HOLKAR, the family name of the Mahratta rulers at Indore and its territories. The family name is taken from the village of Hull, on the Nira river in the Dekhan, where they were shep herds and farmers. Mulhar Rao Holkar, son of Khundaji Holkar, was born about the year 1693, and his mother, in consequence of some dispute, took him to Kandesh to his uncle Narainji, where, as a lad, he herded his uncle's sheep. When grown up he took service, and distinguished himself under Kudum Baude, a 3Iahratta leader, but subsequently (1724) under Baji Rao Peshwa as a commander of 500 ; and in 1728 was sent to administer Malwa, where he died A.D. 1769. Mul liar Rao was present at the battle of Panipat, and shared in the common overthrow of the Mahratta armies. Sindia's forces were almost annihilated, and Madhaji Sindia was lamed for life ; but Hol kar's division alone drew off with serried ranks and little loss, and Sindia thought that he had not been well supported by Holkar. He was succeeded by his grandson, Mali Rao, who died insane, nine months after his ascension. The pious Ahalya Bai, the mother of Mali Rao, then took the management of affairs, and appointed as the commander of the army, Tukaji Rao Holkar, a chief of the same tribe, but in no way related to Mulhar Rao. This chief for many years served Ahalya Bai with the most devoted fidelity. Ahalya Bai died in 1795, and was not long survived by Tukaji Rao Holkar, after whose death the power of the house of Holkar was nearly extinguished by quarrels in the family and amid the dissensions which distracted the Mahratta confederacy at the close of the eighteenth century. The fortunes of the family, however, were restored by Jeswnnt Rao, an illegitimate son of Tukaji Rao Holkar,. who in 1802 defeated the united forces of Sindia and the Peshwa near Poona. The conclusion of the treaty of Bassein, between the Peshwa and the British Government, defeated Jeswunt Rao's hopes of possessing himself of the person of the Peshwa. In the following year, when Sindia and the raja of Berar combined against the British, Jeswunt Rao Holkar promised to join the con federacy, but on the actual outbreak of hostilities he kept aloof, and apparently intended to take advantage of the war to aggrandize himself at Sindia's expense. His schemes, however, were rendered hopeless by the treaty of Surji Anjen gaurn ; and Jeswunt Rao Holkar, after making a series of inadmissible proposals for an alliance, seems then to have hastily determined, unaided and alone, to provoke hostilities with the British. In the war which followed, Holkar was completely overthrown. He was pursued by Lord Lake across the Sutlej, whither he retired in the hopes of forming a combination with the Sikhs against the British Government ; and on 24th December 1805 he signed a treaty on the banks of the Beas, by which he was stripped of a jarge portion of his territories. Soon after the conclusion of the treaty, Jeswunt Rao Holkar became in 1805 insane. He died in 1811, leaving an illegitimate son, named Mulhar Rao Holkar, during whose minority the state was torn by the most violent dissensions. The lad's mother, Teolsi Bai, the
favourite concubine of the late ruler,' secured herself in the regency. She was, however, sub sequently barbarously murdered, and Holkar's army having sustained a complete defeat at Mchidpore, on 6th January 1818 the treaty of Mundisore was concluded, by which the supremacy over the Rajput princes of lidaipur, Jeypore, etc., was transferred to the British Government, the engagement between the British Government and Amir Khan was confirmed, four districts rented by Zalim Singh of Kotah were ceded to him, Holkar lost all his possessions within and to the south of the Satpura Hills, and his remaining territories came under the protection of the British Government. Mulhar Rao Holkar died in October 1833, at the age of 28. He left no issue, but his widow and his mother adopted Martand Rao Holkar, a child between three and four years of age, who was said to be of the same tribe and lineage as Mnlhar Rao Holkar. The child was publicly installed on 17th January 1834, under the name of Martand Rao Holkar. The adoption of Martand Rao, however, proved to be a device of the mother of Mulhar Rao Holkar, for the purpose of keeping the power in her own hands during a long minority. It was not acceptable to the people, who were in favour of the succession of Hari Rao Holkar, a cousin of the late Maharaja. Hari Rao since 1819 had been kept in rigorous confinement, but he was released on the night of 2d February 1834, by a powerful body of his partisans, and received a ready welcome from the troops and people. The policy of non-interference prevented the Resident from giving active support to Martand Rao, although the installation of Martand Rao had been formally acknowledged by the British Government. This indifference on the part of the British Government as to who should rule, gave rise to most serious disturbances. The wealthy merchants fled from Indore, trade was suspended, and Mil tribes infested the roads and destroyed many villages. Martand llao was banished froM the country, and an allow ance of 500 rupees a-month, on condition of his resigniug all claims to the succession. On 8th September 1835, an attack was made on the palace for the purpose of assassinating the Maharaja and his minister. The attempt was unsuccessful, and resulted in the slaughter of the whole of the assailants. Martand Rao Holkar died without issue at Poona, on 2d June 1840, and with his death ended the intrigues which from time to time endangered the peace of the country, both during the rule of Hari Rao llolkar and his sue cessor. When the attack was made on his person in 1835, Hari Rao applied to the British Govern ment for aid, but it was refused, on the ground that the engagement to maintain the internal tranquillity of the country depended on the con dition that the measures of its government were not directly or indirectly the cause of disturb ance ; and because the grant of assistance would require a continual interference in the internal affairs of the state, inconsistent with the position of Holkar and the policyof the British Government.