Sirmur

	Sirmur / Nahan
	1095-1948
flag	coat of arms
Capital	Close to
Form of government	Princely state (11 shot salute)
surface	2709 km²
population	170,000 (1941)
founding	1095
resolution	April 15, 1948
	State religion: Hinduism ; Dynasty: Bhati
	Princely states of the Punjab (Sirmur in the east), 1911
	Postage stamp from Sirmur (1895)

Sirmur ( English also Sirmoor ) was one of the princely states in the foothills of the Himalayas . As one of the 18 Shimla Hill States that were administratively part of the Punjab in British India . In 1941, Sirmur had an area of 2709 km² and 170,000 inhabitants and on April 15, 1948, it merged with 30 other small principalities to form the Himachal Pradesh confederation . All princely states were dissolved on November 1, 1956.

history

The principality was founded in Rajban by Soba Rawal from Jaisalmer . The sex is of Rajput origin. It ruled the region in the state named after the capital Nahan since 1095. In the 12th century, his successors enlarged the area through conquests. In 1621 the new capital Nahan was founded. In the 17th century the Rajas fought in the service of the Mughals .

The little country Taroch (approx. 280 km², 1891: 3216 inhabitants) was awarded to the Thakur . It was occupied by the Nepalese 1803-15, with the prince nominally remaining ruler. After the expedition of Sir David Ochterlony expelled the Gurkhas , it came under British protectorate in 1815 . Raja Amar Prakash (1911-1933) was raised to Maharaja in 1918 .

Sirmur had its own state post and postage stamps from 1879–1901.

Family tree of the dynasty

Within the family it was customary for the respective ruler to change the part of the name Singh to Prakash when he took office .

Ruler 1616–1803

Karam Prakash (r. 1616–30)
Mandhata Prakash (r. 1630–54)
Sobhag Prakash (r. 1654–64)
Budh Prakash (r. 1664–84)
Mat Prakash (r. 1684; † 1704)
Hari Prakash (r. 1704-12)
Bijay Prakash (r. 1712; † 1736)
Pratap Prakash (r. 1736; † 1754)
Kirat Prakash (r. 1754; † 1770)
Jagat Prakash (r. 1770; † 1789)
Dharam Prakash (r. 1789; † 1793)
Karam Prakash II (r. 1793–1803, nominal ruler until 1815, † 1820)
Ratam Prakash, instituted by the Gurkhas in 1803, was hanged by the British the following year.

From 1815

Karam Prakash II was ruler at the time of the liberation, but was overthrown by the British for incompetence. His son Fatah Prakash (* 1809, † 1850) was appointed by the grace of Britannia on Sept. 21, 1815, but he had to cede some territories and rights, some to the British and some to Keonthal . In all political questions he had to “advise” the Commissioner for the Shimla Hill States . Delhi had to confirm death sentences. The Rani Guleri acted as regent until 1827 . The Ranas of Jabbal and Balsan (both tributaries to Sirmur until 1815) also came from this house.

1st generation

Raghbir Prakash (* 1827, ruled June 1850, † June 20, 1856); one daughter was married to the Raja of Lambagraon ( Kangra ).
Surjan Singh († 1881), son: Ranjor Singh († 1874)
Bir Singh († 1882)

2nd generation (sons of Raghbir)

Shamsher Prakash (* 1842; ruled from July 4, 1857, † October 2, 1898) GCSI , 1887. Married to the two daughters of the Rajas von Keonthal, they married again after their deaths. Progressive ruler, modernized administration and army based on the British model.
Kanwar Surat Singh (* 1853); his son died as a toddler in 1888

3rd generation

Surandar (= Surendra) Bikram Prakash, KCSI (* 1864 or 1867 ?, r. 1898, † July 4, 1911)
Bir Bikram Singh (* 1870)

4th generation

Amar Prakash (born Jan. 26, 1888, † Aug. 13, 1933; reigned 1911-33), Maharaja since 1918

5th generation

Rajendra Prakash (born Jan. 10, 1913, † Nov. 13, 1964; ruled from Nov. 1933 - Aug. 15, 1947, until Nov. 22, 1938 under the reign of the Maharani Mandalasa)

literature

Barton, William: The princes of India , Delhi 1983
Andreas Birken : Philatelic Atlas of British India , CD-ROM, Hamburg 2004
Datta, CL: The Raj and the Simla Hill States , Jalandhar 1997, ISBN 81-7072072-9
Imperial Gazetteer of India, 2nd A., 26 vol., Oxford 1908–1931
Schwartzberg, Joseph E., Ed .: A historical atlas of South Asia , 2nd A., New York / Oxford 1992, ISBN 0-19-506869-6

Web links

Commons : Principality of Sirmur - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ Section (up to the 19th century) after: Massey, Charles; Chiefs and Families of Note ...; Allahabad 1890, p. 28ff.
↑ for the 20th century: Jagdish Chander Dua; Illustrated Encyclopædia & Who's Who of Princely States in Indian Sub-Continent; New Delhi 2000; ISBN 81-7479-036-5 (obviously reprint, without reference to the source, of a work published around 1943)

[1] Section (up to the 19th century) after: Massey, Charles; Chiefs and Families of Note ...; Allahabad 1890, p. 28ff.

[2] r the 20th century: Jagdish Chander Dua; Illustrated Encyclopædia & Who's Who of Princely States in Indian Sub-Continent; New Delhi 2000; ISBN 81-7479-036-5 (obviously reprint, without reference to the source, of a work published around 1943)