Prithviraj Singh
{{Short description|Maharaj Rana of Jhalawar from 1845 to 1875}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Prithviraj Singh
| title = Maharaj Rana of Jhalawar
| succession = Maharaj Rana of Jhalawar
| reign = 1845 – 29 August 1875
| coronation = 1845
| predecessor = Madan Singh
| successor = Zalim Singh II
| birth_date = 1830
| birth_place =
| death_date = 29 August 1875
| spouse =
| issue = Zalim Singh II (adoptive)
| full name = Prithviraj Singh
| house = {{flagicon image|Flag_of_Jhalawar.svg}} Jhalawar
| house-type =
| father = Madan Singh
| investiture = 1847
| dynasty = Jhala
}}
Prithviraj Singh (1830 – 29 August 1875), commonly known as Prithvi Singh, was the Maharaj Rana of Jhalawar from 1845 until his death on 29 August 1875.
Birth
He was born in 1830 to Madan Singh.{{Cite book |last1=Records |first1=India Office Library and |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3hUaAAAAIAAJ |title=Portraits in the India Office Library and Records |last2=Rohatgi |first2=Pauline |date=1983 |publisher=British Library |isbn=978-0-7123-0015-5 |pages=294 |language=en}}
Reign
When his father died in 1845, he succeeded him as the Maharaj Rana of Jhalawar at the age of fifteen.{{Cite book |last=Bayley |first=C. S. |url=https://archive.org/details/chiefsleadingfam00csba |title=Chiefs and leading families in Rajputana |date=2004 |publisher=New Delhi : Asian Educational Services |others=Public Resource |isbn=978-81-206-1066-8 |pages=85–86}}{{Cite book |last=Aitchison |first=C. U. |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.35556 |title=A Collection Of Treaties, Engagements, And Sanads Relating To India And Neighbouring Countries Volume Iii Containing The Treaties Amp C., Relating To The States In Rajpuratana |date=1909 |pages=364–367}} Owing to his minority, a Council of Regency comprising the old officials of the state was established to govern state affairs until he comes of age. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, he rendered valuable service to the East India Company by providing protection to British officers and by ensuring the safety of several Europeans who had taken refuge in his district. Tatya Tope, after his defeat at the Banas River, arrived at Jhalrapatan in Jhalawar.{{Cite book |last1=Burton |first1=Reginald George |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uLoTOk60PMMC |title=The Revolt in Central India 1857-59 |last2=Branch |first2=India Army Intelligence |date=1908 |publisher=Printed at the Government Monotype Press |pages=213–214 |language=en}} Prithviraj's troops sided with the rebels, and Tatya took possession of Prithviraj's approximately 30 guns, ammunition, and horses, and surrounded the palace. Rebels halted at Jhalrapatan for five days and forced Prithviraj to give them Rs. 1,500,000, after which he fled to Mhow to save his life. Seeing this, the Government remitted his tribute for that year. He was granted the Sanad of Adoption in 1862.
= Land for railway =
In 1866, he agreed to transfer land to the government free of cost to build a railway.{{Cite book |last=B.N. Dhoundiyal |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.3317 |title=Rajasthan District Gazetteers: Jhalawar |date=1964 |publisher=Jaipur, Government Central Press |pages=31}} He relinquished most control over the land, except for his sovereign rights, and also surrendered the right to levy transit duties on goods passing through his area.
= Coinage =
Coins of his father, Madan Singh, bore the name and title of the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II, and he continued this practice until the Indian Rebellion of 1857. {{Cite book |last=Garg |first=Sanjay |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0MudEAAAQBAJ |title=The Raj and the Rajas: Money and Coinage in Colonial India |date=2022-12-22 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-000-82889-4 |page=88 |language=en}} However, in 1857, he issued a new series of silver coins in his state that bore the inscription Malika-i-Mua’zzama Victoria Badishah-i-Inglistan, which translates to Queen Victoria, the exalted monarch of England. It is believed he was the first among Indian rulers to replace the name of the Mughal emperor on his coins.
Personal life
= Character =
He had a good nature, a happy disposition, and was very popular with his subjects.{{Cite book |last=De |first=Amrita Lal |url=https://archive.org/details/studentshistoryo00deam |title=The students' history of Rajpootana, being an account of the Princes of Rajpootana from the earlist (sic) ages to the modern times |date=1889 |publisher=Calcutta Printed by Bama Churan Dutta, at the Nobo Sarassuta Press |others=Robarts - University of Toronto |pages=61}} But several of his ministers took advantage of his good nature and easy-going disposition, gaining control of the state treasury, which resulted in the state becoming heavily indebted.
= Children =
He had no children of his own, so he adopted Bakht Singh, who later renamed himself Zalim Singh II, from Wadhwan and was related to him in the ninth degree.
Death
He died on 29 August 1875, but the question of who would succeed him remained unanswered for some time due to the rumored pregnancy of his widow.{{Cite book |last=Rajasthan (India) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DyZuAAAAMAAJ |title=Rajasthan [district Gazetteers].: Jhalawar |date=1964 |publisher=Printed at Government Central Press |pages=32 |language=en}} However, as no child was born to her, he was succeeded by Zalim Singh II, his adoptive son, on 1 June 1876.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Prithviraj}}