Akkalkot State during the British Raj

British Raj

British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...

, was a princely state

Princely state

A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...

. The non-salute state came under the Deccan States Agency

Deccan States Agency

The Deccan States Agency was a unit of British India exercising suzerainty over a number of princely states. The agency was created in the 1930s, and was composed of a number of princely states in western India, located in the present-day Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka...

 and was bordered by Hyderabad State

Hyderabad State

-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...

 and the presidency of Bombay Presidency

Bombay Presidency

The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...

. The area of the state was 498 sq. miles; its population in 1901 was 82,047, while the population of the town itself was 8,348 in that year. In 1911, the state enjoyed a revenue estimated at Rs.26,586/- and paid a tribute to the British Raj of Rs.1,000/-.

The ruling dynasty were descended from Ranoji Lokhande, who was adopted by Chhattrapati Shahu, grandson of Shivaji, around the year 1708. Upon his adoption, Ranoji assumed the name 'Fatehsinh Bhonsle' and received in appenage the town of Akkalkot and surrounding areas. These estates remained a fief within the state of Satara

Satara

Satara is a city located in the Satara District of Maharashtra state of India. The town is 2320 ft. above sea-level, near the confluence of the Krishna and its tributary river Venna. The city was the capital of the Maratha empire in the 17th century, hence one of the the historical cities of...

 until 1848, when the rulers of Satara (Chhatrapati Sambhaji designated successors) were deposed by the British. Akkalkot then became one of several vassals of Satara to be recognised as separate princely states by the British Raj

British Raj

British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...

. Upon the termination of British rule in India in 1947, Akkalkot state acceded unto the Dominion of India

Dominion of India

The Dominion of India, also known as the Union of India or the Indian Union , was a predecessor to modern-day India and an independent state that existed between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950...

, and was later merged with Bombay Province. The political history of the state is remarkable in having been altogether free of major incident. However, given their stability and association with the dynasty of Shivaji, the family came to be linked by marriage to nearly every major Maratha ruling family in India. The ruling chiefs of Akkalkot were:

• 1707-1760 Fatehsinh I Raje Bhonsle (born Ranoji Lokhande)
• 1760-1789 Shahaji I (Bala Sahib) Raje Bhonsle
• 1789-1822 Fatehsinh II (Appa Sahib) Raje Bhonsle
• 1822-1823 Maloji I (Baba Sahib) Raje Bhonsle
• 1823-1857 Shahaji II (Appa Sahib) Raje Bhonsle
• 1857-1870 Maloji II (Buwa Sahib) Raje Bhonsle
• 1870-1896 Shahaji III (Baba Sahib) Raje Bhonsle
• 1896-1923 Cpt. Fatehsinhrao III Raje Bhonsle
• 1923-1952 Vijayasinhrao Fatehsinhrao Raje Bhonsle
• 1952-1965 Jayasinhrao Vijayasinhrao Raje Bhonsle