Princely State of Savanur was under the Bombay Presidency and later came under the Deccan States Agency during the rule of the British Empire in India.
The Princely State of Savanur was one of the major states under the Bombay Presidency during the rule of the British Empire in India. Later the territory came under the Deccan States Agency and under indirect rule of the British. The Muslim rulers or Indian princes of the state were styled as Nawab and descended from an Afghan named Abdul Karim Khan, who served in the Mughal Empire and received a grant in the year 1672, near Delhi. His successors reigned over widespread region rather autonomously for more than a hundred years. The Princely State of Savanur was spread over a total area of 189 sq km in the year 1901. After the Indian independence in 1947, on 8th March 1948, the state was acceded to the Dominion of India on 8th March 1948. At present it is included as a part of the Indian state of Karnataka.
History of Princely State of Savanur
The princely state of Savanur was situated amidst the growing power of the Maratha Empire and the evenly dominant Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, Nizam of Hyderabad, which eventually had worn away the territory of Savanur. During the latter half of the 18th century, more than half of the region of Savanur had been surrendered to the Marathas. Tipu Sultan had annexed the remaining territories by the culmination of the century. After the death of the renowned Tipu Sultan in the year 1799, independence and sovereignty returned to the state of Savanur with around a third of the original territory. Later Savanur gradually came under the suzerainty of the British Government of India. In 1818, after the demolition of the Maratha Confederacy, Savanur accepted the protection and support from the British East India Company.
Abdul Majid Khan II was the last ruling Nawab of the princely state of Savanur, succeeded as a minor when he was merely 2 years of age. He was raised properly by the British resident and received private education from British tutors. The Nawab of Savanur traveled extensively and met with people from all classes from the various parts of the country and abroad. After he returned to the princely state, he was determined to restructure and develop his state and undertook aggressive development and reformative programs such construction of modern schools and other educational institutes, establishment of dispensaries and medical facilities, development of irrigation and setting up of reservoirs. He also established palaces, government offices, prisons, courts and roadways.
During the 35 year reign of Nawab Abdul Majid Khan II, the princely state of Savanur developed to a great extent. After the country achieved independence and the withdrawal of the British authorities, the Nawab of Savanur suffered severely. After the state was acceded to the Union of India and the relocation formalities were completed, Abdul Majid Khan II retired to his private mansion at Dharwad. He died in the year 1954 and was buried in Savanur by the local authorities.
Rulers of Princely State of Savanur
The chronology of the rulers of the princely state of Savanur is mentioned below-
* Abdul Karim Khan (1672- 1686)
* Dalel Khan Abdul Rauf (1686- 1720)
* Abdul Fath Khan (1720- 1720)
* Abdul Khan Mahmad (1720- 1721)
* Khan Abdul Ghafur (1721- 1726)
* Abdul Majid Khan (1726- 1755)
* Abdul Sattar Khan, acted as Regent (1726- 1730)
* Diler Abdul Hakim Khan (1755- 1794)
* Abdul Hussain Khan (1794- 1796)
* Abul Khair Khan I (1796- 1827)
* Faiz Khan (1827- 1828)
* Munawwar Khan (1828- 1834)
* Abul Diler Khan (1834- 1862)
* Abul Khair Khan II (1862- 1868)
* Diler Khan Chota Diler (1868- 1884)
* Muhammad Ghaus Khan, acted as Regent (1868- 1883)
* Abdul Khan Tabriz (1884- 1892)
* Abdul Majid Khan (1892- 1948)
