| Conventional Long Name: | Kingdom of Amber |
| Common Name: | Jaipur |
| Government Type: | Monarchy (1028–1818; 1947–1949) Princely state (1818–1947) |
| Status: |
|
| Year Start: | 1128 |
| Event End: | Acceded to India |
| Year End: | 1949 |
| P1: | Khoh |
| S1: | Dominion of India |
| Flag S1: | Flag of India.svg |
| Flag Border: | no |
| Flag Type: | Flag |
| Image Map Caption: | Jaipur State within Rajputana, in the Imperial Gazetteer of India (1909) |
| Capital: | |
| Common Languages: | Dhundari, Hindi |
| Currency: | Indian Rupee |
| Leader1: | Dulha Rai (first) |
| Leader2: | Man Singh II (last) |
| Year Leader1: | 1128-1133 |
| Year Leader2: | 1922–1949 |
| Title Leader: | Maharaja Sawai |
| Today: | Rajasthan, Republic of India |
The Kingdom of Amber, later known as the Jaipur State and also the Kingdom of Jaipur, was located in the north-eastern historic Dhundhar region of Rajputana and was ruled by the Kachwaha Rajput clan. It was established by Dulha Rai, possibly the last ruler of the Kachchhapaghata dynasty of Gwalior who migrated to Dausa and started his kingdom there with the support of Chahamanas of Shakambhari in the 12th century. Mostly through 12th to 15th century, the kingdom faced stagnation, sources were scarce. Under its ruler, Raja Chandrasen of Amber became a Sisodia vassal and fought in the Battle of Khanwa under Raja Prithviraj Kachhwaha.
Under Raja Bharmal, the kingdom heavily aligned with the Mughals and he even married his daughter to Akbar. His son and grandson Raja Bhagwant Das and Raja Man Singh I were leading generals in Akbar's army and helped him in expanding the empire. Mirza Raja Jai Singh I served under Shah Jahan and became a distinguished general. He fell out of Aurangzeb's favor when he was suspected of helping Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj escape from Mughal captivity in 1664. Sawai Jai Singh II became the ruler during the decline of the Mughal Empire. He successfully rebelled against the Mughals in 1708 to regain his confiscated kingdom. After Jai Singh's death, the kingdom was drained of its resources during the civil war amongst his sons Ishwari Singh and Madho Singh I and the Marathas caused the Kingdom to fall into economic downturn.
It became a Princely State under the English East India Company rule after signing a treaty creating a subsidiary alliance with the Company in the year 1818, after the Third Anglo-Maratha War. It acceded to the independent India in 1947 and was integrated into India by 1949. Upon integration, the ruler was granted a pension (privy purse), certain privileges, and the use of the title "Maharaja of Jaipur" by the Government of India. However, the pension, privileges, and the use of the title were ended in 1971 by the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India.[1]
The Kachwaha Rajputs claim descent from Kusha, son of the legendary Rama. Their ancestors allegedly migrated from Rama's kingdom of Kosala and established a new dynasty at Gwalior.[2] After 33 generations, they migrated to Rajputana in 1128 AD.[3]
Some historians associate Dulha Rao, the founder of the Jaipur Kachhwaha lineage, with the Kachchhapaghata dynasty that ruled over a part of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in 10th century. It is possible that Dulha Rao descended from the Narwar branch of this dynasty. V. S. Bhargava associates Dulha with the successor of the last ruler of the Narwar branch, Tejaskaran.
According to Jadunath Sarkar, Dulha's grandfather Ishwar Singh, the ruler of Narwar, renounced his throne and divided his estate among his younger brother and his nephew and travelled North of Chambal to live a life of religious recluse. After his death, his son Sodo crowned himself king again but soon died and was succeeded by his son Dulha who built support for his cause and soon received the fort of Dausa in dowry from the Chauhans of Lalsot. M. L. Sharma suggests that Dulha was placed in Dausa particularly to help fight the Bargujar chief who partly controlled the city. Dulha Rao soon defeated the Meenas of Khoh and Manchi and later completed the conquest of Dhundhar by defeating the Bargurjar after which he was granted the captured land by the Chauhans.[4] Dulha chose Khoh as his capital after Dausa.
Dulha's successor, Kakil captured Amber from the Meenas and laid foundation of the future capital.[5] [6] But some sources attribute the change of capital from Khoh to Ambar to Rajdeo who was the third in succession after Pajawan.[7] [8] [9] The early rulers of Dhundar may have been feudatories of the Chahamanas of Shakambhari as its ruler Pajjun is referred as such in the Prithviraj Raso. Pajjun's successor Malesi consolidated power in Dhundar by marrying into neighboring regions and also may have defeated the ruler of Mandu in the battle of Rutroli. Udaikaran ascended to the throne in 1367. He defeated the Khyam-Khanis to secure Dhundar as a Kachhwaha territory.
Under Rai Chandrasen in the 15th century, Kachhwahas were defeated by Kumbha of Mewar and he extracted tribute from Dhundar. Chandrasen was succeeded by Prithviraj Singh in 1503. Rima Hooja explains that the relation between Prithviraj and Sanga was not exactly a feudal-chief relation in modern understanding but closer to a junior ally. Prithviraj joined the Rajput Confederacy of 1527 led by Rana Sanga against Babur and fought in the Battle of Khanwa in which they were defeated. He, along with Maldeo Rathore, rescued Rana Sanga from the battlefield of Khanwa in 1527.[10] Rana Sanga was poisoned by his nobles two months after the battle for insisting to continue fighting a lost war and Prithviraj died in November of the same year. V. S. Bhatnagar suggests that the death of Prithviraj may have been similar to Sanga's as his multiple nobles readily joined the Mughals soon after his death.[11]
He was succeeded by his preferred son Puranmal, son of his favorite wife. Eventually, Humayun assisted Puranmal achieve stability. Puranmal could only rule for 7 years. According to conflicting sources, he either died fighting for or against Humayu's brother Hindal Mirza or was overthrown by his brother Bhim Singh. Bhim Singh was quickly succeeded by his son Ratan Singh in 1537. During his reign, Sher Shah Suri invaded Rajputana and established control over Mewar and Marwar. Ratan Singh also accepted Suri suzerainty. During his reign, his uncle and son of Prithviraj, Sanga captured a part of territory and called it Sanganer where he was succeeded by his brother Bharmal. Ratan Singh was incompetent and was not able to control the actions of his uncles. Ratan Singh was poisoned by his half-brother Askaran but he was quickly deposed by the nobles who placed Bharmal on the throne.
Bharmal had to initially deal with Sur general Haji Khan Pathan but was able to make peace with him. Soon, governor of Mewat, Mirza Muhammad Sharif-ud-din Hussain, who supported the cause of the son of Puranmal, Suja attacked Amber in 1558. Bharmal surrendered to Sharif-ud-din and also had to give up his son and nephews as hostages.
Feeling insecure after Sharif-ud-din's treaty, Bharmal, through his brother Rupsi, arranged a meeting with Mughal Emperor Akbar at Sanganer where they met in 1562. Here, Bharmal offered his daughter as claimed by many historians but it’s not true as the lady who was married to Akbar was a worker’s daughter in the court. The marriage took place in the same year in Sambhar. Bharmal's sons Bhagwant Das and Jagannath along with his grandson Man Singh were inducted into the Imperial court. The Kachhwaha princes in the Mughal court proved very vital because of their administrative and military skills and the Kachhwahas rose in prominence.