The Bhonsles of Nagpur: A Maratha Royal House

The Bhonsles of Nagpur, also spelled Bhonsale or Bhosale, were a Maratha royal house that ruled the Nagpur kingdom, one of the great members of the eastern Maratha confederacy in the Vidarbha country of central India. Founded in the eighteenth century under Raghoji I Bhonsle, the Nagpur Bhonsles rose to become a major power, extending their authority over the eastern reaches of the Maratha world from their capital at Nagpur. The kingdom is associated with the Sitabuldi fort and the Bhonsle palace, and its history is bound up with the Anglo-Maratha wars, after which the state eventually lapsed under the British Doctrine of Lapse in 1853. As a leading house of the confederacy described in our guide to the Maratha Empire, and distinct from the Satara and Kolhapur Bhonsle line of Shivaji, the Nagpur Bhonsles hold a notable place in Maratha history; this account keeps to broadly established history where particular dates and details are uncertain.

Key Takeaways

• The Bhonsles of Nagpur, also spelled Bhonsale or Bhosale, were a Maratha royal house of the eastern Maratha confederacy.
• They ruled the Nagpur kingdom in the Vidarbha country of central India, with their capital at Nagpur.
• The house was founded in the eighteenth century under Raghoji I Bhonsle and became a major power.
• The kingdom is associated with the Sitabuldi fort at Nagpur and the Bhonsle palace.
• Defeated in the Anglo-Maratha wars, the state eventually lapsed under the British Doctrine of Lapse in 1853.
• The Nagpur Bhonsles were distinct from the Satara and Kolhapur Bhonsle line of the house of Shivaji.

Read on for the history, culture, and legacy in detail.

Quick Facts

Who Were the Bhonsles of Nagpur?

The Bhonsles of Nagpur were a Maratha royal house that ruled the Nagpur kingdom, one of the leading members of the eastern Maratha confederacy in the Vidarbha country of central India. Also spelled Bhonsale or Bhosale, the house was founded in the eighteenth century under Raghoji I Bhonsle and rose to become a major power, extending its authority over the eastern reaches of the Maratha world. Governing from their capital at Nagpur, the Bhonsle rulers presided over a kingdom that formed a significant part of the wider Maratha confederacy. The house upheld the martial traditions and the political role characteristic of the great Maratha families of the age. It is important to note that the Nagpur Bhonsles were distinct from the Satara and Kolhapur line of the house of Shivaji, though both bore the Bhonsle name. The Bhonsles of Nagpur hold a notable place in the history of the Maratha confederacy and of central India.

Where Was the Nagpur Kingdom Located?

The Nagpur kingdom of the Bhonsles was located in the Vidarbha country of central India, the region around the city of Nagpur that forms the eastern part of the Maratha heartland. This is a land of plains, hills, forests and river valleys in the interior of the subcontinent, lying toward the eastern reaches of the Maratha world and bordering the countries of central and eastern India. The kingdom was centred on its capital at Nagpur, from which the Bhonsle rulers governed their territories. The position of the kingdom in Vidarbha placed it on the eastern flank of the Maratha confederacy, bringing it into contact with the powers and regions to the east. The terrain and setting of the country shaped the life, economy and history of the kingdom. The location of the Nagpur kingdom in the Vidarbha country of central India is central to understanding its role as the eastern member of the great Maratha confederacy.

What Was the Maratha Confederacy, and Where Did Nagpur Fit?

The Maratha confederacy was the loose union of powerful houses that, under the leadership of the Peshwas, extended Maratha power across much of the Indian subcontinent in the eighteenth century, and the Bhonsles of Nagpur were one of its leading members. Alongside other great houses of the confederacy, the Bhonsles governed their own kingdom while sharing in the wider enterprise of Maratha expansion and the politics of the age. The Nagpur Bhonsles formed the eastern member of this confederacy, holding authority over the Vidarbha country and extending their influence toward central and eastern India. Their position gave them a distinctive role on the eastern flank of the Maratha world. The confederacy bound the great houses together in a common, if often rivalrous, enterprise. The place of the Bhonsles within this structure defined their power and their history. The Nagpur house was thus one of the principal pillars of the Maratha confederacy in central India.

Who Was Raghoji I Bhonsle?

Raghoji I Bhonsle is traditionally regarded as the founder of the Nagpur Bhonsle house, the leader under whom the family rose to power in the Vidarbha country in the eighteenth century. A Maratha commander of energy and ability, he established the authority of the house over the Nagpur region and extended its influence toward the eastern reaches of the Maratha world, laying the foundations of the kingdom. He is remembered as the founder-ruler who gave the Nagpur Bhonsles their standing as a major power within the Maratha confederacy. The details of his campaigns and reign belong to the broadly recorded history of the Marathas and are treated with appropriate care. His achievements set the kingdom on its path to prominence under his successors. Raghoji I Bhonsle therefore occupies the honoured place of founder in the history of the Nagpur Bhonsle house. His legacy shaped the rise of the kingdom in central India.

How Did the Nagpur Bhonsle House Rise to Power?

The Nagpur Bhonsle house rose to power in the eighteenth century, when, under Raghoji I Bhonsle and his successors, the family established and extended its authority over the Vidarbha country and the eastern reaches of the Maratha world. Rising amid the expansion of Maratha power across the subcontinent, the Bhonsles built a kingdom centred on Nagpur and extended their influence through war, campaigns and the politics of the confederacy. Their power grew as they asserted authority over their territories and took part in the wider enterprise of the Marathas. The house became one of the great members of the confederacy, holding the eastern flank of the Maratha world. The rise of the Nagpur Bhonsles reflected the dynamism of the Maratha age and the ability of the family. This ascent made Nagpur a major power of central India. The rise of the Bhonsle house is a central chapter in the history of the Maratha confederacy.

Were the Nagpur Bhonsles Related to Shivaji's Line?

The Nagpur Bhonsles bore the same Bhonsle name as the royal house of Shivaji, but they were a distinct line and should not be confused with the Satara and Kolhapur branches that descended from him. The house of Shivaji, the great founder of Maratha power, continued through the royal lines seated at Satara and Kolhapur, while the Bhonsles of Nagpur were a separate family of the same broad Maratha clan who rose to rule their own kingdom in Vidarbha. Both were Maratha houses of the Bhonsle name, sharing in the wider traditions of the Marathas, but they were different ruling lines with their own histories. This distinction is important for understanding the place of the Nagpur house within the Maratha world. The shared name has sometimes caused confusion, which a careful account should avoid. The Nagpur Bhonsles were therefore a distinct royal house, separate from the Satara and Kolhapur line of Shivaji.

What Was the Extent of the Nagpur Kingdom?

The Nagpur kingdom of the Bhonsles extended over the Vidarbha country of central India and reached, at the height of its power, toward the eastern regions bordering central and eastern India. From their capital at Nagpur, the Bhonsle rulers governed a broad territory and extended their influence over neighbouring countries through the campaigns and expansion characteristic of the Maratha age. As the eastern member of the Maratha confederacy, the kingdom held authority over a substantial part of central India and projected its power toward the east. The precise bounds of the kingdom varied over time with the fortunes of war and politics, as was common among the Maratha states, so its extent is best described in general terms. The territory of the kingdom made the Nagpur Bhonsles a major power of the interior. The extent of the Nagpur kingdom reflected the reach of the Maratha confederacy in central and eastern India. It marked the house as one of the great powers of its age.

What Is Sitabuldi Fort?

Sitabuldi fort is a historic fort at Nagpur, the most celebrated fortified landmark associated with the Bhonsle kingdom and the city. Set upon rising ground within Nagpur, the fort commanded the surrounding country and formed part of the strategic and military landscape of the kingdom and the region. It is especially remembered for its association with the conflicts of the Anglo-Maratha wars, in which the area around Nagpur became a scene of contest between the Marathas and the rising British power. The fort stands as a notable monument of the history of the city and the kingdom. Its elevated position gave it strategic importance in the struggles of the age. As a landmark bound up with the fortunes of the Bhonsles and the Marathas, Sitabuldi fort reflects the martial history of Nagpur. The fort remains among the most significant historic sites of the city and a reminder of the age of the Nagpur Bhonsle kingdom.

What Was the Bhonsle Palace at Nagpur?

The Bhonsle palace at Nagpur was the royal residence and seat of the Bhonsle rulers, the ceremonial and administrative centre of the kingdom in its capital. Built in the traditions of the Maratha ruling houses, the palace served as the home of the royal family and the setting for the court life, governance and ceremony of the kingdom. As the principal residence of the Bhonsles, it reflected the status, taste and patronage of the ruling house in the Vidarbha country. The palace was the focus of the royal life of the kingdom, where the affairs of state were conducted and the traditions of the house were maintained. It belonged to the heritage of the Maratha courts of central India. Though the fortunes of the kingdom changed with its fall to the British, the memory of the Bhonsle palace endures as part of the heritage of Nagpur. The palace remains associated with the royal history of the Bhonsle kingdom.

What Role Did Nagpur Play in the Anglo-Maratha Wars?

The Nagpur kingdom played a significant role in the Anglo-Maratha wars, the series of conflicts in which the rising British power contended with the Maratha houses for mastery of the subcontinent. As one of the great members of the Maratha confederacy, the Bhonsles of Nagpur were drawn into these struggles, and the country around their capital, including the area of Sitabuldi fort, became a scene of contest between the Marathas and the British. The outcome of these wars, in which the British prevailed over the Maratha houses, reshaped the political order of central India and reduced the independent power of the confederacy. The Nagpur kingdom, like the other Maratha states, was brought within the framework of British paramountcy in the aftermath. The role of Nagpur in the Anglo-Maratha wars was a decisive chapter in its history. These conflicts marked the decline of the independent power of the Bhonsle kingdom within the wider fall of the Maratha confederacy.

What Was the Doctrine of Lapse, and How Did It End the State?

The Doctrine of Lapse was a policy of the British power in India under which a princely state whose ruler died without a natural heir recognised by the British could be annexed, its separate existence lapsing to the paramount power. Under this policy, the Nagpur kingdom of the Bhonsles was annexed and its state lapsed in 1853, ending the independent existence of the kingdom and bringing its territory under direct British administration. The application of the Doctrine of Lapse to Nagpur was among the notable instances of the policy, which caused resentment and is remembered as a grievance against British rule in the period before the great revolt of the mid-nineteenth century. The end of the Nagpur state marked the close of the Bhonsle kingdom as a separate power. The Doctrine of Lapse was the instrument by which the kingdom came to its end. The lapse of 1853 brought the history of the independent Nagpur Bhonsle kingdom to a close.

What Was the Culture of the Nagpur Court?

The culture of the Nagpur court reflected the traditions of the Maratha ruling houses, blended with the character of the Vidarbha country of central India over which the Bhonsles ruled. The court patronised religion, temples, festivals and the arts, and upheld the customs, ceremony and martial traditions characteristic of the Maratha states of the age. The devotional life of the kingdom, with its temples and observances, held an important place in the culture of the court and the country. As the eastern member of the Maratha confederacy, the kingdom shared in the wider cultural currents of the Maratha world while developing its own regional character in central India. The patronage of the Bhonsle rulers supported the religious and cultural life of the kingdom. This cultural heritage gave Nagpur a distinctive identity within the Maratha world. The culture of the Nagpur court remains part of the heritage of the Bhonsle kingdom and the Vidarbha region.

How Was the Nagpur Kingdom Governed?

The Nagpur kingdom was governed by its Bhonsle rulers through a system that combined the authority of the ruler with the service of ministers, commanders, officials and local functionaries who managed the affairs of the state. At the head stood the Bhonsle ruler, supported by officers responsible for revenue, justice, military affairs and the general administration of the kingdom, in the manner of the Maratha states. The realm comprised the capital at Nagpur and the surrounding country of Vidarbha and the eastern territories, with its communities, villages and towns. Revenue came chiefly from the land and the produce of the country, in keeping with its agrarian character, together with the resources gathered through the campaigns and politics of the Maratha age. The nobility and local chiefs held responsibilities within this structure. This system allowed the Bhonsle house to maintain its rule over the eastern Maratha country. The administration of Nagpur reflected the traditions of a major Maratha kingdom of central India.

What Was the Capital of Nagpur Like?

The capital of the Bhonsle kingdom was the city of Nagpur, in the Vidarbha country of central India, which served as the political, administrative and cultural centre of the state. The city was the seat of the Bhonsle ruling house, with its royal palace, the historic Sitabuldi fort nearby, and the temples, markets and institutions of a Maratha capital. As the centre of the eastern member of the Maratha confederacy, Nagpur was a place of court life, governance, ceremony and commerce. Its setting in the interior of the subcontinent made it a hub of the central Indian country and a meeting point of regions. The heritage of the city reflected the status and patronage of the Bhonsle rulers. As the capital, Nagpur was the focus of the life of the kingdom. The city of Nagpur remains the enduring centre associated with the Bhonsle kingdom, and it has since grown into a major city of central India.

What Were the Bhonsles' Relations with the British?

The relations of the Bhonsles of Nagpur with the British were a central and ultimately decisive strand in the history of the kingdom, moving from contest in the Anglo-Maratha wars to subordination under British paramountcy and finally to annexation. As one of the great Maratha houses, the Bhonsles were drawn into the conflicts in which the rising British power contended with the Maratha confederacy, and after the wars the kingdom was brought within the framework of British paramountcy. The Nagpur rulers managed their position under this paramountcy while retaining their kingdom, until the application of the Doctrine of Lapse ended the state in 1853. The dealings of the Bhonsles with the British thus traced the arc from independent power to annexation. These relations reflected the wider fall of the Maratha confederacy before the British. The relations of the Nagpur Bhonsles with the British form the concluding chapter in the history of the independent kingdom.

The Bhonsles of Nagpur Today

The Bhonsles of Nagpur are remembered today chiefly through the heritage of their kingdom in the Vidarbha country, above all the historic Sitabuldi fort and the association of the city of Nagpur with the Bhonsle royal house. The historic sites, temples and traditions linked to the kingdom draw interest from those who study the history of the Marathas and central India. The memory of the Nagpur Bhonsles endures as that of one of the great houses of the eastern Maratha confederacy, founded by Raghoji I Bhonsle and ended by the Doctrine of Lapse in 1853. Their distinction from the Satara and Kolhapur line of Shivaji remains an important point in understanding the Maratha world. For readers of Indian history, the Nagpur Bhonsles offer a vivid example of a major Maratha kingdom of central India. Their legacy endures in the heritage of Nagpur and in the history of the Maratha confederacy in the Vidarbha country.

Sources & Further Reading

• Archaeological Survey of India (asi.nic.in).
• Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra (maharashtratourism.gov.in).
• Ministry of Culture, Government of India (indiaculture.gov.in).

Frequently Asked Questions

Who were the Bhonsles of Nagpur?

The Bhonsles of Nagpur, also spelled Bhonsale or Bhosale, were a Maratha royal house that ruled the Nagpur kingdom in the eastern Maratha confederacy, in the Vidarbha country of central India. Founded in the eighteenth century under Raghoji I Bhonsle, they became a major power with their capital at Nagpur.

Who founded the Nagpur Bhonsle kingdom?

The Nagpur Bhonsle house was founded under Raghoji I Bhonsle, a Maratha commander who established and extended the authority of the family over the Vidarbha country in the eighteenth century. He is remembered as the founder-ruler who gave the house its standing as a major power of the Maratha confederacy.

Were the Nagpur Bhonsles related to Shivaji's line?

The Nagpur Bhonsles bore the same Bhonsle name as the royal house of Shivaji but were a distinct line, separate from the Satara and Kolhapur branches that descended from him. Both were Maratha houses of the Bhonsle name, but they were different ruling families with their own histories.

How did the Nagpur kingdom come to an end?

The Nagpur kingdom was weakened by defeat in the Anglo-Maratha wars and brought within British paramountcy, and its state eventually lapsed under the British Doctrine of Lapse in 1853. Under this policy the kingdom was annexed and its separate existence came to an end.

What is Sitabuldi fort?

Sitabuldi fort is a historic fort on rising ground at Nagpur, the most celebrated fortified landmark associated with the Bhonsle kingdom. It is especially remembered for its association with the conflicts of the Anglo-Maratha wars and remains among the most significant historic sites of the city.

What was the Doctrine of Lapse?

The Doctrine of Lapse was a British policy under which a princely state whose ruler died without a recognised natural heir could be annexed, its existence lapsing to the paramount power. It was applied to the Nagpur kingdom in 1853, ending the independent Bhonsle state.