Rajput History Archive > State
Wankaner
The Wankaner was a historic sovereign Rajput principality situated in the historical region of Kingdom of Marwar (Jodhpur), ruled by the Udawat Rathore (Suryavanshi lineage). Established by ancestral Rajput dynasts, the state commanded strategic regional highways and mountain river defiles, with its seat of royal power established at Wankaner Citadel. The rulers maintained sovereign treaties, commanded royal cavalry contingents, and patronized classical temple architecture and miniature painting schools. The state maintained independent internal autonomy throughout the medieval and British colonial eras, formally acceding to the Indian Union between 1947 and 1950.
Detailed Historical Chronicle
The Sovereign Chronicle of the Kingdom of Wankaner: Jhala Citadel of the Machchhu Hills
The Kingdom of Wankaner was an illustrious 11-gun salute princely state nestled amidst the rugged hills of north-central Saurashtra. Founded in 1605 CE by Maharana Raj Sartanji, Wankaner derived its name from the geographic bend (*Vanka*) of the Machchhu River (*Ner*). Ruled by the Makwana Jhala dynasty, Wankaner was celebrated throughout Rajputana for its architectural genius, purebred Kathiawari horses, and chivalric martial defense.
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1. Foundation by Maharana Raj Sartanji (1605 CE) Maharana Raj Sartanji was the eldest son of Raj Chandrasinghji, sovereign ruler of Halvad (Dhrangadhra). Due to palace succession intrigues, Sartanji carved out his own independent principality amidst the strategic hill passes of central Saurashtra. Securing the allegiance of local Kathi and Babria tribes, Sartanji erected stone fortifications along the river bend and consecrated the Kingdom of Wankaner.
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2. Ranjit Vilas Palace: Masterpiece of Rajput-Gothic Architecture The architectural crowning glory of Wankaner was conceived by Maharana Sir Amarsinhji Banesinhji (1881–1948 CE; reigned 1892–1948). Completed in 1907 atop a commanding ridge, the Ranjit Vilas Palace represents one of the finest syntheses of Gothic, Venetian, Mughal, and Rajput styles in India: - Features an Italian marble double-spiral staircase, Dutch gables, a 7-story clock tower, and an authentic European armory housing ancestral Jhala swords and shields. - Houses the famous royal Kathiawari horse breeding stud, preserving the distinctive inward-curving ear tips and stamina of the indigenous Kathiawari warhorse.
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3. Accession to India Maharana Sir Amarsinhji signed the Instrument of Accession in 1948, voluntarily merging Wankaner into the United State of Kathiawar.
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