A 'princely state' is any state under the reign of a
prince and is thus a
principality taken in the broad sense. The term refers not only to sovereign nations ruled by
monarchs but also to lower
polities ruled by various high nobles (often vassals in a
feudal system).
Such states may be sovereign or not and their reigning 'princes' may actually rule or be reduced in power, as under colonial
indirect rule, sometimes becoming mere figureheads.
Specifically, the term "Princely States" (also called "Native States" or "Indian States") was used to refer to sovereign entities of
British India that were not under the direct control of the British government but instead entered into treaties directly with the British monarch.
Main use
In
English, the term "princely state" generally refers to a historical ''native state'' of the
British Empire under an
autochthonous princely house, while the term
principality is preferred for analogous ''western'' feudal units.
Historically there were hundreds of native states in
British India and in some other parts of the British Empire (mainly under the chartered
British East India Company). These states were mostly brought into the British colonial sphere of influence by the East India Company, and after 1858 formally under the British crown, which assumed the role of
paramount ruler and the title of "Emperor of India" as political (not dynastic) self-declared heir to the
Padshah i-Hind of the former
Mughal dynasty.
Unlike the British
Provinces of India such as
Bengal,
Bombay,
Madras,
Central Provinces,
United Provinces, which were ruled directly by the British government, rulers of princely states had treaty arrangements directly with their personal suzerain, the British Monarch. These treaties allowed a degree of local autonomy, and each state had its own laws, languages, holidays, ministers and princely ruler. Each was still under British protection and was thus essentially a
vassal state.
At the time of independence in
1947 a few hundred
[1] such states existed in
British India. 565 states were represented in a special chamber of the Indian legislative assembly called the
Chamber of Princes.
Princely status and titles
The Indian rulers bore various titles — including
Maharaja ("great king"),
Badshah ("emperor"),
Raja ("king"),
Nawab ("governor"),
Nizam,
Wali, and many others. Whatever the literal meaning and traditional prestige of the ruler's actual title, the British government translated them all as "prince," in order to avoid the implication that the native rulers could be "kings" with status equal to that of the British monarch.
The least prestigious '
Hindu rulers' often used the title ''
Thakur'' or its variant Thakore.
More prestigious Hindu rulers -mostly existing before the Mughal Empire, or having split from such old states- often used the title "
Raja," or a variant such as "Rana," "Rao," "Rawat" or "Rawal." Also in this 'class' were several
Thakur sahibs and a few particular titles, such as
Sar Desai.
The most prestigious Hindu rulers usually had the prefix "maha" ("great", compare for example Grand duke) in their titles, as in ''Maharaja, Maharana, Maharao'', etc. The state of
Travancore-Cochin had
queens regnant styled
Maharani, generally the female forms applied only to spouses and widows, who could however act as
regents.
There were also compound titles, such as (Maha)rajadhiraj,
Raj-i-rajgan, often relics from an elaborate system of hierarchical titles under the
Mughal emperors. For example, the addition of the adjective ''Bahadur'' raised the status of the titleholder one level.
Furthermore most dynasties used a variety of additional titles, such as, mainly? in South India:
Varma. This should not be confused with various titles and suffixes not specific to princes but used by entire (sub)casts.
The '
Sikh princes' (a syncretic religion, mixing many elements from Hinduism and Islam; politically concentrated in Punjab) usually adopted Hindu type titles when attaining princely rank; at a lower level
Sardar was used.
'
Muslim rulers' almost all used the title "
Nawab" (originally the title of an amovable governor under real
Mughal rule, but soon tending to hereditary succession whenever Delhi/Agra lost effective control over the province) with the prominent exceptions of the
Nizam of
Hyderabad & Berar, the
Wali/
Khan of
Kalat and the
Wali of Swat.
Other less usual titles included
Darbar Sahib,
Dewan,
Jam, ''Mehtar'' (unique to
Chitral) and
Mir (from
Emir).
Precedence and prestige
However, the actual importance of a princely state cannot be read from the title of its ruler, which was usually ''granted'' (or at least recognised) as a favour, often in recognition for loyalty and services rendered historically by the Mughal emperor, and later by the British rulers succeeding it as paramount power (first the
HEIC, de facto; later the British crown, and ultimately assuming the style Emperor of India as successor to the emperor of the abolished Mughal realm). Although some titles were raised once or even repeatedly, there was no automatic updating when a state gained or lost real clout. In fact, princely titles were even awarded to holders of domains (mainly
jagirs) and even
zamindars (in principle tax collectors), which were not states at all. Various sources give significantly different numbers of states and domains of the various types. Even in general, the definition of titles and domains are clearly not well-established. There is also no strict relation between the levels of the titles and the classes of gun salutes, the real measure of precedence, but merely a growing percentage of higher titles in classes with more guns.
The 'gun-salute' system was used to set unambiguously the precedence of the major rulers in the area in which the British East India Company was active, or generally of the states and their dynasties. Princely rulers were entitled to be saluted by the firing of an odd number of guns between three and 21, with a greater number of guns indicating greater prestige. (There were many minor rulers who were not entitled to any gun salutes, and as a rule the majority of gun-salute princes had at least nine, with numbers below that usually the prerogative of Arab coastal Sheikhs also under British protection.) Generally, the number of guns remained the same for all successive rulers of a particular state, but individual princes were sometimes granted additional guns on a personal basis. Furthermore, rulers were sometimes granted additional gun salutes within their own territories only, constituting a semi-promotion.
While the states of all these rulers (about 120) were known as
salute states, there were far more so-called non-salute states of lower prestige, and even more princes (in the broadest sense of the term) not even acknowledged as such. On the other hand, the dynasties of certain defunct states were allowed to keep their princely status — they were known as '
Political Pensioners'. Though none of these princes were awarded gun salutes, princely titles in this category were recognised as among certain 'vassals' of salute states, and were not even in direct relation with the paramount power.
After independence, the (Hindu) Maharana of
Udaipur displaced the
Nizam of Hyderabad as the most senior prince in India, and the style ''Highness'' was extended to all rulers entitled to 9-gun salutes. When these dynasties had been integrated into the Indian Union they were promised continued privileges and an income, known as the
Privy Purse, for their upkeep. Subsequently, when the Indian government abolished the
Privy Purse in 1971, the whole princely order ceased to exist under Indian law, although many families continue to retain their social prestige informally; some descendants are still prominent in regional or national politics, diplomacy, business and high society.
At the time of Indian independence, only five rulers — the Nizam of
Hyderabad, the Maharaja of
Mysore, the Maharaja of
Jammu and Kashmir, the Maharaja
Gaekwad of
Baroda and the Maharaja
Scindia of
Gwalior — were entitled to a 21-gun salute. Five more rulers — the Nawab of
Bhopal, the Maharaja Holkar of
Indore, the Maharana of
Udaipur, the Maharaja of
Kolhapur and the Maharaja of
Travancore — were entitled to 19-gun salutes. The most senior princely ruler was the (Muslim) Nizam of Hyderabad, who was entitled to the unique style ''Exalted Highness''. Other princely rulers entitled to salutes of 11 guns (soon 9 guns too) or more were entitled to the style ''Highness''. No special style was used by rulers entitled to lesser gun salutes.
As ''paramount ruler'', and successor to the Mughals, the British ''King-Emperor'' of India, for whom the style of
Majesty was reserved, was entitled to an 'imperial' 101-gun salute — in the European tradition also the number of guns fired to announce the birth of a (male) heir to the throne.
All princely rulers were eligible to be appointed to certain British orders of chivalry associated with India,
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India and
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire. Even women could be appointed as "Knights" (instead of Dames) of these orders. Rulers entitled to 21-gun and 19-gun salutes were normally appointed to the highest rank possible (Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India).
Many Indian princes served in the British army (as others in local guard or police forces), often rising to the high official ranks; some even served while on the throne. Many of these were appointed as ADC etc., either to the ruling prince of their own house (in the case of relatives of such rulers) or indeed to the British King-Emperor. Many also saw action, both on the subcontinent and on other fronts, during both World Wars.
It was also not unusual for members of princely houses to be appointed to various colonial offices, often far from their native state, or to enter the diplomatic corps.
The doctrine of lapse
Until 1858, the East India Company maintained that it could assume the sovereignty of a state whose ruler was deemed incompetent or who died without a direct heir. This so-called
doctrine of lapse policy contradicted the traditional right of Indian rulers to adopt an heir when they had no progeny. The doctrine of lapse was pursued most vigorously by the Governor-General Sir
James Ramsay, 10th Earl (later 1st Marquess) of Dalhousie. Dalhousie annexed seven states, including the
Maratha states of
Nagpur,
Jhansi,
Satara and
Awadh (Oudh), whose Nawabs he had accused of misrule. Resentment over the annexation of these states, which turned to indignation when the heirlooms of the Maharajas of Nagpur were auctioned off in Calcutta by the East India Company, contributed to the rising discontent which exploded in the
Indian rebellion of 1857 (the "Indian Mutiny"). The last
Mughal Padshah (emperor), who was accused of aiding the rebellion, was deposed. The doctrine of lapse was discontinued in the aftermath of the rebellion, as was rule by the East India Company. Although none of the states were restored, no more princely states were annexed.
Colonial governance
By the beginning of the 20th century, the four largest states — Hyderabad,
Mysore, Jammu and Kashmir, and
Baroda — were directly under the authority of the
Governor-General of India, in the person of a British
Resident. Two agencies,
Rajputana Agency and
Central India Agency, oversaw 20 and 148 princely states, respectively. The remaining princely states had political officers, or Agents, who answered to the administrators of India's provinces. Five princely states were then under the authority of
Madras, 354 under
Bombay, 26 of
Bengal, 2 under
Assam, 34 under
Punjab, 15 under
Central Provinces and Berar and 2 under
United Provinces.
In the early 1930s, most of the princely states under the authority of India's provinces were organised into new agencies, answerable to the Governor-general, on the model of the Central India - and Rajputana agencies: the
Eastern States Agency,
Punjab States Agency,
Baluchistan Agency,
Deccan States Agency,
Madras States Agency and the
Northwest Frontier States Agency. The Baroda residency was combined with the princely states of northern Bombay Presidency into the
Baroda, Western States and Gujarat Agency.
Gwalior was separated from the Central India Agency and placed under its own Resident, and the states of
Rampur and
Benares, formerly under the authority of the United Provinces, were placed under the
Gwalior Residency in
1936. The princely states of
Sandur and
Banganapalle in Mysore Presidency were transferred to the authority of the Mysore Resident in
1939.
Accession
After independence in 1947, the princely states were forced to accede — and thus sign away their political autonomy — either to the secular, mainly Hindu dominion of
India or the new Islamic dominion called
Pakistan (consisting of
West Pakistan and
East Pakistan; the latter would later break away as
Bangladesh, separated by the whole north of India). The accession was to be chosen by its ruling Prince, not the Residents, akin to the 16th century European principle of ''
cuius regio eius religio''. Most acceded peacefully, except for four:
Junagadh,
Hyderabad,
Jammu & Kashmir and
Tripura.
Junagadh, the largest state in the
Kathiawar peninsula (now in Gujarat), with a Hindu majority, acceded to India after the Nawab fled following a state of bankruptcy. The accession was confirmed by his Prime Minister, who succeeded him.
In
Hyderabad, a similar fate befell the
Nizam, a Muslim dynasty which had been the highest in rank since the abolition of the
Mughals at Delhi and the Kingdom of Oudh. He had chosen to stay independent if not allowed to accede to Pakistan (and, thus, form a landlocked Muslim enclave in India). There followed much political wrangling, which was however inconclusive. The Nizam threatened the massacre of one million Hindus in his state, aided by the band of elite soldiers known as the
Razakars. India intervened and annexed Hyderabad.
Jammu and Kashmir had a Muslim majority but was ruled by a Hindu Raja, Hari Singh. The local Muslims, wanting to join Pakistan found sympathetic support from their fellow tribesmen from the
North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Unable to suppress the revolt, the Raja sought military help from India to repulse them. This was given only after the Raja acceded his state to India as requested by
Lord Mountbatten, the first Governor-General of the Dominion of India. Until that time, the Raja had avoided acceding either to India or to Pakistan, hoping he could somehow maintain his sovereignty. This has led to one of the most famous territorial disputes of the world.
Tripura joined 2 years later under the
Tripura Merger Agreement.
Post-independence
India
On accession by a princely state, its territories and administrations merged into the Union of India. The rulers of the princely states were allowed to retain their hereditary titles and official residences. Depending upon their size, importance and revenue they were also allowed to retain additional properties and given privy purses (in compensation of the state's revenue which now would go the new Union). On abolition of the
privy purse (and the right to the hereditary titles) by the government in 1975 the princely states ceased to exist as recognised political entities.
His Highness
Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali Azim Jah, the
Prince of Arcot, is the only royal in India who was not affected by the abolition of privy purses. In the order of precedence, he enjoys the rank of cabinet minister of the state of
Tamil Nadu.
The Nawab hails from a family that traces its lineage back to the second
caliph,
Umar ibn al-Khattāb. The title '
Prince of Arcot', uniquely using the European style prince, was conferred on his ancestor by the British government in 1870 after the post of
Nawab of the Carnatic (a title granted by the Mughal emperor) was abolished.
Former states sometimes still maintain and observe their ceremonies, forms of address etc. either as family traditions or as popular folk-customs. For example, processions during the popular
Gangaur festival in
Jaipur begin, as per tradition, from the
City Palace, which remains the private residence of its former royal family.
Devgadh Baria is one of the princely states in western India which is planned on European town planning principles along with controlled architectural character at selected junctions in the town. The town is surrounded by about 250 mt high hills on three sides which dominate its skyline.
Pakistan
In present-day Pakistan's tribal region in the
North-West Frontier Province, the princely frontier states were maintained till 1971 when all states were abolished by merger into the republic, and all princely titles being abolished in 1972. Post independence, a new hereditary salute had been granted in 1966 by President
Ayub Khan this being 15 guns for the
Wali of Swat, ruler of one of the last princely states to be created (1926). Before Swat was granted a gun salute, there were already four other Gun-Salute States in Pakistan:
Bahawalpur,
Kalat,
Khairpur and
Chitral. A few lesser ranking non-salute states also acceded to Pakistan including
Dir,
Hunza,
Kharan,
Nagar, and
Amb.
Abstraction is made here of Kashmir and Punjab, both under Maharajas, which are disputed and/or divided with India.
Contributions
The princely states and their royal families have made many contributions to India, before independence and since, in diverse fields. They were the ones to have established the game of
cricket in India, culminating in the famous tour of England in the 1930s under the captainship of the Maharajkumar (i.e. prince of the blood) of Vizianagaram (
Vizzy). Another legendary cricketer was
Ranjitsinhji, Jam Saheb (a specific ruler's title) of Nawanagar (Jamnagar). The
Gwalior state provided crucial financial support to
Jamshedji Tata's
Steel venture in its early years. Today, many former royals continue family and military traditions as officers in the armed forces, while others are leading politicians.
Other princely states
★
British Empire: Princely states existed elsewhere in the British Empire. Some of these were considered by the
Colonial Office (or earlier by the BHEIC) as satellites of, and usually points of support on the naval routes to,
British India, some important enough to be raised to the status of
salute states.
★
★ A number of
Arab states around the
Persian Gulf, including
Oman, the present-day
United Arab Emirates and
Kuwait, were British
protectorates under native rulers.
★
★ On the Malay peninsula a number of states, known as the
Malay states, were administered by local rulers, who recognized British sovereignty; they still reign, but now constitutionally, in most constitutive states of modern
Malaysia.
★
Netherlands: Indirect rule through princely states (or even mere tribal chieftaincies) was also practiced in other European nations' colonial empires. An example is the
Dutch East Indies (modern
Indonesia), which had dozens of local rulers (mainly Malay and Muslim, others tribal, Hindu or animist). The colonial term in Dutch was
''regentschap'' 'regency', but did not apply to lower-level fiefs.
★ It is ''not'' customary to use the term ''princely state'', although it would be technically correct, for western ''principalities'', neither in the feudal past (there were many, especially in the
Holy Roman Empire, see
Fürst) nor for the presently independent
Principality of Monaco or
Principality of Liechtenstein, nor for non-sovereign entities referred to as principalities such as
Wales.
See also
★ See
List of Indian Princely States for a list of Indian princely states at the time of Indian Independence
★
Prince and
Principality for information on princely styles worldwide
Sources and references
★
Exclusively on Indian princely states and domains.
★
RoyalArk Several general pages, and various states in great detail.
★
Exhaustive lists of rulers and heads of government, and some biographies.
★
WorldStatesmen Exhaustive lists of rulers and heads of government, and many legal dates.
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