FEUDATORY, a term applied, since A.D. 1860, to the rulers of territories enclosed within British districts. They are chiefly in the Panjab, Bombay Presidency, Central and N.W. Provinces ; and in 1881 their subjects were 13,254,402 souls. There are, besides, several Native States in Central India, Baroda, Cochin, Hyderabad, Mysore, Rajputana, and Travancore, with 38,748,522 inha.bitants. Prior to the assumption by Queen Victoria, Empress of India, of the direct rule of British India, the East India Company designated the princes by their hereditary titles, or by their household or family or territorial names, as the Grand Moghul, the Gaekwar, Sindia, the Nizam, Holkar, Walajah, etc., but this was changed to the term Feudatory. In 1881 there weie many of these, either independent sovereigns, 'or ruling with restricted powers. In Rajputana are rulers with the titles of Raja, Maha raja, Rana, Maharana, in a region of 120,000 square miles in extent, in 20 principalities, and a population in 1881 of 10,268,392 souls, the chief of them being of Udaipur (Oodeypur), Jodh pur, and Jeypore, and the whole of them ,could assemble 70,000 foot and horse ; the other Raj putana States being Banswara, Bhurtpur, Bikanir, Bundi, Dholpur, Dungarpm., Jeysulmir, Jhala r, Kerrowlee, Kisheugarh, Kotah, Lawa, Partab garh, Shahpura, Sirohi, Tonk, and Ulwar. The Nizam of Hyderabad supports a contingent of about 7000 of all arms, and has besides 36,890 infantry, 8200 cavalry, and 725 guns. Indore, -where the Maharaja Holkar rules over the Malwa popula tion of a million, and an army of 10,000 men ; the Maharaja Sindia rules at Gwalior, over a state of 30,000 square miles, and a population of three millions, and has an army of about 24,000 men. The Gaekwar ruler of Baroda has about 20,000 men. In 1874 the Feudatories had an aggregate revenue of 15 millions sterling, and 315,000 soldiers, with 3500 guns. The Maharaja of Kash mir. has 20,000 of all arms. Nepal is tributary to China, but could at any time bring 100,000 armed men into the field. These two states have treaties
with Great Britain.
The Akulkote chief is a Mahratta Sud a of the Bhonsla family, to which belong also the Kolhapur chiefs. He is addressed as Rao Sahib Mihrban.
Arcot,—In the earlier and middle parts of the 18th centuiT, when Maboinedan generals, the British, and the French, were striving for supre macy in the Karnatic, the rulers for the time were styled Nawabs of Arcot. This was the title of a family whom the British favoured, and whom the treaty of Paris of 1751 acknowledged, though they style themselves Walajah, of high dignity. The last Nawab died in 1855, but his uncle, Prince Azim Joh Bahadur, was since then created Prince of Arcot, and this title descended to that prince's son, who was styled Umdat-ul-Umra, Amir-ul Umra, Madar-ul-Mulk, Azim-u-Dowlah, Asad-u Dowlah-al-Angliz (Zahir-u-Dowlah), Khan Baha dur, Zu-ul-Ficjar Jung, Fitrat Sipah Salar, Amir-i-Arkat and (?) Hind, G.C.Sb.I.
The Banaganapilly ruler is a, Mahomedan Syud, and is styled Nawab of Banaganapilly, Khan Baha dur.
The Bengal Subandar is not ruling. In 1763, Jafar Ali Khan was placed by Clive on the musnu.I as Subandar of Bengal, Behar, and Orissa ; and in 1880 the holder of the titular dignity was the 'eighth in succession, and styled Nawab Mantazam ul-Mulk, Mohsan-u-Dowlah, Faridun Jah (name), Khan Bahadur, Nasrat Jang.
In Bengal there are many great Hindu landed proprietors, as the Raja of Benares, the Raja of Bardwan ; and numerous chieftains with terri torial possessions, as in Munipur, and amongst the Garo and Khassya, and iu Assam on the east, and in the west amongst the Santa], Kol, etc.
In Calcutta, the capital of Bengal, there are many families with titular appellations, sonie of them patronymic, some of Mahomedan and some of Hindu origin, such as Deb ; Sri-sri-Raja Deb B hao Ballanda Kumar; Rai, Raja, Rani, Maharaja, Maharani, Rai 'Bahadur, Bahadur, Raja Bahadur, Maharaja Baha,dur ; Malik, Nawab. A Hindu lady, a great patron of learning, has recently been created a Maharani.