Mysterious yet intriguing, the history of Jaipur has so much to offer that you won’t stop exploring more about the place. You will be amused to know that Jaipur city is one of the first planned cities of medieval India and initially it was not an important place as it is today. Amer city was the main city and from the Amer Fort, the Rajputs kept a hold on their empire. Eventually, Amer got populated and in seek of more space Jaipur was developed.
Dating back to the 12th century, Jaipur is still one of the oldest cities in India when Kachhwaha Rajput ruled the area. Today, this is the capital city of Rajasthan which is the northern state of India. Many tourists visit Jaipur for its historical monuments and architectures that represent a blend of Mughal, Rajput and Western architecture style. So, before you plan a Jaipur tour take a look at the History of Jaipur and Jaipur royal family.
The Founder of Jaipur
In 1727, Maharaja Jai Singh II, whose capital was Amber or Amer felt the need to shift his capital city to 11 km away in a place called Jaipur. The scarcity of water and the surge in population led to this important decision, but in reality, the history of Jaipur lies in different layers.
As per many historical pieces of evidence, Jaipur city was established by the Kachhwaha rulers during the 11th century who ruled this place for more than a few decades. They built many temples, forts, and even palaces or Havelis which can be visited nowadays by tourists as most of these have become a prominent tourist spot while some have become official residences.
Jaipur Royal Family
As you already know by now that the history of Jaipur goes far back than the reign of Maharaja Jai Singh II as Amer was just 11 km from Jaipur. The same is true for Jaipur Royal Family history too.
Raja Bhagwan Das (1574-1589 AD.)
Starting with Raja Bhagwan Das, who was also the son of Raja Bharmal Kachhwaha of Amer, it is important to tell you that he was also an appointed Governor of Punjab and is still considered as a great warrior because of his valor displayed in many battles of Gujarat, Punjab, and northern frontier.
Maharaja Man Singh I (1589-1614)
Taking the throne by Raja Bhagwan Das, the prince of Amber Maharaja Man Singh I started his successful reign when Akbar was ruling Mughal Empire. In fact, he was appointed as Commander in Chief in the Mughal Army when he won the battle against the tribal chiefs of Afghanistan. Apart from helping Akbar in his reign over North-western frontier, which included Afghanistan, Punjab, and Kashmir, he also extended his support in counter-attacks on those who defied the rule of Akbar in North-eastern states of India such as Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, and Assam.
Jai Singh I(1621-67 AD.)
Born to Maha Singh the Raja of Garha, Jai Singh I was only ten years old when he sat on the throne of Amber. He was one of those great warriors who had amazing mastery over swords and other battle skills. The Mughal emperors, like Jahangir and Shahjahan, were fond of his bravery and that is why he always led the Army of both the Mughal and the Rajputs.
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II
Coming to Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II who is considered the founder of Jaipur city, it is necessary to tell you that he was the son of Maharaja Bishan Singh of Amber. He fought for the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb many battles that included Khelna, Panhala, Deccan area, etc., thereby winning him the title of “Sawai” for his gallantry. In fact, he also fought with Bahadur Shah Zafar when he tried to include Amber into a Mughal Territory.
Along with Ajit Singh of Jodhpur, Jai Singh recovered the state from the Mughal emperor in 1710 and in 1727 he laid the fundamental slab for the construction of the beautiful and magnificent Jaipur city. His talents were not confined to the battleground but he was also a scholar and an artist who left his amazing legacy behind in the form of Jaipur, which still stands tall and strong in India.
Maharaja Sawai Ishwari Singh (1743-1750 A. D.)
The eldest son of Jai Singh II, Maharaja Sawai Ishwari Singh was more involved in exploring the realm of art, poetry, classical music and dance. He was not much of a great warrior like his father or his forefathers and died at a younger age.
Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I (1751-1768 A.D.)
Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I was not born to be the King, but destiny had some other plans. His brother dies and so the throne came to him and he did justice to this gift from God and freed the Kachchwaha Kingdom from the strongholds of Marathas, and won many historically relevant battles. In City Palace Jaipur he also built Madho Niwas, which could be seen in the Chandra Mahal complex and he also built Madho Vilas in the center of Jai Mahal.
Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II(1880-1922 A.D.)
Adopted son of Ram Singh II, Madho Singh II was a very good king who took the issue of sanitation and education of the city seriously. He was not only a successful ruler but also an efficient administrator who developed Jaipur as a properly planned city donated 25 lakhs rupees in those days natural disasters fund in the country under the All India Famine Relief Fund. He even completed many irrigation projects that were started by his ancestors but were left in the middle of completion due to wars, thereby building 224 irrigation dams with distribution canals.
Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II
Real second son of Thakur Sawai Singhji, Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II was adopted by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II in 1922 and he tried to rejoin the Army of Jaipur, which led to the division of two additional battalions of Jaipur Forces. Later on, these forces were named by the Government of India as Indian State Forces Units. During the British rule, he held the post of Major General and later became Lt. General. He played a major role in transforming Jaipur into a modern city of India.
Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh (1931 – 2011 A.D.)
Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh was the eldest son of Sawai Man Singh II and he joined as a Second Lieutenant in 1951 after the independence of India in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment of Indian Army. He also fought bravely during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and received the second-highest gallantry award of India “Mahavir Chakra”.
Conclusion
Definitely, by now you must have understood that Jaipur is not only a splendid place to visit but also a city that has a history full of gallantry. So, plan a Jaipur tour and unravel the astounding historical monuments. This way you won’t be blank when you will visit it with Alluring Pink Jaipur Package available here at PinkPedia.