PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: The
city
of Nagpur was founded in
1702 by the Gond King, Raja Bakht Buland Shah of Devagad,
on the banks
of Nag River, hence its name. He founded the city by
joining 12 small
hamlets formerly known as 'Rajapur Baraasa' or 'Barasa'.
His successor,
Raja Chand Sultan, further developed the city, but on his
death in
1742 (or 1739), there were disputes as to his succession,
and
his widow invoked the aid of the Maratha leader Raghoji
Bhonsle who was
governing Berar on behalf of the Maratha Peshwa. He
intervened again in
1743, but this time he retained Nagpur, and it became
his capital. The Bhonsle family
were originally headmen from Deora, a village in Satara
District.
Raghoji's grandfather and his two brothers had fought in
the armies of
Shivaji, and to the most distinguished of them was
entrusted a high
military command and the collection of chauth
(tribute) in Berar. The state lapsed due to failure of
heirs and was
annexed to British India. After annexation the family
received pensions
totalling 203,000Rs yearly. Rulers were...
- Unknown
- Shrimant Rupaji Bhonsle
- Shrimant Mudhoji Bhonsle, married and had issue.
- Shrimant Parsoji Bhonsle Sena Saheb Subha,
married Shrimant Baiya Bai, and had issue. He died
1709 at Khed.
- Shrimant Vimboji Bhonsle, married Shrimant
Kasi Bai, and had issue.
- Maharaja Chhatrapati Raghuji Bhonsle I (qv)
- Shrimant Kanhoji Bhonsle Sena Saheb Subha,
married and had issue.
- Shrimant Ranoji Bhonsle
- Shrimant Sabaji Bhonsle
- Shrimant Sabaji Bhonsle
- Maharaja
Chhatrapati
RAGHUJI BHONSLE I, 1st Maharaja of Nagpur
1734/1755, he was
bold and decisive in action, twice his armies invaded
Bengal, and he
obtained the cession of
Cuttack. In addition, Chanda, Chhattisgarh, and
Sambalpur were added to
his
dominions between 1745 and 1755, the year of his
death; he married
and had
issue.
He died 14th February 1755 at Nagpur.
- Maharaja Chhatrapati Janoji Bhonsle (qv)
- Maharaja Chhatrapati Madhoji [Raghunathrao]
Bhonsle I (qv)
- Maharajkumar Bimbaji Bhonsle
- Maharajkumar Sabhaji Bhonsle, died in battle, 26th
January 1775.
- Maharaja
Chhatrapati
JANOJI BHONSLE, 2nd Maharaja of Nagpur
1755/1773, he took part
in the wars between the Peshwa and the Nizam
of Hyderabad, and after he had in turn betrayed both
of them, they
united against him and sacked and burnt Nagpur in
1765; married
Maharani Darya
Bai, and had adoptive issue.
He died sp on 21st May 1773.
- (A) Maharaja Chhatrapati Raghoji Bhonsle II
(qv)
- Maharaja
Chhatrapati
MADHOJI RAGHUNATHRAO BHONSLE I, 3rd Maharaja
of Nagpur
1773/1788 (Regent), Senadhurandhar, fought for
the succession
with his brother, until the battlefield of Panchgaon,
and succeeded to
the regency on behalf of his infant son Raghoji II who
was Janoji's
adopted heir. In 1785 Mandla and the upper Narmada
valley were added to
the Nagpur dominions by treaty with the Peshwa;
married and had issue.
He died 19th May 1788 at Nagpur.
- Maharaja Chhatrapati Raghoji Bhonsle II (qv)
- Maharajkumar Vyankoji Bhonsle [Manyabapu], Senadhurandhar,
married and
had issue. He
died 1811 at Kasi.
- Maharaja Chhatrapati Madhoji Appasaheb Bhonsle
II (qv)
- Maharajkumar Chimnaji Bhonsle, died 1789.
- Maharajkumar Lachman Dada
- Maharaja Senasaheb
Subha
Chhatrapati RAGHOJI BHONSLE II, 4th Maharaja
of Nagpur
1788/1816, Senasaheb
Subha [cr.1775], his predecessor had courted the
favor of the British East India Company, and this
policy was continued
for some time by Raghoji II, who acquired Hoshangabad
and the lower
Narmada valley, in 1803 he united with Daulatrao
Scindia of Gwalior
against the British, but the two leaders were
decisively defeated at
the
battles of Assaye and Argaon, and, by the Treaty of
Deogaon of that
year,
Raghoji ceded Cuttack, southern Berar, and Sambalpur
to the British,
although Sambalpur was not relinquished until 1806;
he married (amongst others), Maharani Baka Bai, died
7th September 1858
at Nagpur, aged 77 years, having received a pension of
120,000Rs, and
had
issue, as well as further issue. He died 22nd March
1816.
- Maharaja Chhatrapati Parsoji Raghoji Bhonsle (qv)
- Maharajkumari Banu Bai, married and had issue.
- Maharaja Chhatrapati Raghoji Bapusaheb
Bhonsle
III (qv)
- generation, married Shrimant
Nana Ahira Rao, and had issue.
- Shrimant Yashwant Rao Bhonsle, he was
the Heir in 1853, and succeeded in the dignity
of Maharaja of Nagpur (qv).
- Maharajkumar Dharmaji Bhonsle (natural son),
murdered 5th
May 1816.
- Maharaja Senasaheb
Subha
Chhatrapati PARSOJI BHONSLE, 5th Maharaja of
Nagpur
1816/1817, born
1778, killed by Madhoji II on 2nd February 1817.
- Maharaja Senasaheb
Subha
Chhatrapati MADHOJI APPASAHEB
BHONSLE II, 6th Maharaja of Nagpur
1816/1818,
born 1796, in 1817,
on the outbreak of war between the British and the
Peshwa, Appa Sahib
threw off his cloak of friendship, and accepted an
embassy and title
from the Peshwa. His troops attacked the British, and
were defeated in
the action at Sitabaldi,
and a second time near Nagpur city. As a result of
these battles, the
remaining portion of Berar and the territories in the
Narmada valley
were ceded to the British. Appa Sahib was reinstated
to the throne, but
shortly afterwards was discovered to be again
conspiring, and was
deposed and moved to Allahabad in custody. On the way,
however, he
bribed his guards and escaped, first to the Mahadeo
Hills and
subsequently to the Punjab; he married (a), Maharani
Savitri Bai,
received a pension of
10,000Rs,
married (b), Maharani Uma Bai. He died sp in 1840 in
Jodhpur.
- Maharaja Senasaheb
Subha
Chhatrapati RAGHOJI BAPUSAHEB
BHONSLE III, 7th Maharaja of Nagpur
1818/1853,
born 1808 (1806), due to his young age, the
territories were administered by the resident from
1818 to 1830, when
he was allowed to assume ruling powers; he married
(a), Maharani
Annapurna Bai, received a
pension
of 50,000Rs, married (b), Maharani Dariya Bai,
received a pension of
25,000Rs.
He
died spm on 11th December 1853. The state
lapsed with his death
(annexed by the British under the Doctrine of Lapse
due to failure of
Heirs).
- Maharajkumar (name unknown), died 22nd
October
1831.
- Maharajkumar Bhimbaji Bhonsle, born 4th May 1831 (#2).
- Maharajkumari Bannu Bai, died 12th September 1833
(#3).
- Maharaja Senasaheb
Subha
Chhatrapati JANOJI II YASHWANTRAO
BHONSLE, 8th Maharaja of Nagpur, son
of Nana Ahirarao (a nephew of Raghuji III) 1853/1881,
adopted by
Maharani
Dariya Bai after 1853, Raja Bahadur of Devur or Deor
[cr.1861](Hereditary
title), received a pension of 120,000Rs, (subject to
revision after his
death), married and had issue. He died 1881.
- Raja Bahadur Raghoji Deo Janoji Bhonsle (qv)
- Raja Bahadur
RAGHOJI DEO
JANOJI BHONSLE, 9th Raja of Deor 1881/-, born
7th November
1872 (#1).
Title confirmed as hereditary.
OTHER MEMBERS:
- Rajaramsinhrao Bhonsle, married Shaliniraje Puar,
daughter
of HH
Maharaja
Chhatrapati Shahaji II Puar of Kolhapur and Dewas-Snr,
and had issue.
- HH Maharaja Chhatrapati Shahu II Bhonsle of Kolhapur.
- Raja Laxmanrao Bhonsle, married and had issue.
- Shri Tejsingrao Bhonsle, born 17th March 1932 in
Nagpur,
Maharashtra; married 25th December 1959,
Shrimant Rani Chitralekha Raje Bhonsle (née
Chitralekha Kadam),
born 26th February 1941 in Baroda, daughter of Shri
Sharas Chandra
Kadam, educated at Sayajirao Gaekwad College and
M.S. University,
Baroda (B.A.), Member of the 12th Lok Sabha 1998/-,
Member, Committee
on Energy and its Sub-Committee-II on Coal
1998/1999, Member,
Consultative Committee, Ministry of Coal
Social and Cultural Activities, Chairperson,
Mahalaxmi Jagdamba Trust,
Koradi, Nagpur (Maharashtra), Chairperson, Distt.
Volleyball
Association, Nagpur, interests are Painting and
reading; and has issue,
two sons and three daughters. (Junior Bhosla
Palace Mahal,
Nagpur - 440002, Maharashtra, India)
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