Some Old Photos of Indian Rulers

Some Old Photos of Indian Rulers

The Begum of Bhopal 1872

Full-length standing studio portrait of Shah Jahan Begum of Bhopal from the 'Lee-Warner Collection: 'Bombay Presidency. William Lee Warner C.S.' taken by Bourne and Shepherd c.1872. Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, was founded in the 11th century by Raja Bhoj of the Paramara dynasty. By the 18th century, it was ruled by the descendants of the Afghan Dost Muhammad Khan. Bhopal was unique among the princely states as it was ruled by a succession of widows; Begum Shah-Jahan (1838-1901) succeeded as Nawab Begum twice, the first time between 1844-1860 and the second time between 1868-1901. Shah-Jahan Begum was known for commencing the construction of the Taj-ul-Masjid mosque in Bhopal and for other public work projects such as subsidising the cost of a railway to be constructed between Hoshangabad and Bhopal. In 1872 she was created a Grand commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India. This portrait appears in J.T.Wheeler's History of the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi (London,1877) .

Sir Mir Mohammad Khan, Khan (ruling chief) of Kalat 1894

Photograph of Sir Mir Mohammad Khan, Khan of Kalat from the 'Wheeler Collection: Portraits of Indian Rulers,' was taken by Frederick Bremner c.1894. Kalat is located in Baluchistan and was established in the middle of the fifteenth century by the Mir Wari clan, an Arab family.

Sir Arjun Singh, Raja of Narsinghgarh 1900

Photograph of of Sir Arjun Singh (1887 - 1924), Raja of Narsinghgarh from the 'Wheeler Collection: Portraits of Indian Rulers,' taken by Herzog and Higgins c.1900. Born in 1887, Singh was appointed as Raja in 1897 at only ten years of age, gaining full ruling powers from the Government of India in 1909.

 

 

Muhammad Hamid-ullah Khan, Nawab of Bhopal 1900

Photo of Muhammad Hamid-ullah Khan, Nawab of Bhopal from the 'Wheeler Collection: Portraits of Indian Rulers,' was taken by an unknown photographer c.1900. Stephen Wheeler, the donor of the collection, was presumably related to J. Talboys Wheeler, organiser of the 1877 durbar and author of 'The History of the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi' (London, [1877]). Bhopal, located in Madhya Pradesh, was founded as a state in 1723 and ruled by the descendants of the Afghan Dost Muhammad Khan. Muhammad Hamid-ullah Khan (1894-1960), succeeded as Nawab of Bhopal in 1926.

 

 

Kesri Singh, Thakur of Piploda 1903

Photograph of Kesri Singh (1872 -1919), Thakur of Piploda from the 'Wheeler Collection: Portraits of Indian Rulers,' was taken by an unknown photographer in 1903. Stephen Wheeler, the donor of the collection, was presumably related to J. Talboys Wheeler, organiser of the 1877 durbar and author of 'The History of the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi' (London, [1877]).

Full-length standing portrait of Kesri Singh, Thakur of Piploda. Piploda, located in Rajasthan, was controlled by the Doria Rajputs and was founded by Shardul Singh in 1547. Kesri Singh, succeeded as chief of Piploda in 1887.

 

 

Sardar Singh, Maharaja of Jodhpur 1900

Photo of Sardar Singh, Maharaja of Jodhpur from the 'Wheeler Collection: Portraits of Indian Rulers,' was taken by Gobindram and Oodeyram c.1900. Stephen Wheeler, the donor of the collection, was presumably related to J. Talboys Wheeler, organiser of the 1877 durbar and author of 'The History of the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi' (London, [1877]).
Jodhpur, ruled by the descendants of the Rathor Rajputs, was founded c.1450. Sardar Singh (1880-1911) succeeded as Maharaja in 1895 at the age of fifteen. Sardar Singh's uncle, Maharaj Pratap Singh and a council of regency assisted him for the first three years until he reached eighteen. Sardar Singh visited Europe in 1901, and is known for his involvement in extending the railway from Jodhpur to Hyderabad.