Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/195

 Bhavnagar.

THIS is one of the most important states under the Kathiawar Agency. Its rulers are Rajputs belonging to the Gohel tribe who migrated to Saurashtra or Sorath in or about 1250 A.D. Their leader Shekhaji died in 1290 A.D., leaving the small estate which he had carved out to his son, Ranoji, who reigned at Ranpur till his death in 1309 A.D. The son and successor of Ranoji was Mokhadji, who was even more valiant than his sire. He seized Perim from the Baria Kolis, and transferred his seat of government there. He died, as he had lived, an indomitable soldier, sword in hand, fighting against the squadrons of Mahammad Tughlak, in 1387 A.D. Mokhadji had two wives. Dungar Singh, the son by the first wife, remained quiet for a time with his maternal kinsmen; when the army of Tughlak had returned, Dungar Singh reconquered Gohelwad and re-established himself making Gogha his capital. He died in 1370 A.D. and was succeeded by Vijoji, who in turn yielded place, in the fulness of time, to his son, Kanoji, in 1395 A.D. He was slain at Gogha by Zafar Khan, the viceroy of Firoz, Tughlak, jn the first quarter of the fifteenth century.

Sarangji, the son and heir-apparent of Viroji, one of the descendants of Kanoji, was a minor* His uncle, Ramji, took the management of the State in his hands. Ahmad Shah I, King of Gujrath, sent troops to Gohelwad to levy tribute from its chief. Ramji pleaded inability to pay the full tribute at once, but promised to pay it gradually, and placed his nephew as a hostage. In doing this the crafty uncle had a double purpose. He not only averted the immediate danger but also removed Sarangji, who, he knew, was the rightful owner of the chiefship. Sarangji was kept a close prisoner at Ahmedabad. from where, like Richard Coeur de Lion of England, he was liberated by a faithful servitor and taken to the Rana of Chitor. The Rana lent him the services of his troops to regain his patrimony. The advance of Sarangji at the head of the Mewar army into Gohelwad was a triumph; even his own uncle, the usurper, appeared before him to sue for mercy and to restore to him his throne. Sarangji might have wreaked his revenge upon his uncle but he chose the "choicest flower of victory", and granted his uncle not only a free pardon but bestowed villages upon him in jahagir. This noble-minded chief died in 1445 A.D. and was succeeded by his son, Sadashivji, from whom Bhav Singhji was the tenth in descent.

Bhav Singhji I came to the throne in 1703 A.D. During his time the Mahrattas, under Kanthaji Kadam and Pilaji Rao Gaekwar, besieged the fort of Shihor, but were repulsed. In 1723 A.D. Bhav Singhji selected the site for the present town of Bhavnagar and transferred the seat of government to that place. In 1759 A.D., when the English conquered the fort of Surat from its Sidi Kiledar, Bhav Singhji entered into an alliance of friendship with the new conquerors, in whom he perceived a latent power, which was destined to develop. He was succeeded by his son, Akherji III, in 1764 A.D. In his dealings with the English he was guided by the politic example of his father. Akherji's reign was by no means free from the moil of war, but he had so far secured the sympathy and co-operation of the rising English that they actually bound the Nawab of Cambay by treaty never to molest the ancient possessions of Bhavnagar. On his part, Akherji undertook to co-operate with his new allies in reducing the piratical