SINDIA, the family name and regal title which designate the sovereign whose capital is Gwalior, and who has the title of maharaja. The territories over which the Maharaja Sindia rules form part of what the British terrn Central India. The Sindia family are Mahrattas, and came from near Satara. Ronan, the first member of the Sindia family of note (1724), commenced his career as the carrier of the slippers of Balaji Rao, Peshwa. His care in the peiformance of this menial duty attracted his master's attention, who appointed him to a command in the pagah or bodyguard horse. From this his rise to the first rank of Mahratta chiefs was rapid. He placed himself at the head of several bodies of horse, witb which he carried on raids, even into the territory of the emperor of Dehli, and some of the lands lie then overran still form part of the appendages of the Gwalior rule. Ranaji's achieve ments might have perished with him after his death in 1759, bad he not been succeeded by a man of still more striking capacity than his own. His youngest son, Mandaji, although he did not at once succeed to the family jaghir in Malwa, has always been considered his political heir, because it was he who continued the work of establishing the fortunes of the house of Sindia.
Mandaji Sindia's career had little more than begun when he found a great opportunity for showing the nobility of his character on the fatal plains of Panipat. On that day 3fandaji proved himself the bravest of the brave. The contingents of Holkar and Sindia formed the right wing of the Indian army, but Mulhar Rao left Lis youthful comrade t,o bear the brunt of the engagernent alone, and the Mahratta forces were utterly defeated. Among the principal consequences of this signal defeat were the accession of Malidaji to the full title of Sindia, in consequence of the death of all his relatives, and the commencement of a bitter rivalry between him and his neighbour Holkar. The disaster of Panipat, which threatened the family with extinction, was really the main cause of the after-fame of the house of Sindia, by bringing Mandaji to the front as its responsible leader. 3fandaji escaped from the battle more by accident than by the fleetness of his steed. Pursued by an Afghan horsetnan, his tired charger was unable to carry him to a place of safety, and, stumbling over a ditch, the Mahratta chief lay at the mercy of his assailant. The Afghau struck him on the knee with his battle-axe, but was con tent to retire with the spoil of his personal orna ments and of his horse. Mandaji escaped with the assistance of a water-carrier, also fleeing from the battle, but he carried the limp to his grave.
The overthrow at Panipat was so complete, that the Mahrattas, who before it had seemed to grasp the empire of Hindustan, were after it obliged for a time to content themselves with a very sub sidiary part in its affairs, but Mandaji endeavoured to regain supreniacy. By the aid of Mandaji's
army, the emperor Shah Alam NW'S reinstated on the throne of Dchli, and Rohilkhand was overrun by the Mahratta horsemen.
Mandaji had, after his return from the north, devoted -himself to the task of establishing his authority throughout the possessions he had inherited. But when he had secured his estates, his next thought became how he might turn them into a kingdom. In order to attain his object he formulated a policy of his own, by means of which he hoped to render himself as independent of Lis own suzerain, the peshwa, as of the 3Ioginil emperor. He reorganized his army, and was the first of his race to train an infantry force, and to employ European officers, —De Boigne, 1784 ; Colonel Fremont, 1792-93 ; 3fajor Gardner, 1794 ; Colonel Perron, 1794; Colonel Drugeon, 1797 ; Colonel Duprat, 1798; Colonel Sutherland, 1795 ; Colonel Pohlmann, 1799.
For thirty years he thus made himself the greatest potentate in Central India, and it was during this period that the house of Sindia was first arrayed in arms against the British. The early encounters of this campaign were in his favour. The convention of Wargaum closed a campaign of incapacity, and Mandan issued from his first contest with the British with increased reputation. The next campaign, under the con duct of Colonel Goddard, left 3fandaji's position intact, although the capture of Gwalior fort was a rude shock to the self-esteem of native warriors. With the signing of the treaty of Salbye, Mah daji was again left to prosecute his schemes for establishing his suprernacy among the Mahrattas. In 1788 he again entered Dehli to replace the aged Shah Alam on the throne, and five years later be marched on Poona to assert his pre eminence in the councils of the pesbwa. He succeeded in his object, and his prospects were rendered still more brilliant by the intelligence of a decisive victory gained by his troops over his rival Holkar, when his career was suddenly terminated by death in 1794 near Poona. His formidable army, organized under French officers, had made him in reality the ruler of Hindustan, though nominally the servant of the peshwa. He had played a most important part in the struggle which took place for the peshwa's office, after the death of Madho Rao, Bullal. Ile was the chief support of the party of Nana Farnavis. When peace was concluded with the Mahrattas by the treaty of Salbye in 1781, Sindia was the mutual guarantee of both powers fur its observ ance. Under the 3d article of this treaty, the right of the Britialt Governinent to tho pargana anti town of Baroach was recognised. Ily this treaty the independent power of Malidaji Sindia, in his relation to the British Governtnent, was first recognised, but in all other respects he con tinued ostentatiously to proffer subjection to the peshwa.