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Born 1860; succeeded to the gadi on 12th July 1886. His Highness's full titles are—His Highness Maháráj-Adhiráj Ráj Rájeshwar Sawai Sir Shivaji Rao Holkar Bahádur, Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India. Holkar is the dynastic name of the Princes of this great Mahratta family, who have occupied a very conspicuous place in the history of India since the first half of the 18th century. It is derived from Hol, the name of the village on the Nira river in the Deccan, where, in 1693, was born Malhár Rao, the founder of the dynasty. It is an interesting fact in connection with the history of this Principality, that its administration has twice, at important periods, been in the hands of ladies of the family—once, most successfully, in those of the famous Ahalya Bai (1765-95), and once (less happily) in those of Tulsi Bái (1811-17). Malhár Rao adopted a military life in his early youth, and in the year 1724 entered the service of the Peshwá, from which time his rise was very rapid. Eight years later he had become the Commander-in-Chief of the Peshwá's armies, had conquered the Imperial Subahdar of Málwá, and had received, from the gratitude of the Peshwa, the territory of Indore, with most of the conquered territory. He continued to strengthen his position, and at the great battle of Panipat, in conjunction with Sindhia (see Gwalior, Mahárájá of), he commanded one division of the Mahratta hosts. After that disaster he retired to Indore, and devoted himself to the development of this great Principality, which he left in 1765 to his grandson, a minor named Mali Rao Holkar, in a state of prosperity. The latter died in a few months; and the administration was then assumed by his mother, Ahalya Bái, the daughter-in-law of the first Holkar. Aided by her Commander-in-Chief, Tukaji Rao Holkar, this clever and courageous lady ruled for thirty years, and left Indore, at her death in 1795, in a well-ordered and prosperous condition. Thereon much disorder ensued. At last Jeswant Rao Holkar, an illegitimate son of Tukaji, amid many vicissitudes of fortune, managed to maintain the position of the family. He defeated the combined armies of Sindhia and the Peshwá in 1802, and took possession of the Peshwá's capital of Poona; which, however, reverted to the Peshwá by British intervention after the Treaty of Bassein in the same year. Again, after the Treaty of Sarji Anjengaon, war ensued between Jeswant Rao Holkar and the Paramount Power, with varying fortune, till at length, in 1805, Holkar was forced to surrender to Lord Lake, and sign a treaty on the banks of the river Biás in the Punjab. He died in 1811, leaving a minor son, Malhár Rao Holkar; and the administration was carried on by Tulsi Bái, one of the concubines of the late Mahárájá, as Queen Regent. She was murdered in 1817 by her own officers; but the Indore army was defeated by the British forces at the battle of Mehidpur, and the Treaty of Mandesar followed in 1818, by which Malhár Rao Holkar became a feudatory Prince of the British Empire. He died in 1833 without issue. Mártand Rao Holkar was adopted as his successor, but was speedily deposed by his cousin, Hari Rao Holkar. The latter, dying in 1843 without issue, was succeeded by his adopted son, Khandi Rao, who died in 1844, and was succeeded by adoption by His late Highness the