Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/87

THE IMPERIAL DURBAR ALBUM. 69 of Lahore at the close of 1845 A.D., Maharaja Karam Singh of Patiala declared his loyalty to the British, while the Maharaja of Nabha sided with the Sikhs. Karam Singh died the day after the battle of Ferozpur, and was succeeded by his son Narendra Singh, then 23 years old. He remained a staunch ally of the English in the Sikh War, as well as in the Mutiny of 1857 A.D.; and in recognition of this adherence the Paramount Power bestowed upon him the estate of Narnaul having an income of about two lacs of rupees. Maharaja Narendfa Singh died in 1 862 A.D. at the age of thirty-nine. He was one of the first Indian Chiefs to receive the K.C.S.l. and was also a Member of the Indian Legislative Council during Lord Canning's viceroyalty.

His only son Mahendra Singh, who was a boy ten years of age, succeeded him to the gadl. A Council of Regency was appointed, which carried on the administration for eight years, when Mahendra Singh was invested with full powers in 1870 A.D. The Maharaja only lived for six years after assuming powers. During his rule the Sirhind Canal was sanctioned, though it was not opened until 1882 A.D. Patiala contributed one crore and twenty three lacs of rupees to the cost of its construction. The Maharaja was liberal in measures connected with the improvement and general well-being of his country. He gave Rs. 70,000 to the University College, Lahore; and in 1873 A.D. he placed ten lacs of rupees at the disposal of the British Government for the relief of the famine-stricken people of Bengal. In 1875 A.D., the Mahendra College was founded for the promotion of higher education in the State. Mahendra Singh died suddenly in 1876 A.D. He received the G.C.S.I. in 1871 A.D. He was succeeded by his infant son Tikaji Rajendra Singh.

A long minority followed; for, Maharaja Rajendra Singh was only four years old when his father died. During his period of non-age, which came to end in 1890 A.D. the administration was carried on by a Council of Regency, composed of three officials under the presidency of Sardar Sir Dewa Singh, K.C.S.l. The finances of the State were carefully watched and considerable saving effected, from which have been met the charges in connection with the Sirhind Canal and the Broad-gauge line of railway between Rajpura, Patiala and Bhatinda. The Maharaja was the first chief to organize a corps of Imperial Service troops and served with a regiment of these in the Tirah expedition of 1897 A.D. Maharaja Rajendra Singh died in 1900 A.D. and was succeeded by his son the present Maharaja Bhupendra Singh. He was educated at the Aitchison College, Lahore.

In 1900 A.D. it was decided by the Government of India to appoint a Political Agent for Patiala, and the other two Phulkian States of Jhind and Nabha were included in the Agency, to which was afterwards added the Mahomedan State of Bahawalpur. The head-quarters of the Agency are at Patiala.

The area of the State is nearly five thousand square miles with about 16 lacs of population, and its revenue in normal years amounts to a little over 60 lacs of rupees.

The present ruler, H. H. Maharaja Raja-i-Rajgan Mansural-Zaman Amir-ul-Umra Farzind-i-Khas Daulat-i-Inglishia Shrt Maharajadhiraj Maharaja Bhupendra Singh Mahindra Bahadur, is entitled to a salute of 17 guns.