Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

The influential Maharaja of Jaipur who sought to establish dominance over Rajputana.

Detailed Historical Chronicle

Historical Profile: Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

Quick Facts - Reign: 5 March 1699 – 18 November 1727 - Coronation: 5 March 1699 (first) 25 January 1700 (second) - Predecessor: Bishan Singh - Successor: Ishwari Singh of Jaipur - Reign: 18 November 1727 – 21 September 1743 - Successor: Ishwari Singh - Reign: 25 October 1732 – 24 December 1737 - Emperor: Muhammad Shah - Predecessor: Muhammad Khan Bangash - Successor: Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I - Born: Kunwar Vijay Singh(1688-11-03)3 November 1688Kharwa, Ajmer Subah, Mughal Empire - Died: 21 September 1743(1743-09-21) (aged 54)Jaipur, Jaipur State, Rajputana - Burial: Royal Crematorium at Gaitore, Jaipur, Rajasthan - Spouse: .mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}Gaurji Kesar Kanwarji of Sheopur in MalwaKhichanji Sukh Kanwarji of Raghogarh-Vijaypur in MalwaRanawatji Chandra Kanwarji of MewarRathorji Suraj Kanwarji of MarwarRathorji Anand Kanwarji of KishangarhSisodiniji Phool Kanwarji of Banera in MewarChundawatji Amrit Kanwarji of Devgarh in MewarJadonji Indra Kanwarji of KarauliHadiji Umaid Kanwarji of BundiHadiji of KotaRathorji Chandan Kanwarji of Bandanwara in AjmerRathorji Bakht Kanwarji of Amjhera in MalwaTanwarji Laad Kanwarji of Lakhasar in BikanerRathorji of Pisangan in MarwarSolankiniji Gulab Kanwarji of Aligarh in Tonk - Issue: Sons Shiv SinghIshwari SinghMadho Singh Daughters Vichitra Kanwarji m. to Maharaja Abhay Singh of Kingdom of MarwarKishan Kanwarji m. to Rao Dalel Singh of Bundi State - NamesRegnal name: NamesSawai Raja Jai SinghRegnal nameJai Singh IISawai Raja Jai SinghJai Singh II - Dynasty: Kachhwaha - Father: Bishan Singh - Mother: Rathorji Indra Kanwarji d. of Rao Kesari Singh of Kharwa in Ajmer - Religion: Hinduism

Origins & Lineage Sawai Jai Singh II (3 November 1688 – 21 September 1743), was the 30th Kachwaha Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Amber, who later founded the fortified city of Jaipur and made it his capital. Nonetheless, in the name of the friendship between their royal ancestors, Jai Singh II, was able to appeal to Shahu to restore to the imperialist, the great fortress of Mandu which the Marathas had occupied a few weeks earlier (order date 19 March 1730). These half-successful attempts only stiffened the backs of the other Rajput clans, who turned to the Marathas for aid, consequently hastening that state's domination over Rajasthan. Merchants from all over India settled down in the relative safety of this rich city, protected by thick walls and a garrison of 17,000 (including adequate artillery).

Major Achievements Road, Delhi 110 032

Contents

Foreword by Rajmata Gayatri Devi
Preface

Editor's Note

List of Abbreviations
The Land, Its Features and Produce

The People

The Early Kachhwa Kings

How Akbar Won the Kachhwas Over

Akbar’s Wars Against the Maharana of Mewar
The Kachhwas as Wardens of the North-Western
Frontier

Man Singh in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and the
Deccan

Interlude and Mirza Raja Jai Singh (First Phase):
1614-1637

Jai Singh in the War of Mughal Succession

Jai Singh and Shivaji

The Last Campaign and Death of Jai Singh I
Ram Singh and Bishan Singh, 1667-1700
Sawai Jai Singh’s Early Career

Sawai Jai Singh’s Dealings with the Marathas
Sawai Jai Singh and Rajputana

Sawai Jai Singh’s City and Observatory

Sawai Jai Singh’s Achievement and Character

Ishwari Singh, 1743-1750

Sawai Madho Singh, 1751-1768

The Jaipur State and the Imperial Delhi

Government, 1778-1785

Mahadji Sindhia Invades Jaipur: the Lalsot Cam-

paign, 1786-1787

The Last Rajput Struggle against the Marathas:

the Battle of Patan, 1790

The Last Years of Sawai Pratap Singh,

1791-1803

The British Alliance

The Last Days of the Ancient Regime in Jaipur

The Reign of Ram Singh Il: The First Half

The Reign of Ram Singh Il: An Era of Progress

Sawai Madho Singh Il

Sawai Man Singh Il: Education and Share in

Administration

Jaipur Administrative Activities Today

Plates

Appendices

1. He received the title of "Maharaja Sawai, Raj Rajeshwar, Shri Rajadhiraj " in the year 1723 which happened to be the reign of later Mughals under emperor Muhammad Shah; this was in addition to the title of "Saramad-i-Raja-i-Hindustan", conferred on him on 21 April 1721. In the later part of his life Sawai Jai Singh broke free from Mughal hegemony, and to assert his sovereignty, performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice, an ancient rite that had been abandoned for several centuries. He moved his kingdom's capital from the town of Amber to the newly established walled city of Jaipur in 1727 and performed two Ashwamedha sacrifices, one in 1734, and again in 1741.

Conflicts & Wars His feat of arms at the siege of Khelna (1702) was rewarded with the mere restoration of his earlier rank and the title of Sawai (meaning one and a quarter, i.e., more capable than one man). In Jai Singh's first viceroyalty (subahdar) of Malwa (1714–1717), isolated Maratha war-bands that entered the province from the south (Deccan) were constantly defeated and repulsed by Jai Singh. According to an estimate by Jadunath Sarkar, Jai Singh's regular army did not exceed 40,000 men, which would have cost about 60 lakhs a year, but his strength lay in the large number of artillery and copious supply of munitions which he was careful to maintain and his rule of arming his foot with matchlocks instead of the traditional Rajput sword and shield - He had the wisdom to recognize early the change which firearms had introduced in Indian warfare and to prepare for himself for the new war by raising the fire-power of his army to the maximum,[clarification needed] he thus anticipated the success of later Indian rulers like Mirza Najaf Khan, Mahadji Sindhia and Tipu Sultan. His feat of arms at the siege of Khelna (1702) was rewarded with the mere restoration of his earlier rank and the title of Sawai (meaning one and a quarter, i.e., more capable than one man).

Legacy & Significance By May, Jai Singh was recalled back to Rajputana to attend more pressing matters, which thus resulted in his two years disassociation from Malwa.[citation needed] In 1732, Jai Singh was for the last time, appointed Subahdar of Malwa (1732–1737), during which time he petitioned Muhammad Shah to compromise with the Marathas under Shahu, who remembered the positive relationship between the late Jai Singh I and his own grandfather, Shivaji. According to an estimate by Jadunath Sarkar, Jai Singh's regular army did not exceed 40,000 men, which would have cost about 60 lakhs a year, but his strength lay in the large number of artillery and copious supply of munitions which he was careful to maintain and his rule of arming his foot with matchlocks instead of the traditional Rajput sword and shield - He had the wisdom to recognize early the change which firearms had introduced in Indian warfare and to prepare for himself for the new war by raising the fire-power of his army to the maximum,[clarification needed] he thus anticipated the success of later Indian rulers like Mirza Najaf Khan, Mahadji Sindhia and Tipu Sultan. For these multiple achievements, Jai Singh II is remembered as the most enlightened king of 18th-century India even to this date. By May, Jai Singh was recalled back to Rajputana to attend more pressing matters, which thus resulted in his two years disassociation from Malwa.[citation needed] In 1732, Jai Singh was for the last time, appointed Subahdar of Malwa (1732–1737), during which time he petitioned Muhammad Shah to compromise with the Marathas under Shahu, who remembered the positive relationship between the late Jai Singh I and his own grandfather, Shivaji.