Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/287

 Sangli.

THE State, of Sangli at one time formed part of the possession of the Patwardhan family which distinguished itself in the latter part of the 18th century. The founder of the family was one Hanbhat, a native of the village of Kotwaden in the Ratnagiri district. He was appointed family-priest to the Chief of Ichalkaranji an office which is still held by the Chief of Sangli. About the year 1717 A. D. Haribhat was brought to the notice of Balajee Vishwanath, the first Peshwa; and from that time began his connection with the Peshwa's family. Haribhat had seven sons, of whom Govind Han at the start occupied certain unimportant positions under the Peshwa, who conferred upon him the command of a body of horse in 1741 A.D. Govind Hari and his son, Gopal Rao, were excellent soldiers, and took part in almost every military operation of note in Balajee Baji Rao's reign. In 1756 A.D. he greatly distinguished himself in certain operations against the Nawab of Savnur, half of whose territory was surrendered to the Peshwa. Subsequently, Gopal Rao fought in the campaigns against Hyder Ali of Mysore and against the Nizam. About this time his command consisted of 5,000 horse. After the death of Balaji Rao Peshwa in 1761 A.D. the fort of Miraj and a saranjam (grant of territory for military service) were bestowed upon Govind Hari, father of Gopal Rao.

From 1 763 A.D. to the end of the century, the Patwardhans waged incessant wars against Kolhapur and Hyder Ali of Mysore. Gopal Rao especially distinguished himself in the campaign against the latter. In 1771 A.D. Gopal Rao died leaving behind him his father, Govind Hari, and one brother, Gangadhar Govind, and a minor nephew named Chintaman Rao, son of another brother, Pandurang Rao, 4 the representative of the senior line, and the progenitor of the present Sangli family, Gangadhar Rao being the representative of the present Miraj family. In 1772 A.D. during the minority of Chintaman Rao his uncle, Gangadhar Rao, acted as regent, but on Chintaman Rao's attaining majority the attachment of the uncle to chiefship had grown so firm that he could not be prevailed upon to let it pass to the rightful holder, Chintaman Rao. Towards the close of the eighteenth century, Chintaman Rao, the first Chief of Sangli, brought about a compro- mise with his uncle, Ganghadhar Rao, in regard to the saranjam possessions of the family and it was agreed to divide them between the uncle and the nephew. The settlement of the respective shares was finally approved of by the Peshwa in 1808 A.D. Chintaman Rao, who possessed a taste for military adventures, passed his early years in a series of campaigns against Mysore, and Kolhapur, and the Nizam of Hyderabad.

On the overthrow of the Peshwa's dynasty, Sangli, along with the other Patwrdhan states, came under the British Government. In 1819 A.D. Government entered into an agreement with Chintaman Rao, the then representative of the Sangli State, under which it was stipulated that he should serve the Government as he did under the Mahratta empire. This treaty practically re-affirmed the provisions of the treaty of 1812 A.D. by which the British Government guaranteed the respective privileges of the Patwardhan Jahagirs on the one hand, and those of the Peshwas on the other as declared by the old Sanads issued by them in favour of the Patwardhan Jahagirdars. In 1826 A.D. he met with a great affliction in the death of his son Ganpaf Rao, and