Information

Dynasty	Bhonsle
State	Central Provinces
Area	217,560 km²
Annexation	11th December 1853
Villages	6
Hindi Name	नागपुर
Last Updated	19th April 2025

Present Head/Ruler

The Raja Bahadur of Deor.

Short History

The city of Nagpur was founded in 1702 by the Gond King, Raja Bakht Buland Shah of Devagad, on the banks of the Nag River, hence its name. He founded the city by joining 12 small hamlets formerly known as Rajapur Baraasa or Barasa. His successor, Raja Chand Sultan, further developed the city. However, on his death in 1742 (or 1739), disputes arose over his succession, and his widow sought the aid of the Maratha leader Raghoji Bhonsle, who was governing Berar on behalf of the Maratha Peshwa.

Raghoji intervened again in 1743, but this time he retained Nagpur, and it became his capital. The Bhonsle family were originally headmen from Deora, a village in Satara District. Raghoji’s grandfather and his two brothers had fought in the armies of Shivaji, and the most distinguished among them was entrusted with a high military command and the collection of chauth (tribute) in Berar.

In 1853, on the death of Raghoji III, the state lapsed due to the failure of heirs and was annexed to British India. After annexation, the family received pensions totaling 203,000 Rs yearly. The Nagpur province, which consisted of the present Nagpur region, Chhindwara, and Chhattisgarh, was administered by a commissioner under the central government from 1853 to 1861. It then became part of the Central Provinces, ruled by a British governor, with Nagpur as its capital.

Predecessors

• Maharaja Chhatrapati RAGHUJI BHONSLE I, 1^st Maharaja of Nagpur 1734/1755, he was bold and decisive in action, twice his armies invaded Bengal, and he obtained the cession of Cuttack. In addition, Chanda, Chhattisgarh, and Sambalpur were added to his dominions between 1745 and 1755, the year of his death; he married and had issue. He died 14^th February 1755 at Nagpur.
  • Maharaja Chhatrapati Janoji Bhonsle (qv)
  • Maharaja Chhatrapati Madhoji Raghunathrao Bhonsle I (qv)
  • Maharajkumar Bimbaji Bhonsle
  • Maharajkumar Sabhaji Bhonsle, died in battle, 26^th January 1775.
• Maharaja Chhatrapati JANOJI BHONSLE, 2^nd Maharaja of Nagpur 1755/1773, he took part in the wars between the Peshwa and the Nizam of Hyderabad, and after he had in turn betrayed both of them, they united against him and sacked and burnt Nagpur in 1765; married Maharani Darya Bai, and had adoptive issue. He died sp on 21^st May 1773.
  • (A) Maharaja Chhatrapati Raghoji Bhonsle II (qv)
• Maharaja Chhatrapati MADHOJI RAGHUNATHRAO BHONSLE I, 3^rd Maharaja of Nagpur 1773/1788 (Regent), Senadhurandhar, fought for the succession with his brother, until the battlefield of Panchgaon, and succeeded to the regency on behalf of his infant son Raghoji II who was Janoji’s adopted heir. In 1785 Mandla and the upper Narmada valley were added to the Nagpur dominions by treaty with the Peshwa; married and had issue. He died 19^th May 1788 at Nagpur.
  • Maharaja Chhatrapati Raghoji Bhonsle II (qv)
  • Maharajkumar Vyankoji Bhonsle [Manyabapu], Senadhurandhar, married and had issue. He died 1811 at Kasi.
    • Maharaja Chhatrapati Madhoji Appasaheb Bhonsle II (qv)
  • Maharajkumar Chimnaji Bhonsle, died 1789.
  • Maharajkumar Lachman Dada
• Maharaja Senasaheb Subha Chhatrapati RAGHOJI BHONSLE II, 4^th Maharaja of Nagpur 1788/1816, Senasaheb Subha [cr.1775], his predecessor had courted the favor of the British East India Company, and this policy was continued for some time by Raghoji II, who acquired Hoshangabad and the lower Narmada valley, in 1803 he united with Daulatrao Scindia of Gwalior against the British, but the two leaders were decisively defeated at the battles of Assaye and Argaon, and, by the Treaty of Deogaon of that year, Raghoji ceded Cuttack, southern Berar, and Sambalpur to the British, although Sambalpur was not relinquished until 1806; he married (amongst others), Maharani Baka Bai, died 7^th September 1858 at Nagpur, aged 77 years, having received a pension of 120,000Rs, and had issue, as well as further issue. He died 22^nd March 1816.
  • Maharaja Chhatrapati Parsoji Raghoji Bhonsle (qv)
  • Maharajkumari Banu Bai, married and had issue.
    • Maharaja Chhatrapati Raghoji Bapusaheb Bhonsle III (qv)
  • Maharajkumar Dharmaji Bhonsle (natural son), murdered 5^th May 1816.
• Maharaja Senasaheb Subha Chhatrapati PARSOJI BHONSLE, 5^th Maharaja of Nagpur 1816/1817, born 1778, killed by Madhoji II on 2^nd February 1817.
• Maharaja Senasaheb Subha Chhatrapati MADHOJI APPASAHEB BHONSLE II, 6^th Maharaja of Nagpur 1816/1818, born 1796, in 1817, on the outbreak of war between the British and the Peshwa, Appa Sahib threw off his cloak of friendship, and accepted an embassy and title from the Peshwa. His troops attacked the British, and were defeated in the action at Sitabaldi, and a second time near Nagpur city. As a result of these battles, the remaining portion of Berar and the territories in the Narmada valley were ceded to the British. Appa Sahib was reinstated to the throne, but shortly afterwards was discovered to be again conspiring, and was deposed and moved to Allahabad in custody. On the way, however, he bribed his guards and escaped, first to the Mahadeo Hills and subsequently to the Punjab; he married (a), Maharani Savitri Bai, received a pension of 10,000Rs, married (b), Maharani Uma Bai, died 1840 in Jodhpur.
• Maharaja Senasaheb Subha Chhatrapati RAGHOJI BAPUSAHEB BHONSLE III, 7^th Maharaja of Nagpur 1818/1853, born 1808 (1806), due to his young age, the territories were administered by the resident from 1818 to 1830, when he was allowed to assume ruling powers; he married (a), Maharani Annapurna Bai, received a pension of 50,000Rs, married (b), Maharani Dariya Bai, received a pension of 25,000Rs. He died spm on 11^th December 1853. The state lapsed with his death (annexed by the British under the Doctrine of Lapse due to failure of Heirs).
  • Maharajkumar (name unknown), died 22^nd October 1831.
  • Maharajkumar Bhimbaji Bhonsle, born 4^th May 1831.
  • Maharajkumari Bannu Bai, died 12^th September 1833.
• Maharaja Senasaheb Subha Chhatrapati JANOJI II YASHWANTRAO BHONSLE, 8^th Maharaja of Nagpur, son of Nana Ahirarao (a nephew of Raghuji III) 1853/1881, adopted by Maharani Dariya Bai after 1853, Raja Bahadur of Devur or Deor [cr.1861](Hereditary title), received a pension of 120,000Rs, (subject to revision after his death), married and had issue. He died 1881.
  • Raja Bahadur Raghoji Deo Janoji Bhonsle (qv)
• Raja Bahadur RAGHOJI DEO JANOJI BHONSLE, 9^th Raja of Deor, born 7^th November 1872. Title confirmed as hereditary.

Other Members

• Rajaramsinhrao Bhonsle, married Shaliniraje Puar, daughter of HH Maharaja Chhatrapati Shahaji II Puar of Kolhapur and Dewas-Snr, and had issue.
  • HH Maharaja Chhatrapati Shahu II Bhonsle of Kolhapur.
• Raja Laxmanrao Bhonsle, married and had issue.
  • Shri Tejsingrao Bhonsle, born 17^th March 1932 in Nagpur, Maharashtra; married 25^th December 1959, Shrimant Rani Chitralekha Raje Bhonsle (née Chitralekha Kadam), born 26^th February 1941 in Baroda, daughter of Shri Sharas Chandra Kadam, educated at Sayajirao Gaekwad College and M.S. University, Baroda (B.A.), Member of the 12^th Lok Sabha 1998/-, Member, Committee on Energy and its Sub-Committee-II on Coal 1998/1999, Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Coal Social and Cultural Activities, Chairperson, Mahalaxmi Jagdamba Trust, Koradi, Nagpur (Maharashtra), Chairperson, Distt. Volleyball Association, Nagpur, interests are Painting and reading; and has issue, two sons and three daughters. (Junior Bhosla Palace Mahal, Nagpur – 440002, Maharashtra, India)