Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Bharmalji II (reign: 6 November 1814 − 25 March 1819) was the
Rao of Cutch
Cutch, also spelled Kutch or Kachchh and also historically known as the Kingdom of Kutch, was a kingdom in the Kutch region from 1147 to 1819 and a princely state under British rule from 1819 to 1947. Its territories covered the present day K ...
belonging to
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
dynasty, who ascended the throne of
Princely State of Cutch
Cutch, also spelled Kutch or Kachchh and also historically known as the Kingdom of Kutch, was a kingdom in the Kutch region from 1147 to 1819 and a princely state under British rule from 1819 to 1947. Its territories covered the present day K ...
one month after the death of his father
Rayadhan III
Rao Rayadhan III was the Rao of Cutch belonging to Jadeja Rajput dynasty, who ascended the throne of Princely State of Cutch in 1778 and ruled until 1786 when he was deposed. He again ruled as titular head under council of Bar Bhayat ni Jamat fr ...
.
Reign
The Kutch was governed by
Bar Bhayat ni Jamat ''Bar Bhayat ni Jamat'' (Council of Twelve Brothers) was a council of twelve members which managed Cutch State under titular kings Prithvirajji from 1786 to 1801 and under Rayadhan III from 1801 to 1813. The council was chiefly led by Fateh Muhammad ...
after the death of
Rayadhan III
Rao Rayadhan III was the Rao of Cutch belonging to Jadeja Rajput dynasty, who ascended the throne of Princely State of Cutch in 1778 and ruled until 1786 when he was deposed. He again ruled as titular head under council of Bar Bhayat ni Jamat fr ...
and his regent
Fateh Muhammad
Fateh Muhammad was a regent who administered Cutch State as a leader of Bar Bhayat ni Jamat under titular kings, Prithvirajji and Rayadhan III.
Career
Background
Fateh Muhammad, a Notiyar Muslim of Sindhi descent, born in 1752, who was a Jam ...
in 1813. Husain Miyan and his brother Ibrahim Miyan succeeded Fateh Muhammad, their councils being directed by their father's chief adviser, Jagjivan Mehta, a
Nagar Brahmin
The Nagar Brahmin is a Hindu Brahmin subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Gujarat.
Author T. Sasaki says, Among Brahmins in Gujarat Nagar Brahmins were most prominent subdivision in the political, economic and social activities of this ...
. As Rayadhan had no legitimate children, Ladhubha, his brother's son, a boy eleven years old, had in 1809, in the negotiations with the
British Government
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, date_es ...
, been considered heir. But on the Rao's death, the two brothers, Husain Miyan and Ibrahim Miyan, supported the claim of Mansingji his illegitimate son.
On 13 January 1814, Mansingji succeeded to the chiefship of Kutch with the title of Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Bharmalji II. The British Government agent Captain MacMurdo went from Morvi to Bhuj in 1814 for presenting its demands to Husain Miyan regarding piracy in the
Arabian sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
and bandits in the Vagad region. Rao Bharmal II took over the management of state and Husain Miyan retired in January 1815 under the acceptance of the fiefdom of Anjar, Bhachau, Bhadargad and Kanthkot. Rao chose as ministers Shivraj of Mandvi and Askarn.
On 14 December, a British force under Colonel East consisting of about 4000 fighting men, together with troops of Gaekwad of
Baroda State
Baroda State was a state in present-day Gujarat, ruled by the Gaekwad dynasty of the Maratha Confederacy from its formation in 1721 until its accession to the newly formed Dominion of India in 1949. With the city of Baroda (Vadodara) as its c ...
, crossed the Rann at Venasa about twelve miles east of Anjar. The force moved on Anjar, and as Husain Miyan refused to let the British occupy it, the fort was attacked on the morning of 25 December 1815, and before evening was surrendered. Its port of Tuna was occupied the next day. A few days later, Muhammad Sota, the chief of Mundra, negotiated and agreed to the British. The force next moved towards Bhuj, encamping at Lakond on 3 January 1816. On 14 January 1816, the Rao Bharmal II agreed to the
suzerainty
Suzerainty () is the rights and obligations of a person, state or other polity who controls the foreign policy and relations of a tributary state, while allowing the tributary state to have internal autonomy. While the subordinate party is cal ...
of the British and Captain
James MacMurdo
Captain James MacMurdo was the first political resident of British East India Company to Cutch State. He played important role in bringing kutchh under British suzerainty.
Biography
MacMurdo was born on 30 November 1785 in Dumfriesshire in Scotla ...
was appointed as the British Resident at Bhuj and Collector of Anjar.
With support of some Jadeja chiefs, the British troops attacked Bhuj on 25 March 1819, and disposed Rao Bharmal II and his son
Deshalji II
Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Shri Deshalji II Sahib Bahadur (b 1814- d 1860) (reign: 1819–1860) was the Rao of Cutch belonging to Jadeja dynasty, who ascended the throne of Princely State of Cutch upon deposition of his father Bharmalji II b ...
, a minor was made the ruler of Cutch State. Kutch accepted the suzerainty of British in 1819 and Captain
James MacMurdo
Captain James MacMurdo was the first political resident of British East India Company to Cutch State. He played important role in bringing kutchh under British suzerainty.
Biography
MacMurdo was born on 30 November 1785 in Dumfriesshire in Scotla ...
was posted as British Political Resident stationed at
Bhuj
Bhuj () is a Municipality and District Headquarters of Kutch District in the state of Gujarat, India.
Etymology
According to legend, Kutch was ruled by the Nāga chieftains in the past. Sagai, a queen of Sheshapattana, who was married to Kin ...
. During his minority the affairs of the State were managed by Council of Regency, which was composed of Jadeja chiefs and headed by Captain MacMurdo.
Kutch State : Maharao DESALJI BHARMALJI II (Daishalji) 1819/1860
References
Notes
Bibliography
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External links
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1798 births
1846 deaths
Maharajas of Kutch
Hindu monarchs
Gujarati people