Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/73

 Jaipur.

THE ruling family of Jaipur belongs to the Kuchwaha clan of Rajputs, one of the thirty-six royal races of India, and claims its descent from Rama, King of Ayodhya (the modern Fyzabad in Oudh), between whom and Tej Karan, generally known as Dhola Rai, who founded the Jaipur State in 967 A.D., are said to have intervened thirty-four generations. Jaipur, from an early period of its history, was divided into numerous separate principalities possessing their own rulers and their own courts, but all acknowledging the supremacy of the Mahomedan Emperors of India, to whom the Jaipur House furnished some of their most distinguished military leaders.

Among the more illustrious members of the family is Raja Man Singh (1590' 1614 A.D.), the nephew and successor of Raja Bhagwan Das, whose brilliant services to the Emperor of Delhi in subduing the whole of Orissa, were rewarded by his being invested, consecutively, with the government of Bengal, Behar, and also of the Deccan.

Raja Jai Singh I, who came to the gadi in 1622 A.D., was a great military commander in the time of Aurangzeb, from whom he obtaind the title of Mirza Raja, and the mansub of 6,000. Being given to vain boasting of his power, he awakened the jealousy of the Emperor, who is said to have instigated his son, Kirat Singh, to assassinate him in 1668 A.D.

In 1699 A.D., Jai Singh II, known as Sawai Jai Singh succeeded to the State. The appellation 'Sawai' expressive of the bearer's superiority over others, especially in bravery and sagacity, was conferred upon him by the Emperor, and is retained by his descendants even to this day. Jai Singh was remarkable for his intellectual capacity, his engineering and architectural skill, and his liberal contribution to science and art. He was famous as a skilled mathematician and a painstaking and accurate astronomical observer. It was during his rule that the present city of Jaipur was laid out and built, where he transferred the seat of government from the ancient capital Amber in 1728 A.D.

The destruction of the Mahomedan supremacy over the Rajput states was followed by the depredations of the Mahrattas, whose exorbitant demands literally impoverished the treasury and crippled the resources of the Jaipur State, a condition of affairs which was made all the more unsatisfactory by the : wasteful extravagance and profligacy which marked the reign of Jagat Singh, who succeeded at this period (1803 A.D.). Jagat Singh was followed by his posthumous son, Jai Singh HI, who died in 1835 A.D., leaving the gadi to Ram Singh.

In 1 835 A.D. a serious riot took place in Jaipur, and British officers were murder- ously attacked by the rebels. The British Government at once intervened, and a Council of Regency was appointed. Maharaja Ram Singh received full powers in 1851 A.D. In the Mutiny of 1857 A.D. he assisted the British Government with all the resources at his command, for which he was rewarded with the grant of the pargana of Kot Kasim. In 1862 A.D. he obtained the sanad of adoption; in 1863 A.D. he was created G.C.S.I.; his personal salute was raised from 19 to 21 guns at the Delhi Durbar