Rampur State

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Princely state of India

title: "Rampur State" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["princely-states-of-uttar-pradesh", "rampur-district", "1774-establishments-in-india", "1947-disestablishments-in-india", "states-and-territories-established-in-1774", "states-and-territories-disestablished-in-1947", "pashtun-dynasties", "gun-salute-princely-states"] description: "Princely state of India" topic_path: "geography/india" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rampur_State" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Princely state of India ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox country"]

FieldValue
native_nameDar-Ul-Insha دارالانشا
conventional_long_nameState of Rampur
common_nameRampur
government_typeAbsolute monarchy
area_km22447.54
area_rank1st; princely state
area_sq_mi2446.54
percent_water1
population_estimate546,151
population_census1901
GDP_PPP_year1945
year_start1774
HDI_year1945
utc_offset+5:30
drives_onLeft lane
status15 gun-salute princely state
year_end1947
event_startFirst Rohilla War
date_start7 October,
event_endPartition of India
date_end15 August,
p1Kingdom of Rohilkhand
flag_p1Flag of the Rampur State.svg
p2Oudh State
flag_p2Flag of Awadh.svg
s1India
flag_s1Flag of India.svg
s2Uttar Pradesh
todayUttar Pradesh, India
flag_s2Flag of Uttar Pradesh.svg
image_flagFlag of the Rampur State.svg
image_coatRampur State Coat of Arms.png
image_mapMap of the United Provinces from The Imperial Gazetteer of India (1907-1909).jpg
englishmotto“(Rulership And Sovereignty Belongs To God)”
(There Is No Conqueror Like Ali And No Sword Like The Zulfiqar)
image_map_captionRampur State in yellow
capitalRampur
national_motto"الحكم لله والملك لله" "Al Hukumu Lillah Wāl Mulk Lillah"
.Lā Fata ʾIllā ʿAlī; Lā Sayf ʾIllā Ḏū l-Fiqār.
religion{{Ubl
demonymRampuri
title_leaderNawab
leader1Faizullah Khan (First)
year_leader11774–1794
leader2Muhammad Ali Khan
year_leader21794
leader3Ghulam Muhammad Khan
year_leader31794
leader4Ahmad Ali Khan
year_leader41794–1840
leader5Raza Ali Khan (Last)
year_leader51930–1947/1956
official_languages{{Ubl
languages_typeOther languages
languages
::

| native_name = Dar-Ul-Insha دارالانشا | conventional_long_name = State of Rampur | common_name = Rampur | government_type = Absolute monarchy | area_km2 = 2447.54 | area_rank = 1st; princely state | area_sq_mi = 2446.54 | percent_water = 1 | population_estimate = 546,151 | population_census = 1901 | GDP_PPP = | GDP_PPP_year = 1945 | year_start = 1774 | HDI = | HDI_year = 1945 | HDI_change = | utc_offset = +5:30 | drives_on = Left lane | status = 15 gun-salute princely state | year_end = 1947 | event_start = First Rohilla War | date_start = 7 October, | event_end = Partition of India | date_end = 15 August, | p1 = Kingdom of Rohilkhand | flag_p1 = Flag of the Rampur State.svg | p2 = Oudh State | flag_p2 = Flag of Awadh.svg | s1 = India | flag_s1 = Flag of India.svg | s2 = Uttar Pradesh | today = Uttar Pradesh, India | flag_s2 = Flag of Uttar Pradesh.svg | image_flag = Flag of the Rampur State.svg | image_coat = Rampur State Coat of Arms.png | image_map = Map of the United Provinces from The Imperial Gazetteer of India (1907-1909).jpg | englishmotto = “(Rulership And Sovereignty Belongs To God)” (There Is No Conqueror Like Ali And No Sword Like The Zulfiqar) | image_map_caption = Rampur State in yellow | capital = Rampur | national_motto = "الحكم لله والملك لله" "Al Hukumu Lillah Wāl Mulk Lillah" .Lā Fata ʾIllā ʿAlī; Lā Sayf ʾIllā Ḏū l-Fiqār. | religion = {{Ubl | Shi’a Islam (official but small minority, 5%) | Sunni Islam (majority, 80%) | Hinduism (large minority, 15%) | demonym = Rampuri | title_leader = Nawab | leader1 = Faizullah Khan (First) | year_leader1 = 1774–1794 | leader2 = Muhammad Ali Khan | year_leader2 = 1794 | leader3 = Ghulam Muhammad Khan | year_leader3 = 1794 | leader4 = Ahmad Ali Khan | year_leader4 = 1794–1840 | leader5 = Raza Ali Khan (Last) | year_leader5 = 1930–1947/1956 | official_languages = {{Ubl | Urdu | English | Persian | languages_type = Other languages | languages =

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Khusru_Bagh_Palace_in_Rampur,Uttar_Pradesh(c._1911).jpg" caption="Khusru Bagh Palace of Rampur"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Navab_Kalb-e_'Ali_Khan_of_Rampur.jpg" caption="Nawab [[Kalb Ali Khan Bahadur]] of Rampur, r. 1865–87."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Imambara,_Fort_of_Rampur,_Uttar_Pradesh,_c.1911.jpg" caption="Imambara, Fort of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, c. 1911."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Sir_Kalb_Ali_Khan,Nawab_of_Rampur(1832-1887).jpg" caption="Kalb Ali Khan]], [[Nawab of Rampur]] (1832–1887)."] ::

Rampur State was a 15 gun-salute princely state of British India. Following the Rohilla defeat in the First Rohilla War, the British would establish the state, and install Faizullah Khan as its first Nawab. The state's capital was Rampur, and its total area was 945 sq miles.

Following independence in 1947, Rampur State acceded to India. It was merged into the United Provinces, which would later become Uttar Pradesh.

Origin

The Rampur State was established by Nawab Faizullah Khan on 7 October 1774, in the presence of British Commander Colonel Champion, and remained a pliant state under British protection thereafter. Faizullah Khan was a leader among the Rohillas and a member of the Rohilla dynasty. He was the son of Ali Mohammed Khan, founder of the Kingdom of Rohilkhand— a Jat by origin who was adopted and converted by Sardar Daud Khan Barech.

For the Rohillas, Rampur State was one of the most important princely states in Hindustan.

In the 19th century, the Nawabs of Rampur claimed that Ali Mohammed Khan was a Barha Sayyid and started using the title of Sayyid. However, they could not present any pedigree in the support of this claim.

History

The First Rohilla War began when the Rohillas reneged on a debt they owed to the Nawab of Oudh for military assistance against the Maratha Empire in 1772. The Rohillas were defeated and driven from their former capital of Bareilly by the Nawab of Oudh with the assistance of the East India Company's troops lent by Warren Hastings.

The first stone of the new Fort at Rampur was laid and the city of Rampur founded in 1775 by Nawab Faizullah Khan. Originally it was a group of four villages named Kather, the name of Raja Ram Singh. The first Nawab proposed to rename the city 'Faizabad'. But many other places were known by the name Faizabad so its name was changed to Mustafabad alias Rampur. Nawab Faizullah Khan ruled for 20 years. He was a great patron of scholarship, and began the collection of Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu manuscripts which now make up the bulk of the Rampur Raza Library. After his death, his son Muhammad Ali Khan took over. He was killed by the Rohilla leaders after 24 days, and Ghulam Muhammad Khan – the brother of the deceased, was proclaimed Nawab. The East India Company took exception to this, and after a reign of just 3 months and 22 days Ghulam Muhammad Khan was defeated by its forces, and the Governor-General made Ahmad Ali Khan, son of the late Muhammad Ali Khan, the new Nawab. He ruled for 44 years. He did not have any sons, so Muhammad Sa'id Khan, son of Ghulam Muhammad Khan, took over as the new Nawab. He raised a regular Army, established Courts and carried out many works to improve the economic conditions of farmers. His son Muhammad Yusuf Ali Khan took over after his death. His son Kalb Ali Khan became the new Nawab after his death in 1865.

Nawab Kalb Ali Khan was literate in Arabic and Persian. Under his rule the state did much work to uplift standards of education. He was also a Member of Council during the Viceroyalty of Lord John Lawrence. He built the Jama Masjid in Rampur at a cost of Rs. 300,000. He was also knighted in Agra by the Prince of Wales. He ruled for 22 years and 7 months. After his death his son Mushtaq Ali Khan took over. He appointed W. C. Wright as the Chief Engineer of the estate. He built many new buildings and canals. Nawab Hamid Ali became the new ruler in 1889 at the age of 14. Many new schools were opened during his reign, and many donations were provided to nearby colleges. He donated Rs. 50,000 to Lucknow Medical College. In 1905 he built the magnificent Darbar Hall within the Fort which now houses the great collection of Oriental manuscripts held by the Rampur Raza Library. His son Raza Ali Khan became the last ruling Nawab in 1930. Nawab Raza Ali Khan was a very progressive ruler who believed in the Inclusion of Hindus and so appointed Lt. Col. Horilal Varma – Bar At Law as his Prime Minister. On 1 July 1949 the State of Rampur was merged into the Republic of India. Rampur today presents a slightly decayed appearance: the palaces of the Nawabs are crumbling, as are the gates and walls of the fort. However, the Library remains a flourishing institution of immense value to scholars from all over the world.

The Nawabs of Rampur sided with the British during Indian Rebellion of 1857 and this enabled them to continue to play a role in the social, political and cultural life of Northern India in general and the Muslims of United Provinces in particular. They gave refuge to some of the literary figures from the Court of Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Music

The Rampur-Sahaswan gharana of Hindustani classical music also has its origins in court musicians. Ustad Mehboob Khan, was a khayal singer and Veena player of the Rampur court; his son Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan (1849–1919), who trained and lived in the city, founded the gharana.

The Nawabs of Rampur gave patronage to traditional music in their court. Mehboob Khan was the chief khyal singer of the royal court of Rampur State, his tradition was followed by his son Inayat Hussain Khan (1849–1919) and in turn by Inyat's brothers-in-law, Haider Khan (1857–1927), and Mushtaq Hussein Khan (d. 1964), which gave rise to the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana of Hindustani classical music, the latter being their ancestral place, Sahaswan, in present-day Badaun district.

Rulers of Rampur

The following is a table delineating the succession of rulers belonging to the Royal House of Rampur: ::data[format=table]

NameReign BeganReign Ended1234567891011
Faizullah Khan15 September 177424 July 1793
Hafiz Rahmat Khan – Regent15 September 174823 April 1774
Muhammad Ali Khan Bahadur24 July 179311 August 1793
Ghulam Muhammad Khan Bahadur11 August 179324 October 1794
Ahmad Ali Khan Bahadur24 October 17945 July 1840
Nasrullah Khan – Regent24 October 17941811
Muhammad Said Khan Bahadur5 July 18401 April 1855
Yusef Ali Khan Bahadur1 April 185521 April 1865
Kalb Ali Khan Bahadur21 April 186523 March 1887
Muhammad Mushtaq Ali Khan Bahadur23 March 188725 February 1889
Hamid Ali Khan Bahadur25 February 188920 June 1930
Regency25 February 18894 April 1894
Raza Ali Khan Bahadur20 June 19306 March 1966
Murtaza Ali Khan Bahadur – Titular6 March 19668 February 1982
::

Family tree

  • [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] I. Sayyid Faizu’llah ‘Ali Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur (1734–1794; Nawab of Rampur: 1734–1794)
    • [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] II. Sayyid Muhammad Ali Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur (1751–1794; r. 1794)
      • [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] IV. Sayyid Ahmad Ali Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur (1787–1840; r. 1794–1840)
    • [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] III. Hajji Sayyid Ghulam Muhammad Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur (1763–1823; r. 1794)
    • [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] V. Sayyid Muhammad Said Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur (1786–1855; r. 1840–1855) - [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] VI. Sayyid Muhammad Yusef Ali Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur KSI (1816–1865; r. 1855–1865)
      • [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] VII. Hajji Sayyid Muhammad Kalb-i-Ali Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur GCSI, CIE (1834–1887; r. 1865–1887)
      • [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] VIII. Sayyid Muhammad Mushtaq Ali Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur (1856–1889; r. 1887–1889) - [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] IX. Sayyid Hamid Ali Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur GCSI, GCIE, GCVO (1875–1930; r. 1889–1930)
        • [[File:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] X. Sayyid Muhammad Raza Ali Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Rampur GCIE, KCSI (1908–1966; r. 1930–1949; titular ruler 1949–1966)
        • XI. Sayyid Murtaza Ali Khan Bahadur MBE (lived 1923–1982; titular Nawab: 1966–1971; family head: 1971–1982)

Orders of chivalry

The Royal House of Rampur awards two orders of chivalry; these knighthoods include:

  • Nishan-i-Hamidiya (Order of Hamid), established by Nawab Hamid Ali Khan Bahadur in 1894 and is awarded in three grades; its postnominals are NH.
  • Nishan-i-Iqbal (Order of Iqbal), established by Nawab Hamid Ali Khan Bahadur in 1927 and is awarded in three grades; its postnominals are NI.

The majority of the recipients of the Nishan-e-Hamidiya are those of various royal families while honourees with the Nishan-e-Iqbal are those who have made significant contributions to academia, culture, humanitarian aid, research and society.

Legacy

Education

Main article: Rampur Raza Library

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Front_view_of_Rampur_Raza_Library.jpg" caption="Front facade of the Raza Library"] ::

Nawab Faizullah Khan, the first Nawab of Rampur, established the Rampur Raza Library from his personal collection of manuscripts and miniature specimens of Islamic calligraphy in 1774. The succeeding Nawabs continued to be patrons of scholars, poets, painters, calligraphers and musicians, enabling the library to grow rapidly. The Indian government would take over the library in 1975.

Dog breed

Main article: Rampur Hound

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Rampur_Greyhound_from_1915.JPG" caption="A palace attendant with a Rampur Hound in 1915"] ::

Nawab Ahmad Ali Khan of Rampur is credited with developing the dog breed known as the Rampur Hound. The Rampur Hound is the result of cross-breeding the Sag-e Tazi Afghan Hound with the English Greyhound. He named the dogs after his capital.

Cuisine

The cuisine of the royal courts over the years gave rise to the Rampuri cuisine, developed by the chefs of the Nawabs. After the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the khansamas (chefs) from erstwhile Mughal imperial courts shifted to Rampur, bringing along with them the Mughal cuisine tradition. Gradually people from other places also found a haven here, adding influences of Awadhi, Hyderabad and Kashmiri cuisine. It is also known for its distinct flavours and dishes with recipes passed on from the royal kitchen, like Rampuri fish, Rampuri Korma, Rampuri mutton kebabs, Doodhiya Biryani and adrak ka halwa.

Music

Mehboob Khan was the chief khyal singer of the royal court of Rampur State, his tradition was followed by his son Inayat Hussain Khan (1849–1919) and in turn by Inyat's brothers-in-law, Haider Khan (1857–1927), and Mushtaq Hussein Khan (d. 1964), which gave rise to the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana of Hindustani classical music, the latter being their ancestral place, Sahaswan, in present Badaun district.

References

Bibliography

References

  1. Wade, Bonnie C.. (1984). "Khyal: Creativity Within North India's Classical Music Tradition". CUP Archive.
  2. (1945). "The Indian Year Book". Bennett, Coleman & Company.
  3. (1929). "The Indian and Pakistan Year Book". Bennett, Coleman & Company.
  4. Ashraf, Mujeeb. (1982). "Muslim Attitudes Towards British Rule and Western Culture in India in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century". Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli.
  5. Hunter, William Wilson. (1881). "The imperial gazetteer of India". Trübner & Company.
  6. Irvine, W.. (1971). "Later Mughal". Atlantic Publishers & Distri.
  7. Ḥusain, M.. (1957). "A History of the Freedom Movement: 1707–1831". Pakistan Historical Society.
  8. Strachey, Sir John. (1892). "Hastings and the Rohilla War". Clarendon Press.
  9. 978-81-7304-308-6. ''"Thus we witness the Ruhelas accepting an exceptionally talented non-Afghan, an adopted Jat boy, as their nawab, purely on the basis of his military leadership..."''
  10. [[Hari Ram Gupta. 978-81-215-0213-9. {{OCLC. 165428303. ''"The real founder of the Rohilla power was Ali Muhammad, from whom sprang the present line of the Nawabs of Rampur."''
  11. Gommans, Jos J. L.. (1995). "The Rise of the Indo-Afghan Empire: C. 1710-1780". BRILL.
  12. {{cite EB1911
  13. [[#Wa. Wade. p. 136]]
  14. (1996). "Indian Princely Medals: A Record of the Orders, Decorations, and Medals of the Indian Princely States". Lancer Publishers.
  15. (17 January 2024). "Royal House of Rampur awards Nishan-i-Hamidiya and Nishan-i-Iqbal". APN News.
  16. (17 January 2024). "Royal House of Rampur awards knighthoods". Indica News.
  17. [[Ministry of Culture (India)]]. (2022). "Annual Report 2021-22". [[Government of India]].
  18. (1968). "Review of Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in Raza Library, Rampur, Imtiyāż 'Alī 'Arshī; A Descriptive Catalogue of the Fyzee Collection of Ismaili Manuscripts; Descriptive Catalogue of Arabic Manuscripts in Nigeria". Journal of the American Oriental Society.
  19. "Rampur Hound".
  20. (26 March 2013). "Kebabs, kings and other Rampuri tales". MiD DAY.
  21. (30 August 2004). "The Rampuri flavour: The Rampuri food festival at Mascot Hotel takes you on a voyage of discovery". [[The Hindu]].
  22. (22 January 2010). "The culinary cartographer". Mint.
  23. (7 January 2007). "Sharp cuts from the Rampuri !". Business Standard.
  24. (28 August 2005). "Mutton Korma in Rampur". Indian Express.
  25. [[#Wa. Wade. p. 136]]

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princely-states-of-uttar-pradeshrampur-district1774-establishments-in-india1947-disestablishments-in-indiastates-and-territories-established-in-1774states-and-territories-disestablished-in-1947pashtun-dynastiesgun-salute-princely-states