the Mughals, in theory a non-hereditary title, with obligations to pay a large share of their revenues to the emperor. As the emperors became too weak to enforce their power, the nawabs stopped paying, and passed on their realms to their sons.

At the same time, the Marathas carved out their own states to form the Maratha Empire. Through the 18th century, former Mughal governors formed their own independent states. In the north-west, some of those – such as Tonk – allied themselves with various groups, including the Marathas and the Durrani Empire, itself formed in 1747 from a loose agglomeration of tribal chiefdoms that composed former Mughal territories. In the south, the principalities of Hyderabad and Arcot were fully established by the 1760s, though they nominally remained vassals of the Mughal emperor.

The largest Muslim-ruled state was Hyderabad State, which was also the first to sign a treaty with the British, in 1798, when it was caught between them and the Marathas. The treaties of 1817 and 1818 concluding the decisive Third Anglo-Maratha War left the remaining Maratha territories as princely states, with treaties with the British, and the Rajput states resumed their subordinate status, now with the British.

India under 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 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.[21]

In general 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.[22][23]

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 the provincial governments of British India under a governor, lieutenant-governor, or chief commissioner.[24] 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, the courts of the princely states existed under the authority of the respective rulers of those states.[24]

Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the maharaja of Baroda State.

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,[25] Saranjamdar[26] and many others. Whatever 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.

An old image of the British Residency in the city of Quilon, Kerala

More prestigious Hindu rulers (mostly existing before the Mughal Empire, or having split from such old states) often used the title "Raja", Raje" or a variant such as Rai, Rana, Babu "Rao", "Rawat" or Rawal. Also in this 'class' were several Thakurs or Thai ores and a few particular titles, such as Sardar, Mankari (or Mānkari/Maankari), 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 sister of king in Kerala.

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 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 is almost analogous to Singh title in North India.

The Sikh princes concentrated at Punjab usually adopted Hindu type titles when attaining princely rank; at a lower level Sardar was used.

Muslim rulers almost all used the title "Nawab" (the Arabic honorific of naib, "deputy", used of the 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 Wāli/Khan of Kalat and the Wāli of Swat. Other less usual titles included Darbar Sahib, Dewan, Jam, Mehtar (unique to Chitral) and Mir (from Emir).

However, the actual importance of a princely state cannot be read from the title of its ruler, which was usually granted (or at least recognised) as a favour, 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 the zamindar who hold the princely titles were in fact erstwhile princely and royal states reduced to zamindari by the British EIC. 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.

An 1895 group photograph of the eleven-year-old Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, ruler of the princely state of Mysore in South India, with his brothers and sisters. In 1799, his grandfather, then aged five, had been granted dominion of Mysore by the British and forced into a subsidiary alliance. The British later directly governed the state between 1831 and 1881.

The Govindgarh Palace of the Maharaja of Rewa. The palace which was built as a hunting lodge later became famous for the first white tigers that were found in the adjacent jungle and raised in the palace zoo.

The Nawab of Junagarh Bahadur Khan III (seated centre in an ornate chair) shown in an 1885 photograph with state officials and family.

Photograph (1900) of the Maharani of Sikkim. Sikkim was under the suzerainty of the Provincial government of Bengal; its ruler received a 15-gun salute.

In addition to their titles all princely rulers were eligible to be appointed to certain British orders of chivalry associated with India, 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 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 indeed to the 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 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 a result of their states' contributions to the war effort.

• Lieutenant/Captain/Flight Lieutenant or Lieutenant-Commander/Major/Squadron Leader (for junior members of princely houses or for minor princes)
• Commander/Lieutenant-Colonel/Wing Commander or Captain/Colonel/Group Captain (granted to princes of salute states, often to those entitled to 15-guns or more)
• Commodore/Brigadier/Air Commodore (conferred upon princes of salute states entitled to gun salutes of 15-guns or more)
• Major-General/Air Vice-Marshal (conferred upon princes of salute states entitled to 15-guns or more; conferred upon rulers of the major princely states, including Baroda, Kapurthala, Travancore, Bhopal and Mysore)
• Lieutenant-General (conferred upon the rulers of the largest and most prominent princely houses after the First and Second World Wars for their states' contributions to the war effort.)
• General (very rarely awarded; the Maharajas of Gwalior and Jammu & Kashmir were created honorary Generals in the British Army in 1877, the Maharaja of Bikaner was made one in 1937, and the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1941)

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.

Salute states

Main article: Salute state

HH Maharaja Sir Jayaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior State, General Sir Henry Daly (Founder of The Daly College), with British officers and Maratha nobility (Sardars, Jagirdars & Mankaris) in Indore, Holkar State, c. 1879.

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 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 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 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 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, 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.[27] 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 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.

Non-salute states

Coinage of king Manak Pal (1772-1804), Princely State of Karauli. Karauli mint. Struck in the name of the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. Dated 1784-5 CE

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 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, 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 the Nawab of Oudh. There were also certain estates of British India which were rendered as political saranjams, having equal princely status.[28] 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.

Largest princely states by area

Eleven largest princely states in terms of area

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941		Present State	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler
Jammu and Kashmir	84,471	4,021,616	including Gilgit, Baltistan (Skardu), Ladakh, and Punch (mostly Muslim, with sizeable Hindu and Buddhist populations)	Jammu and Kashmir	Maharaja, Dogra, Hindu	21
Hyderabad State	82,698	16,338,534	(mostly Hindu with a sizeable Muslim minority)	Telangana	Nizam, Turkic, Sunni Muslim	21
Jodhpur State	36,071	2,125,000	(mostly Hindu with a sizeable Muslim minority)	Rajasthan	Maharaja, Rathore, Hindu	17
Kingdom of Mysore	29,458	7,328,896	(Chiefly Hindu, with pockets of Muslim populations)	Karnataka	Wodeyar dynasty; Maharaja; Kannadiga; Hindu Kshattriya (Urs/Arasu in Kannada)	21
Gwalior State	26,397	4,006,159	(chiefly Hindu, with a sizeable Muslim population)	Madhya Pradesh	Maharaja, Maratha, Hindu	21
Bikaner State	23,317	936,218	(chiefly Hindu, with a low Muslim minority)	Rajasthan	Maharaja, Rathore, Hindu	17
Bahawalpur State	17,726	1,341,209	(Chiefly Muslim, with a sizeable Hindu, Sikh population)	Punjab (Pakistan)	Nawab Amir, Abbasid, Muslim	17
Jaisalmer State	16,100	76,255	(Chiefly Hindu with a sizeable Muslim minority)	Rajasthan	Maharaja, Bhati, Hindu	15
Jaipur State	15,601	2,631,775	(Chiefly Hindu, with a sizeable Muslim minority)	Rajasthan	Maharaja, Kachhwaha, Hindu	17
Bastar State	13,062	306,501	(Chiefly Hindu, with a low Muslim minority)	Chhattisgarh	Maharaja, Kakatiya - Bhanj, Hindu	-

A controversial aspect of East India Company rule 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 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 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 the doctrine, it was discontinued with the end of Company rule and the British Parliament's assumption of direct power over India.

Photograph (1894) of the 19-year-old Shahaji II Bhonsle Maharajah of Kolhapur visiting the British resident and his staff at the Residency

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 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 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.

Chamber of Princes meeting in March 1941

The Chamber of Princes (Narender Mandal or Narendra Mandal) was an institution established in 1920 by a royal proclamation of 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.[29]

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: 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 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 the complete list of princely states in 1947, see Lists of princely states of India.

In direct relations with the central government

Five large princely states in direct political relations with the Central Government in India[30][31][32][33]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Baroda State	13,866	3,343,477 (chiefly Hindu, with a sizeable Muslim population)	323.26	Maharaja, Maratha, Hindu	21	Resident at Baroda
Hyderabad State	82,698	16,338,534 (mostly Hindu with a sizeable Muslim minority)	1582.43	Nizam, Turkic, Sunni Muslim	21	Resident in Hyderabad
Jammu and Kashmir	84,471	4,021,616 including Gilgit, Baltistan (Skardu), Ladakh, and Punch (mostly Muslim, with sizeable Hindu and Buddhist populations)	463.95	Maharaja, Dogra, Hindu	21	Resident in Jammu & Kashmir
Kingdom of Mysore	29,458	7,328,896 (Chiefly Hindu, with sizeable Muslim populations)	1001.38	Wodeyar (means Owner in Kannada) and Maharaja, Kannadiga, Hindu	21	Resident in Mysore
Gwalior State	26,397	4,006,159 (chiefly Hindu, with a sizeable Muslim population)	356.75	Maharaja, Maratha, Hindu	21	Resident at Gwalior
Total	236,890	35,038,682	3727.77

Central India Agency, Gwalior Residency, Baluchistan Agency, Rajputana Agency, Eastern States Agency

88 princely states forming the Central India Agency[34][35]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Indore State	9,341	1,513,966 (chiefly Hindu, with a sizeable Muslim population)	304.9	Maharaja, Maratha, Hindu	19 (plus 2 local)	Resident at Indore
Bhopal	6,924	785,322 (chiefly Hindu, with a sizeable Muslim population)	119.82	Nawab(m)/Begum(f), Afghan, Muslim	19 (plus 2 local)	Political Agent in Bhopal
Rewah	13,000	1,820,445 (chiefly Hindu, with a sizeable Muslim population)	65	Maharaja, Baghel Rajput, Hindu	17	Second largest state in Baghelkhand
85 smaller and minor states (1941)	22,995 (1901)	2.74 million (Chiefly Hindu, 1901)	129 (1901)
Total	77,395 (1901)	8.51 million (1901)	421 (1901)

42 princely states forming the Eastern States Agency[34][36]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Cooch Behar	1,318	639,898 (chiefly Hindu and Muslim)	91	Maharaja, Koch (Kshattriya), Brahmo	13	Resident for the Eastern States
Tripura State	4,116	513,010 (chiefly Vaishnavite, with a sizeable Sanamahi minority)	54	Maharaja, Tripuri, Vaishnavite (Kshattriya)	13	Resident for the Eastern States
Mayurbhanj State	4,243	990,977 (chiefly Hindu)	49	Maharaja, Kshattriya, Hindu	9	Resident for the Eastern States
39 smaller and minor states (1941)	56,253	6,641,991	241.31
Total	65,930	8,785,876	435.31

Gwalior Residency (two states)

Two states under the suzerainty of the Resident at Gwalior, Gwalior having direct relations with the central government.[30][37]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Rampur	893	464,919 (chiefly Hindu and Muslim, in 1931)	51	Nawab, Pathan, Muslim	15	Political Agent at Rampur
Benares State	875	391,165 (chiefly Hindu, 1931)	19	Maharaja, Bhumihar, Hindu	13 (plus 2 local)	Political Agent at Benares
Total	1,768	856,084 (1941, approx.)	70

23 princely states forming the Rajputana Agency, with the Resident for Rajputana at Abu[38][39]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Udaipur (Mewar)	13,170	1,926,698 (chiefly Hindu and Bhil)	107	Maharana, Sisodia Rajput, Hindu	19 (plus 2 personal)	Political Agent for the Mewar and Southern Rajputana States
Jaipur	15,610	3,040,876 (chiefly Hindu)	188.6	Maharaja, Kachwaha Rajput, Hindu	17 (plus 2 personal)	Political Agent at Jaipur
Jodhpur (Marwar)	36,120	2,555,904 (chiefly Hindu)	208.65	Maharaja, Rathor Rajput, Hindu	17	Political Agent for the Western States of Rajputana
Bikaner	23,181	1,292,938 (chiefly Hindu)	185.5	Maharaja, Rathor Rajput, Hindu	17	Political agent for the Western States of Rajputana
17 salute states, 1 chiefship, 1 zamindari	42,374	3.64 million (chiefly Hindu, 1901)	155 (1901)
Total	128,918 (1901)	9.84 million (1901)	320 (1901)

Three princely states forming the Baluchistan Agency[40][41]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Kalat	73,278	250,211 (chiefly Sunni Muslim)	21.3	Khan or Wali, Baloch, Sunni Muslim	19	Political Agent in Kalat
Las Bela	7,132	68,972 (chiefly Sunni Muslim)	6.1	Jam, Baloch, Sunni Muslim		Political Agent in Kalat
Kharan	14,210	33,763 (chiefly Sunni Muslim)	2	Nawab, Baloch, Sunni Muslim		Political Agent in Kalat
Total	94,620	352,946	29.4

Sikkim, as a protectorate of the British Government[42]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Sikkim	2,818	121,520 (chiefly Buddhist and Hindu)	5	Chogyal, Tibetan, Buddhist	15	Political Officer, Sikkim

Other states under provincial governments

Madras (5 states)

5 states under the suzerainty of the Provincial Government of Madras[40]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1901	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand) Rupees	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Travancore	7,091	2,952,157 (chiefly Hindu and Christian)	100	Maharaja, Kshatriya-Samanthan, Hindu	21 (including two guns personal to the then ruler)	Resident in Travancore and Cochin
Cochin	1,362	812,025 (chiefly Hindu and Christian)	27	Raja, Samanta-Kshatriya, Hindu	17	Resident in Travancore and Cochin
Pudukkottai	1,100	380,440 (chiefly Hindu)	11	Raja, Kallar, Hindu	11	Collector of Trichinopoly (ex officio Political Agent)
2 minor states (Banganapalle and Sandur)	416	43,464	3
Total	9,969	4,188,086	141

Bombay (354 states)

354 states under the suzerainty of the Provincial Government of Bombay[43]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1901	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Kolhapur	2,855	910,011 (chiefly Hindus)	48	Maharaja",Chhtrapati "Maratha, Hindu	19	Political Agent for Kolhapur
Cutch	7,616	488,022 (chiefly Hindu)	20	Maharao, Jadeja Rajput, Hindu	17	Political Agent in Cutch
Junagarh	3,284	395,428 (chiefly Hindu)	27	Nawab, Pathan, Muslim	11	Agent to the Governor in Kathiawar
Navanagar	3,791	336,779 (chiefly Hindu)	31	Jam Sahib, Jadeja Rajput, Hindu	11	Agent to the Governor in Kathiawar
349 other states	42,165	4,579,095	281
Total	65,761	6,908,648	420

Central Provinces (15 states)

15 states under the suzerainty of the Provincial Government of the Central Provinces[44]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1901	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Kalahandi	3,745	284,465 (chiefly Hindu)	4	Raja, Kshatriya, Hindu	9	Political Agent for the Chhattisgarh Feudatories
Bastar	13,062	306,501 (chiefly Animist)	3	Raja, Kshatriya, Hindu		Political Agent for the Chhattisgarh Feudatories
13 other states	12,628	1,339,353 (chiefly Hindu)	16		11
Total	29,435	1,996,383	21

Punjab (45 states)

45 states under the suzerainty of the Provincial Government of the Punjab[45][46]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Bahawalpur	16,434	1,341,209 (chiefly Muslim)	335	Nawab, Daudputra, Muslim	17	Political Agent for Phulkian States and Bahawalpur
Patiala	5,942	1,936,259 (chiefly Sikh)	302.6	Maharaja, Sikh	17 (and 2 personal)	Political Agent for Phulkian States and Bahawalpur
Nabha	947	340,044 (chiefly Sikh)	38.7	Maharaja, Sikh	13 (and 2 local)	Political Agent for Phulkian States and Bahawalpur
Jind	1,299	361,812 (chiefly and Sikh)	37.4	Maharaja, Sikh	13 (and 2 personal)	Political Agent for Phulkian States and Bahawalpur
Kapurthala	645	378,380 (chiefly Sikh)	40.5	Maharaja, Ahuluwalia, Sikh	13 (and 2 personal)	Commissioner of the Jullundur Division (ex officio Political Agent)
Faridkot	638	199,283 (Sikh)	22.7	Raja, Sikh	11	Commissioner of the Jullundur Division (ex officio Political Agent)
Tehri (Garhwal)	4,500	397,369 (chiefly Hindu)	26.9	Maharaja, Rajput Hindu	11	Commissioner of Kumaun (ex officio Political Agent)
Khairpur	6,050	305,387 (chiefly Muslim)	15 (plus 2 local)	Mir, Talpur Baloch, Muslim	37.8	Political Agent for Khairpur
25 other states	12,661 (in 1901)	1,087,614 (in 1901)	30 (in 1901)
Total	36,532 (in 1901)	4,424,398 (in 1901)	155 (in 1901)

Assam (26 states)

26 states under the suzerainty of the Provincial Government of Assam[47][48]

Name of princely state	Area in square miles	Population in 1941	Approximate revenue of the state (in hundred thousand Rupees)	Title, ethnicity, and religion of ruler	Gun-salute for ruler	Designation of local political officer
Manipur	270.3	512,069 (chiefly Hindu and Animist)	19	Raja, Kshatriya, Hindu	11	Political Agent in Manipur
25 Khasi States	3,778	213,586 (Khasi and Christian)	~1 (1941, approx.)			Deputy Commissioner, Khasi and Jaintia Hills
Total	12,416	725,655	20 (1941; approx.)

Burma (52 states)

The armies of the Native 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.[50]

According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India vol. IV 1907, p. 85,

Since 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 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 is organised for the defence not merely of British India, but of all the possessions under the suzerainty of the King-Emperor.[51]

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 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.[52]

The Imperial Service Troops were routinely inspected by British army officers and had the same equipment as soldiers in the British Indian Army.[53] 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 .[53]

In 1920, Congress declared that attainment of swaraj for Indians was its goal. It asked "all the sovereign princes of India to establish full responsible government in their states". Mahatma Gandhi assured the princes that Congress will not intervene in internal affairs of the princely states.[54]

In his presidential address at Lahore session in 1929, Jawaharlal Nehru declared: "The Indian states cannot live apart from the rest of the India".[55]

In 1937, Gandhi played a major role in formation of federation involving a union between British India and the princely states with an Indian central government.[56]

In July 1946, Nehru pointedly observed that no princely state could prevail militarily against the army of independent India.[3]

• Bangash, Yaqoob Khan (2016). "A Princely Affair: The Accession and Integration of the Princely States of Pakistan, 1947–1955". Oxford University Press Pakistan. ISBN 9780199407361
• Bhagavan, Manu. "Princely States and the Hindu Imaginary: Exploring the Cartography of Hindu Nationalism in Colonial India" Journal of Asian Studies, (Aug 2008) 67#3 pp 881–915 in JSTOR
• Bhagavan, Manu. Sovereign Spheres: Princes, Education and Empire in Colonial India (2003)
• Copland, Ian (2002), Princes of India in the Endgame of Empire, 1917–1947, (Cambridge Studies in Indian History & Society). Cambridge and London: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 316, ISBN 978-0-521-89436-4.
• Ernst, W. and B. Pati, eds. India's Princely States: People, Princes, and Colonialism (2007)
• Harrington, Jack (2010), Sir John Malcolm and the Creation of British India, Chs. 4 & 5., New York: Palgrave Macmillan., ISBN 978-0-230-10885-1
• Jeffrey, Robin. People, Princes and Paramount Power: Society and Politics in the Indian Princely States (1979) 396pp
• Kooiman, Dick. Communalism and Indian Princely States: Travancore, Baroda & Hyderabad in the 1930s (2002), 249pp
• Markovits, Claude (2004). "ch 21: "Princely India (1858–1950)". A history of modern India, 1480–1950. Anthem Press. pp. 386–409. ISBN 978-1-84331-152-2.
• Ramusack, Barbara (2004), The Indian Princes and their States, The New Cambridge History of India, Cambridge and London: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 324, ISBN 978-0-521-03989-5
• Pochhammer, Wilhelm von India's Road to Nationhood: A Political History of the Subcontinent (1973) ch 57 excerpt
• Zutshi, Chitralekha (2009). "Re-visioning princely states in South Asian historiography: A review". Indian Economic & Social History Review. 46 (3): 301–313. doi:10.1177/001946460904600302. S2CID 145521826.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Princely states of India.

• Sir Roper Lethbridge (1893). 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 (Full text). Macmillan And Co., New York.
• Exhaustive lists of rulers and heads of government, and some biographies.
• India, Order Book, released as part of a response from Passport Office, UK to a request made using WhatDoTheyKnow, accessed 17 October 2023.