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Princely state of Kolhapur
Princely state of Kolhapur was a part of the Deccan Division of the Bombay Presidency. Later it was incorporated as a part of the Deccan States Agency.

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The Princely state of Kolhapur was one of the one of the 19 Gun Salute states of India that was governed by native rulers or Indian princes during the rule of British Empire in India. The region was a part of the Deccan Division of the Bombay Presidency. Later it was incorporated as a part of the Deccan States Agency. Kolhapur state was regarded as the 4th most significant principality of the Maratha Empire, the other 3 states were the princely state of Baroda, the princely state of Gwalior and the Indore State. The territory covered a total area of 3,217.1 sq miles and comprised of a population of 1,092,046 in the year 1941. The princely state of Kolhapur was located in the Deccan, northeast of Goa. It contained 5 blocks of territory, all enclaved within the British district of Belgaum. Kolhapur state included a total of 1,079 villages.

History of Princely state of Kolhapur
The Bhonsle dynasty was the ruling family of the state, which was granted as a salute state with a gun salute of 19 guns. The official flag of the princely state was a swallow tailed orange pennant. The courts of the princely state exercised full civil and criminal jurisdiction. The Kolhapur state ceased to mint its own currency in the year 1839. It included 9 jagirs, namely Sar Lashkar Bahadur, Himmat Bahadur, Ichalkaranji, Torgal, Kapshi, Kagal Junior, Kagal Senior, Bavda and Vishalgad. These jagirs consisted of lands and villages and the jagirdars exercised partial jurisdiction over them. Since 1900, the native ruler held the title of Maharaja. The traditional title of the ruler, originally used by Shivaji the Great, was Chhatrapati. The Maharajas of Kolhapur state was descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji the Great. The Bhonsle, who belonged to the Kshatriya caste descended from the Sisodia Rajputs of Udaipur. Kolhapur was founded in the year 1710 during the civil war between the senior branch and the junior branch of the family.

The existence of two distinct states of Satara, located in the north of the Varna River, and Kolhapur in the south, was recognized through the treaty of Warna (also known as Varna) in the year 1731. The British government of India sent forces against the state of Kolhapur in the year 1765 and later in 1792. In 1812, after the Maratha confederacy collapsed, the state entered into treaty relations with the British East India Company. During the later British expedition in the early 19th century, a Resident of British India, also known as political officer to temporarily administer the princely state.

The last ruler of the princely state of Kolhapur was His Highness Maharaja Chhatrapati Shahaji II Puar. As India attained independence on 15th August 1947, the Maharaja of Kolhapur acceded to the newly formed Union of India on 14 August 1947. Later on 1 March 1949, the territory was merged with Bombay State. In the year 1960, Bombay state was segmented into the linguistic states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The borders of erstwhile princely state of Kolhapur correspond rather closely with that of the present district of Kolhapur.

Rulers of Princely state of Kolhapur
* Shivaji I (1710- 2 August 1714)
* Shambhuji II (2 August 1714 - 20 December 1760)
* Rani Jiji Bai, served as Regent (20 December 1760- 17 February 1773)
* Shivaji II (22 September 1762- 24 April 1813)
* Shambhuji III (24 April 1813- 2 July 1821)
* Shivaji III (2 July 1821- 3 January 1822)
* Shahaji (2 July 1821- 3 January 1822)
* Shahaji I (3 January 1822- 29 November 1838)
* Shivaji IV (29 November 1838- 4 August 1866)
* Rani Sai Bai, served as Regent (29 November 1838- 1845)
* Rajaram I Nagaji Rao (4 August 1866- 30 November 1870)
* Rani Tara Bai, served as Regent (30 November 1870- 12 October 1871)
* Shivaji V Chhatrapati Narayana Rao (12 October 1871- 25 December 1883)
* Rani Anand Bai, served as Regent (25 December 1883- 17 March 1884)
* Shahaji II Chhatrapati Jashwant (17 March 1884- 24 May 1900)
* Jaisinhrao Ghatge, served as Regent (17 March 1884- 20 March 1885)
* Rajaram II Chhatrapati (6 May 1922- 26 November 1940)
* Tara Bai, served as Regent (26 November 1940- 18 November 1942)
* Shivaji VI Chhatrapati (18 November 1942- 28 September 1946)
* Tara Bai, served as Regent (22 November 1942 - 31 March 1947)
* Shahaji III Chhatrapati (31 March 1947- 15 August 1947)


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