KOLHAPUR, a Native State in the Bombay Presidency, between lat. 15° 58' and 17° 11' N., and between long. 73° 45' and 74° 24' E. Kol hapur city is in lat. 16° 42' N., long. 74° 16' E., opposite a gap on the Sahyadri Hills, 128 miles south by east of Poona, and 64 miles of Satara.
The rajas of Kolhapur trace their inheritance from Raja Ram, a younger son of Sivaji, founder of the Mahratta power. Kolhapur became separated from the Satara territory in 1731 ; and in 1760, Sambaji, grandson of Sivaji 1., died without issue, and with him the direct line of the great Sivaji became extinct. Successors were adopted in 1866, 1870, and 1884. The last was entitled Shahu Chhatrapati ; he was adopted by the widowed rani.
During the captivity of Sahoji, the Mahratta power was exercised by his uncle Raja Ram, younger son of Sivaji. In 1731, Sahoji recog nised Kolhapur as an independent principality. When the direct descendants of Sivaji became extinct on the death of Sambaji in 1760, one of the Bhonsla was adopted, under the name of Sivaji, but the State was ruled by the widow of Sambaji amidst the greatest irregularities on land and piracy by sea ; and in 1765 and 1792, the British sent expeditions against this State. Sivaji,
after a rule of 53 years, died in 1812. His son Sambhu, or Apa Sahib, in 1817 sided with the British in their war with the Peshwa, and was granted the districts of Chikori and 3funoli, but he was murdered in 1821. His son died after a year. His brother Bawa Sahib was an aggressive ruler, and three times between 1822 and 1829 the British sent forces against him. He died 29th November 1838, and was succeeded by his son Sivija, then a minor. The regency so mis managed affairs, that the British appointed a regent, on which a general rebellion followed, which was suppressed by a large British force. During the mutiny of 1857, the raja •remained faithful to the British, but his younger brother joined the rebels, and was afterwards imprisoned. Since then there have been three adoptions.