Karauli State was a Princely State in the north eastern edge of modern day Rajasthan, India from 1348 to 1949. It is located in the cultural Braj region. Karauli city was the capital while Mandrayal or Mandrail was another important town.It was the only Rajput house whose ruler used the suffix of "Pal" instead of "Singh" which is embedded in the ideals of their dynastic kingship.

Karauli State
Princely State of British India
1348–1949
Coat of arms of Karauli
Coat of arms

Karauli State (orange) within Rajputana (yellow), in the Imperial Gazetteer of India (1909)
Area 
• 1931
3,216 km2 (1,242 sq mi)
Population 
• 1931
140,525
History 
• Established
1348
1949
Succeeded by
[[Matsya Union]]
Today part ofIndia
 · Rajasthan
View of Timan Garh Fort in former Karauli State. Its foundations are said to have been built in the 2 century AD.

History

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The rulers of Karauli State belonged to the Jadaun clan of Yadavas who are Chandravanshi Rajputs or of the Lunar descent from Mathura.[1][2]

The founder of the dynasty was Raja Vijay Pal who came from Mathura and founded the fort of Bayana in 1040. Vijay Pal also came into conflict with the Ghaznavid tribes during his reign. Raja Timan Pal (r.1093-1159) was an early important ruler of the dynasty, he extended his domain by conquering the territories of modern day Dang, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Gurgaon, Mathura, Agra and Gwalior. Raja Arjun Pal Dev founded the new capital called "Kalyanpuri" which over time got the current name of Karauli in the year 1348. Sultan Mahmud Khilji of the Malwa Sultanate invaded and captured Karauli in the year 1454 which led the kingdom into a decline. The rulers of Karauli shifted to Untagarh and ruled a small territory. During Mughal Emperor Akbar's reign Raja Gopaldas of Karauli got back his ancestral capital of Karauli.[3]

British era

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The state under the rule of HH Maharaja Sir Ganesh Pal Dev along with the neighbouring states of Alwar, Bharatpur, and Dholpur acceded to the Dominion of India on 4 August 1947 to form Matsya Union.[4] while being part of Matsya Union Karauli and others later merged with Greater Rajasthan in 1949 and became part of the current state of Rajasthan in 1950's.

 
Coinage of Maharaja Manak Pal (1772-1804), Princely State of Karauli. Karauli mint. Struck in the name of the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. Dated 1784-5 CE
 
Karauli. Coinage of Maharaja Arjun Pal (1876-1886), Princely State of Karauli. In the name of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India. Dated 1878 CE.

Maharaja Madan Pal Dev was made a Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India.[5] The salute of honour, to which the Chiefs of Karauli were entitled, was also enhanced from 15 to 17 in appreciation of the loyal services of Maharaja Madan Pal Dev, who was also decorated with a rich dress of honour.[6][7]

Rulers:

•|Raja Jaiendra Pal

•|Raja Vijay Pal

•|Raja Timan Pal

•|Raja Dharam Pal I

•|Raja Kunwar Pal I

•|Raja Ajai Pal

•|Raja Anand Pal

•|Raja Som Pal

•|Raja Arjunbali

•|Raja Prithvi Pal

•|Raja Trilok Pal

•|Raja Papal Dev

•|Raja Sasal Dev

•|Raja Aasal Dev

•|Raja Gokul Pal Dev: (87th) in descent from Krishna

•|Raja Arjun Pal Dev: shifted his capital to Karauli

•|Raja Vikramjit

•|Raja Abhaichandra

•|Raja Prithviraj

•|Raja Udaichandra

•|Raja Prataprudra

•|Raja Devroop

•|Raja Chandrasen

•|Raja Bhartichandra

•|Raja Gopal Das

•|Raja Dwarka Das

•|Raja Mukund Das

•|Raja Jagman Dev

•|Raja Chatraman Dev

•|Raja Dharam Pal Dev II

•|Raja Ratan Pal Dev

•|Raja Kunwar Pal Dev II

•|Maharaja Gopal Singh: the most illustrious and prominent of his line

•|Maharaja Tursam Pal Dev II

•|Maharaja Manik Pal Dev

•|Maharaja Amolak Pal Dev

•|Maharaja Harbaksh Pal Dev

•|Maharaja Pratap Pal Dev

•|Maharaja Narsingh Pal Dev

•|Maharaja Bharat Pal Dev

•|HH Maharaja Madan Pal Dev

•|HH Maharaja Jaisingh Pal Dev

•|HH Maharajadhiraj Maharaja Shri Sir Arjun Pal Dev Bahadur II Yadukul Chandra Bhal

•|HH Maharajadhiraj Maharaja Shri Sir Bhanwar Pal Dev Bahadur Yadukul Chandra Bhal

•|HH Maharajadhiraj Maharaja Shri Sir Bhom Pal Dev Bahadur Yadukul Chandra Bhal

•|HH Maharajadhiraj Maharaja Shri Sir Ganesh Pal Dev Bahadur Yadukul Chandra Bhal

•|Maharaja Krishna Chandra Pal Dev

References

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  1. ^ Lethbridge, Sir Roper (1900). The Golden Book of India. A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled Or Decorated, of the Indian Empire. With an Appendix for Ceylon. S. Low, Marston & Company. p. 132.
  2. ^ Bhattacharya, Jogendra Nath (1896). Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems. Thacker, Spink. p. 136.
  3. ^ Mohammad Habib, Khaliq Ahmad Nizami (1993). A Comprehensive History of India: Vol. 5. The Delhi sultanat: A.D. 1206-1526 ; Pt. 2. People's Publishing House. pp. 838–839.
  4. ^ New Delhi: States Department, Government of India. 1947. pg. 2, 3, 5. "Karauli State- Instrument of Accession and Standstill Agreement signed between H.H. Maharaja Ganesh Pal Deo Bahadur Yadukul Chandra Bhal, Ruler of Karauli State and the Dominion of India". National Archives of India.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Gaur, dr d d (1960). Constitutional Development Of Eastern Rajputana States. p. 18.
  6. ^ Mehta, Markand Nandshankar (1896). The Hind Rajasthani : an annual of the native states of India. Times, Ahmedabad. pp. 332–334.
  7. ^ Gupta, Savitri (1960). Rajasthan Distict Gazetteers Sawai Madhopur. pp. 40–42.
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26°18′N 77°14′E / 26.3°N 77.23°E / 26.3; 77.23