| Conventional Long Name: | Dholpur State |
| Common Name: | Dholpur |
| Nation: | British India |
| Subdivision: | Princely State |
| Government Type: | Sovereign monarchy (1806–1818) Princely state (1818–1947) Constitutional monarchy (1947–1949) |
| Year Start: | 1806 |
| Year End: | 1949 |
| Event End: | Independence of India |
| Title Leader: | Maharaj Rana |
| Leader1: | Kirat Singh (first) |
| Leader2: | Udaybhanu Singh (last) |
| Year Leader1: | 1806–1835 |
| Year Leader2: | 1911–1949 |
| Capital: | Dholpur |
| P1: | Maratha Empire |
| S1: | Matsya Union |
| Flag P1: | Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg |
| Flag S1: | Flag of India.svg |
| Image Map Caption: | Dholpur State in the Imperial Gazetteer of India |
| Stat Area1: | 3038 |
| Stat Year1: | 1901 |
| Stat Pop1: | 250,000 |
| Today: | India Rajasthan |
Dhaulpur State or Dholpur State, historically known as the Kingdom of Dholpur, was a kingdom of eastern Rajasthan, India, which was founded in AD 1806 by a Jat ruler Rana Kirat Singh of Gohad.[1] [2] [3] After 1818, the state was placed under the authority of British India's Rajputana Agency. The Ranas ruled the state until the independence of India in 1947, when the kingdom was merged with the Union of India.
The princely state of Dholpur was located in the present-day state of Rajasthan. The state only had an area of 3038km2, and an estimated revenue of Rs. 9,60,000.[4]
The former chief minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje, was a member of the erstwhile ruling family of Dholpur as she was married to Maharaja Hemant Singh before getting divorced.
Very little is known of the early history of the state. According to tradition, a predecessor state was established as Dhavalapura. In 1505, neighboring Gohad State of Rana Jats was founded and between 1740 and 1756 Gohad occupied Gwalior Fort. From 1761 to 1775 Dholpur was annexed to Bharatpur State and between 1782 and December 1805 Dholpur was again annexed by Gwalior. On 10 January 1806 Dholpur became a British protectorate and in the same year the ruler of Gohad merged Gohad into Dholpur.[5]
The last ruler of Dholpur signed the instrument of accession to the Indian Union on 7 April 1949 and the state was merged in Matsya Union.[6]
The rulers of the state were Jats and were styled Maharaja Rana from 1806 onwards.[7] They were entitled to a 15-gun salute.
Rana Dushyant Singh is a titular Maharaja of Dholpur and presently a four-time Member of Parliament
The descendants of Maharaj Udai Bhan Singh and Maharaj Nihal Singh are still carrying on their family legacy.
