Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924024153987).pdf/125

 AME

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pre-eminence on liis part. His two brothers are'said to have died childless and if at the time of their death, they were living in a state of union with him, he would be sole proprietor of the treble portion. The lead thus obtained at the outset his descendants were probably enabled to keep, and even increase, by the fact (evidenced by the genealogical table) that for some generations there was a single heir to their estate, which tended to preserve its importance whereas it appears that, in the collateral branches, a contrary agency was at work in the destructive process of sub-division.





It was not till the time of Sri Eamdeo, fourth from Eaj Singh, that any troviblesome younger sons required to be provided for. Eamdeo had two brothers, Shyam Lai, who received the Bama Tikar estate, and Dhardmir, who received that of Tikri.

The name of Dharamir refers this event to the reign of Sher Shah.* As Tikri lies on the extreme east, and Bama Tikar on the extreme west, of the pargana, it would appear that up to this time the southern half of only was in the occupancy of the Bandhalgotis. About half a century later, however, the Ain-i-Aibari (Akbar's Laws) shows they had spread over the entire pargana nor are the traditions of the tribe inconsistent with the information thus obtained. Eamdeo's grandson, Eam Sah£e, is said to have received as his portion Kasrawan, on the northern boundary of the pargana, while his great-grandson Sultan Sah got Shahgarh, intermediate between Kasrawan and the older estates. The full extent of Bandhalgoti conquest was now reached and henceforward, when new estates were required, they had to be formed by sub-divisions of those already in existence, until in process of time the 39 zamindars of Amethi became a proverbial expression. it





.

Most of these changes were silently and gradually accomplished, for the history of even the principal branch of the famUy is for centuries wrapped faint glimmer of light at last breaks in upon in impenetrable obscurity. it in the time of Gurdatt Singh, a little more than a hundred and twenty Gurdatt Singh followed the then fashionable practice of defying years ago. the local authorities, and rendered himself so conspicuous in this respect that in 1743 the Kawab Safdar Jangf deemed it necessary to march Gurdatt Singh, shut himself up in his fort at against him in person. Edipur, where he offered a successful resistance to the besieging force for 18 days (a period suspiciously like that of the Mahabharat), and then finding the post no longer tenable, made his escape into the neighbouring Eamnagar jungle. The Eaipur fort was now destroyed, and Gurdatt Singh's estate underwent one of those temporary dissolutions known as being taken under direct management. From this event, it is said, dates the establishment of the Amethi chief's head-quarters at Eamnagar.

A

Drigpal Singh, son of Gurdatt Singh, recovered the estate. He died in 1798, leaving two sons, Har Chand Singh, and Jai Chand Singh. The latter became separate proprietor of Kannu Kasrawan, the former inherited the remainder of Drigpal Singh's possessions, and in the well-known extent of t The account given to me says Shuja-ud-daula, but this
 * See paragraph 332, Sultanpur Settlement Beporlr.

raises a tliffionlty about dates,