Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/237

 Khairpur.

THE State of Khairpur is in the province of Sindh under the Government of Bombay, and its ruler is called the Mir of Khairpur. He belongs to a Baloch family called Talpur. Previous to the accession of this family on the fall of the Kalhora dynasty of Sindh in 1783 A.D., the history of Khairpur is included in the general history of Sindh. In that year Mir Fatteh Alii Khan Talpur established himself as Rais or ruler of Sindh; and subsequently his nephew, Mir Sorab Khan Talpur, founded the Khairpur branch of the Talpur family.

About the year 1813 A.D., during' the troubles in Kabul incidental to the establishment of Barakzai dynasty, the Mirs were able to withhold the tribute which up to that date had been paid to the rulers of Afghanistan. Two years earlier, in 1811 A.D., Mir Sorab had abdicated in favour of his son, Mir Rustam, whose unfriendly relations with his brother, All Murad, led to the intervention of the British. In 1832 A.D. the individuality of the Khairpur State, as separate from the other Talpur Mirs in Sindh, was recognised by the British Government in a treaty, under which the use of the river Indus and the roads of Sindh' were secured to the British. Ali Murad, who gradually succeeded in establishing his hold on the chiefship, cordially supported the British policy, and the result was, that after the battles of Miani and Daba had put the whole of Sindh at the disposal of the British government, Khairpur was the only State that was allowed to retain its political existence under the protection of the Paramount Power. In 1866 A.D. a sanad was granted to the Mir under which the British Government promised to recognise any succession to the chiefship according to Mahomedan law.

Mir Ali Murad died in 1894 A.D. and was succeeded by his son, Mir Faiz Mahammad Khan, who ruled the State up to 1909 A.D. and was bestowed the title of G.C.I. E. by the British Government. After his death, his son, His Highness Mir Imam Baksh Khan Talpur, came to the gadi. His Highness was formally installed on the 1st of July 1909 A.D. His Highness takes a keen interest in the administration of the State, and has introduced several reforms in it.

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The total area of the State is 6,050 square miles, and the population is 2,23,822 according to the census of 1911 A.D. The average revenue of the State amounts to Rupees 17,13,000.

His Highness Mir Imam Baksh Khan Talpur is entitled to a salute of 15 guns.