Hari Rao Holkar (1795-1843), formally Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Shri Hari Rao Holkar IX Bahadur, belonging to the

Holkar The Holkar (Pronunciation: �o(ː)ɭkəɾ dynasty was a Maratha clan of Dhangar origin in India. The Holkars were generals under Peshwa Baji Rao I, and later became Maharajas of Indore in Central India as an independent member of the Marat ...

dynasty of the

Maratha The Marathi people (Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a M ...

s was Maharaja Holkar of

Indore Indore () is the largest and most populous Cities in India, city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of both Indore District and Indore Division. It is also considered as an education hub of the state and is t ...

( Hokar State) from 17 April 1834 until his death at the Juna Rajwada Palace in Indore on 24 October 1843. He was the grandson of

Tukoji Rao Holkar Tukoji Rao Holkar (26 June 1723 – 15 August 1797), belonging to the Holkar clan of the Marathas was the feudatory of Indore (r. 1795–1797). Tukoji Holkar was the adopted son of Malhar Rao Holkar, he was the second son of Shrimant Tan ...

Life

Hari Rao's accession to the throne (''gaddi'') was the result of a popular uprising against the adoption and crowning of the child

Marthand Rao Holkar Maharajadhiraj Raja Rajeshwar Sawai Shri Marthand Rao Holkar VIII Bahadur or Marthand Rao Holkar (1830–1849) belonging to the Holkar dynasty of the Marathas was briefly the Maharaja of Indore (Holkar State) (1833–1834). He was born in 183 ...

Krishna Bai Holkar Maharani Krishna Bai Holkar or Maji Keshri Bai (died September 1849) was the regent of the Indian Princely Indore State between 1843 and 1849. She served as regent during the minority of her adoptive son Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Sh ...

, the mother of the deceased Maharaja

Malhar Rao Holkar III Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Shrimant Malhar Rao III Holkar VII Subadar Bahadur (1806–27 October 1833), belonging to the Holkar dynasty of the Marathas was the Maharaja of (Holkar State) (r. 1811–1833). He was born at Bhanpura Bhanpur ...

. In 1819, Hari Rao was involved in a power struggle with members of the royal family and was imprisoned at

Maheshwar Maheshwar is a town, near Khargone city in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh state, in central India. It is located on State Highway-38 ( Khargone city-Barwaha- Bandheri Highway),13.5 km east of National Highway 3 (Agra-Mumbai highway) a ...

for leading an

insurrection Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

. After the crowning of Marthand Rao in January 1834, Hari was freed by supporters, who then convinced Krishna Bai to agree to his succession instead. He was subsequently adopted by the widow of the deceased Maharaja on 18 March and formally installed on the throne on 17 April 1834 at the Juna Rajwada Palace. The British Government remained neutral regarding these succession struggles. Later, however, as Hari Rao's health deteriorated, the

British Resident A resident minister, or resident for short, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indi ...

pressed him to appoint an

heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...

. On 2 July 1841, Hari Rao adopted

Khande Rao Holkar Shrimant Sardar Khande Rao Holkar Subedar Bahadur (1798 - 22 February 1807), belonging to the Holkar dynasty of the Marathas was the Maharaja of Indore (r. 1799 - 1806). He was born in Poona in 1798, as posthumous son of Malhar Rao II Holkar ...

, the 11-year-old son of Bapuji Rao Holkar, a

zemindar A zamindar ( Hindustani: Devanagari: , ; Persian: , ) in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semiautonomous ruler of a province. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals and later the British had begun using it as a ...

of Jotsikhera (near Indore). Soon after, when Hari Rao retired from public life due to his health, Lord Ellenborough, the Governor General, interceded to ensure the appointment of capable ministers to prevent supporters of Marthand Rao from challenging the succession.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holkar 1795 births 1843 deaths Maharajas of Indore

Life

See also

References