List of Manipuri kings explained

List of Monarchs that ruled the Kingdom of Manipur (present state of Manipur in northeast India) have been recorded in Court Chronicles of the Kings of Manipur (Cheitharol Kumbaba)^[1] .The Kingdom of Kangleipak with written constitution was established in 1110 CE by Loiyumba, ruler of Kangleipak State who incorporated most neighboring principalities.^[2] The Kangleipak kings expanded their territory, reaching their zenith under king Khagemba (1597–1652 CE). In 1714, a king named Pamheiba adopted Hinduism. He adopted the name Gharib Nawaz, and in 1724 renamed the kingdom as Manipur (Sanskrit for "abode of jewels"). Manipur was conquered by Burma in 1819 CE, and became a Princely State within the British Raj in 1825 CE till 1947 CE.^[3]

On 11 August 1947 CE, Maharajah of Manipur Bodhchandra Singh signed the Instrument of Accession^[4] agreeing to accede defense, communication and external affairs to Union of India on the assurance of autonomy of Manipur and further signed a merger agreement in October 1949 which is disputed to be an agreement made under duress.^[5] It then became a part C state of the Republic of India in 1949 which is further upgraded to union territory in 1956 and a full fledged state in 1972.^[6]

Ancient Rulers

See main article: Cheitharol Kumbaba.

The most important source of ancient history and rulers of Manipur are mentioned in the "Royal Chronicle", written in the 19th century.^[7]

List of ancient rulers of Manipur-^[8]

Khapa-Nganpa Salai clan rulers

• Taangja Leelaa Paakhangba (1445–1405 BCE)
• Ningthou Kangba (1405–1359 BCE)
• Maria Fambaalchaa (1359–1329 BCE)
• Ningthou Kaksuba (1329–1297 BCE)
• Ningthou Tonkonba (1297–1276 BCE)
• Ningthou Pottingkoi (1276–1251 BCE)
• Ningthou Laanbicha (1251–1229 BCE)
• Ningthou Sapaiba (1229–1209 BCE)
• Ningthou Puthiba (1209–1199 BCE)

Great Historical GapGreat Historical Gap was lasted from 1199 to 44 BCE for a time period of 1155 years, According to Meitei epoch, it's time period was 199–1354.Known rulers of Great Historical Gap are:

• Koilou Nongtailen Pakhangpa (934 BCE)
• Khoiyum Ingouba
• Khing Khing Laangba
• Ngaangjeng Leitakpa
• Khing Khing Ngaangba
• Sana Manik
• Toukai Ngamba
• Tingkoi Ngamba
• Korou Nongdren Paakhangba
• Sentreng (and Kuptreng the elder)
• Mechi Sanaa
• Khuman Lalheiba
• Ahong Ningthou Haanba
• Ninghthou Kaangba
• Lamyaingamba

Continuity of ancient lineage:

• Samlungpha (44–34 BCE)
• Chingkhong Poireiton (34–18 BCE)
• Singtabung (18–8 BCE)
• Paangminnaba (8–1 BCE)

Luwang Salai clan rulers

• Luwang Khunthipa (1–5 CE)
• Luwang Punshipa (5–33 CE)

Ningthouja (Mangang) dynasty (33 – 1819 CE)

See main article: Ningthouja dynasty and Mangang.

The "Cheitharol Kumbaba" begins with Nongda Lairen Pakhangba (Ningthouja dynasty).

• Nongdā Lāiren Pākhangba (33–154 CE), founder of dynasty
• Khuiyoi Tompok (154–264 CE)
• Taothingmang (264–364 CE)
• Khui Ningonba (364–379 CE)
• Pengsipa (379–394 CE)
• Kaokhangpa (394–411 CE)
• Naokhampa (411–428 CE)
• Naophangpa (428–518 CE)
• Sameilang (518–568 CE)
• Urakonthoupa (568–658 CE)
• Naothingkhon (663–763 CE)
• Khongtekcha (763–773 CE)
• Keilencha (784–799 CE)
• Yalaba (799–821 CE)
• Ayangpa (821–910 CE)
• Ningthoucheng (910–949 CE)
• Chenglei-Ipan-Lanthapa (949–969 CE)
• Keiphaba Yanglon (969–984 CE)
• Irengba (984–1074 CE)
• Loiyumba (1074–1122 CE), he provided the Meetei kingdom with a written constitution which is known as the Loiyumpa Silyel (Loiyumba Sinyen).^[9]
• Loitongpa (1122–1150 CE)
• Atom Yoilempa (1150–1163 CE)
• Iyanthapa (1163–1195 CE)
• Thayanthapa (1195–1231 CE)
• Chingthang Lanthapa (1231–1242 CE)
• Thingpai Shelhongpa (1242–1247 CE)
• Pulanthapa (1247–1263 CE)
• Khumompa (1263–1278 CE)
• Moilampa (1278–1302 CE)
• Thangpi Lanthapa (1302–1324 CE)
• Kongyampa (1324–1335 CE)
• Telheipa (1335–1355 CE)
• Tonapa (1355–1359 CE)
• Tapungpa (1359–1394 CE)
• Lailenpa (1394–1399 CE)
• Punsipa (1404–1432 CE)
• Ningthoukhompa (1432–1467 CE)
• Senpi Kiyampa (1467–1508 CE)
• Koilempa (1508–1512 CE)
• Lamkhyampa (1512–1523 CE)
• Nonginphapa (1523–1524 CE)
• Kapompa (1524–1542 CE)
• Tangchampa (1542–1545 CE)
• Chalampa (1545–1562 CE)
• Mungyampa (1562–1597 CE)
• Khagemba(1597–1652 CE)
• Khunchaopa (1652–1666 CE)
• Paikhompa (1666–1697 CE)
• Pitambar Charairongba (1697–1709 CE)
• Gharib Nawaz (Ningthem Pamheipa) (1709–1754 CE), adopted name of Manipur
• Chitsai (1754–1756 CE)
• Gaurisiam (1756–1763 CE)
• Ching-Thang Khomba (Bhagya Chandra) (1764–1798 CE)
• Rohinchandra (Harshachandra Singh) (1798–1801 CE)
• Maduchandra Singh (1801–1806 CE)
• Charajit Singh (1806–1812 CE)
• Marjit Singh (1812–1819 CE), brother of Charajit & came to power with Burmese support

Burmese rule in Manipur (1819 – 1825 CE)

See main article: Burmese invasions of Assam.

There were two feudatory kings during the time of the Burmese invasions.

Rulers-

• Raja Shubol (1819–1823 CE)
• Raja Pitambara Singh (1823–1825 CE)

Princely State of Manipur (1825 – 1947 CE)

See main article: Manipur (princely state).

Rajas-

• Gambhir Singh (Chinglen Nongdrenkhomba) (1825–1834 CE), restored after the First Anglo-Burmese War
• Regency for Chandrakirti Singh (1834–1850 CE)
• Nara Singh (1844–1850 CE), son of Bhadra Singh
• Debendro Singh (1850 CE), brother of Nara Singh
• Chandrakirti Singh (1850–1886 CE), son of Gambhir Singh
• Surchandra Singh (1886–1890 CE)
• Kulachandra Singh (1890–1891 CE)
• Churachand Singh (1891–1918 CE)

Maharajas-

• Churachand Singh (1918–1941 CE)
• Bodhchandra Singh (1941–1947 CE), last ruler of Manipur (princely state)

Dominion of India and Republic of India

Sovereign State of Manipur

• Bodhchandra Singh (1947–1949 CE), last official ruler of Manipur^[10]

Titular Rulers

• Bodhchandra Singh (1949–1955 CE)
• Pareihanba Okendro (1955–1976 CE)
• Leishemba Sanajaoba (1976–present)

See also

• Manipur
• History of Manipur
• Manipur (princely state)
• Meitei people
• Meitei calendar
• Hinduism in Manipur
• History of India
• List of Indian monarchs

External links

• Web site: A Brief history of the Meiteis of Manipur. nigombam. macks. themanipurpage.tripod.com.
• Web site: Titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba Archives - The Sangai Express. The Sangai Express. en-US. 2017-04-13.
• History of Manipur:The Medieval Period - IIT Guwahati
• Manipur and the mainstream by N. Tombi Singh
• The court chronicles of the kings of Manipur - Cheitharol Kumpapa

Notes and References

1. Book: The court chronicle of the kings of Manipur : the Cheitharon kumpapa : original text, translation, and notes. 2005. Routledge. Parratt, Saroj Nalini.. 0-203-44427-2. London. 252763470.
2. Phanjoubam Tarapot, Bleeding Manipur, Har Anand Publications (30 July 2007)
3. Book: Mukherjee, Kunal. Race, Ethnicity and Religion in Conflict Across Asia. 2021-02-28. Taylor & Francis. 978-1-000-37161-1. en.
4. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Instrument_of_Accession_and_Standstill_Agreement_of_Manipur_to_Dominion_of_India.pdf
5. Book: Subramanian, K. S.. State, Policy and Conflicts in Northeast India. 2015-10-05. Routledge. 978-1-317-39650-5. en.
6. Book: Roy, Kaushik. Unconventional Warfare in South Asia, 1947 to the Present. 2017-03-02. Routledge. 978-1-351-87709-1. en.
7. "The manuscripts collected by W. Yumjao Singh consist of literary, historical, astronomical, astrological and miscellaneous other works of which mention may be made of Cheitharon Kumbaba, the Ningthourol Shingkak, the Poireiton Khunthokpa, Dharani Samhita, Srimat Bhagabat. "The Cheitharol Kumbaba or the royal chronicle has been the most valuable for historical investigations, as it professes to record all the important daily transactions and occurrences of the State... By orders of Jai Singh this book was rewritten as the former copy was no more available then". "The Nigthourol Shingkak is a work written in the way of prediction. It professes to predict all important events that would happen from the time of Khagemba downward. It, therefore, professes to be a work of the early 17th century. It is an anonymous work, and in this book, we see for the first time Gharib Niwaz's having had some Naga connection in his childhood." Jyotirmoy Roy, History Of Manipur, 1958, p. 8.
8. https://themanipurpage.tripod.com/history/meiteikings.html#Great%20Historical%20Gap%20%201199-44%20B.C%20%20199-1354/articleshow/ The Chronicle of the Meitei Kings of Manipur
9. KSHETRIMAYUM. JOGENDRO. 2009. Shooting the Sun: A Study of Death and Protest in Manipur. Economic and Political Weekly. 44. 40. 48–54. 25663656 . Loiyamba Shinyen (ls), considered the first writ ten constitution of Manipur (Kabui 1988; Naorem 1988). Dated to 1110 ad, it was written during the reign of Loiyamba or Loiyumba. 0012-9976.
10. Web site: Biography of His Highness Maharaja Bodhachandra Last King of Manipur Part 1. e-pao.net. 2019-12-02.