Fateh Shah
Encyclopedia
Fateh Shah was the king of Garhwal
, a small kingdom in North India
, from 1684 to 1716.
on Saharanpur
in 1692. The attack was repelled by Sayyed Ali, the Mughal imperial general. According to research by G.R.C. Williams, Fateh Shah established a township called Fateh Pur in Haraura Pargana
of Saharanpur.
According to Rahul Sankrityayan
and Fateh Prakash, Raja Fateh Shah also invaded Tibet
, where his sword and armour were preserved in the monastery at Daba
for a long time.
believe that Fateh Shah invaded Sirmur
in 1692. Ajay Singh Rawat writes that the year of invasion mentioned by these writers is not correct, and the animosity between Fateh Shah and Raja of Sirmur is the prelude to the Battle of Bhangani
(1688). Mat Prakash (or Medni Prakash), the Raja of Sirmur sought the help of Guru Gobind Singh
to reconcile his differences with Fateh Shah. The Guru persuaded Fateh Shah to restore good relations with the Raja of Sirmur and to return the seized portion of the Sirmur kingdom.
In 1688, the marriage of Fateh Shah's daughter was arranged with the son of Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur
(Kahlur). Guru Gobind Singh
had sent jewellery worth one lakh rupees to Fateh Shah's daughter at the time of marriage ceremony. However, Bhim Chand had grown wary of the rising influence of Guru Gobind Singh, and had developed animosity toward the Guru. He threatened to cancel the marriage if Fateh Shah accepted the gift from the Guru. Later, the combined forces of Bhim Chand and Fateh Shah launched an attack on Guru Gobind Singh's camp. Guru Gobind Singh was already prepared for a battle, and the two forces met at Bhangani, located about six miles from Paonta, on 18 September 1688.
Dr. Fauja Singh believes that the Battle of Bhangani should not be connected with the story of Fateh Shah's refusal of the wedding presents sent by the Guru. The author of Bichitra Natak
doesn't mention the name of Raja Bhim Chand, and states that Fateh Shah fought with him for no obvious reasons. According to Ajay Singh Rawat, one of the possible grievances of Fateh Shah could have been the presence of Guru's armed camp near his territory; Paonta was a strategic location on the only convenient route connecting Nahan
(capital of Sirmur
) and Garhwal. He also believes that it is likely that the subjects of Garhwal suffered from "lawless activities" of some of the Guru's followers. These reasons could have led him to ally with Bhim Chand to attack the Guru.
According to the author of Bichitra Natak, and majority of historians, the battle resulted in the victory of the author's (i.e. the Guru's) forces, and the enemy forces fled from the battlefield. However, authors such as Pandit Harikrishna Raturi, Anil Chandra Banerjee and A. S. Rawat believe that the battle ended without any consequences, since the Guru's victory is not substantiated by any territorial annexations, and the Guru entered into an understanding with Bhim Chand soon after the battle. Although, there is practically no evidence about the territorial ambitions of the Guru.
, without any conclusive results.
Gyan Chand of Kumaon, who ascended the throne in 1698, raided Pindar valley in Garhwal after he was crowned. In 1699, he crossed Ramganga
river and plundered Sabli, Khatli, and Sainchar. Fateh Shah replied by invading Chaukot and Giwar areas of Kumaon in 1701. In 1703, the Kumaonis defeated the Garhwalis in the battle of Duduli (near Melchauri in Garhwal). In 1707, the Kumaon forces annexed Juniyagarh in Bichla Chaukot, and razed the old fort at Chandpur.
Raja Jagat Chand of Kumaon plundered Lohba and garrisoned the fort of Lohbagarh. Next year, he proceeded as far as Srinagar in Garhwal
. According to H. G. Walton, Raja of Kumaon occupied Srinagar, and Fateh Shah fled to Dehradun. Fateh Shah appears to have returned very soon to Garhwal; in 1710, he mobilized his troops in Badhan.
and Akbar, he is said to have nine illustrious figures (Navaratnas
) in his court: Sureshanand Barthwal, Revatram Dhasmana, Rudridutt Kimothi, Hari Dutt Nautiyal, Vasvanand Bahuguna, Shashidhar Dangwal, Sahdev Chandola, Kirit Ram Khanthola, and Hari Dutt Thapliyal.
Some of the encomiastic works from Ratan Shah's period include:
Ratan Kavi's eulogies
state that there was perfect law and order
in Garhwal during Fateh Shah's reign, and people did not lock their houses as a result. Kavi Raj Sukhdev Misra praises the Raja's gallantry. Mati Ram's Vrit Kaumudi compares the Raja's generosity with that of the Maratha king Shivaji. Ananda Coomaraswamy
mentions that two painters from the Mughal
court, Shyam Dass and Har Dass, accompanied Suleiman Shikoh to Garhwal; it is possible that these painters got patronage during the reign of Fateh Shah, which resulted in the birth of the Garhwali school of painting.
Garhwal Kingdom
Garhwal Kingdom was a princely state in north-western Uttarakhand, India, ruled by the Panwar dynasty. It was founded in 888 AD and existed until it was annexed by the Gorkhas in 1803...
, a small kingdom in North India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, from 1684 to 1716.
Campaigns
H. G. Walton states that Fateh Shah led an attack from DehradunDehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
on Saharanpur
Saharanpur
Saharanpur is a city and a Municipal Corporation in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur District as well as Saharanpur Division...
in 1692. The attack was repelled by Sayyed Ali, the Mughal imperial general. According to research by G.R.C. Williams, Fateh Shah established a township called Fateh Pur in Haraura Pargana
Pargana
A pargana is a former administrative unit of the Indian subcontinent, used primarily, but not exclusively, by the Muslim kingdoms.Parganas were introduced by the Delhi Sultanate, and the word is of Persian origin. As a revenue unit, a pargana consists of several mouzas, which are the smallest...
of Saharanpur.
According to Rahul Sankrityayan
Rahul Sankrityayan
Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan , who is called the Father of Hindi Travel literature, was one of the most widely-traveled scholars of India, spending forty-five years of his life on travels away from his home. He became a buddhist monk and eventually took up Marxist Socialism...
and Fateh Prakash, Raja Fateh Shah also invaded Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, where his sword and armour were preserved in the monastery at Daba
Daba
Daba refers to:*Daba, Daba Township , a village in the Zanda County, Tibet Autonomous Region, China.*Daba, Fuxin County , town in Liaoning, China*Daba Mountains , mountain range in Central China...
for a long time.
Battle of Bhangani
Dabral and Bhakt DarshanBhakt Darshan
Bhakt Darshan served Garhwal as Member of Parliament in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Lok Sabha as well as a Deputy Minister and Minister of State in Lal Bahadur Shastri's and Indira Gandhi's governments.-Early life:...
believe that Fateh Shah invaded Sirmur
Sirmur
Sirmur was an independent kingdom in India, founded in 1616. It became a part of Greater Nepal, before becoming a princely state in British India, located in the region that is now the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The state was also known as Nahan, after its main city, Nahan...
in 1692. Ajay Singh Rawat writes that the year of invasion mentioned by these writers is not correct, and the animosity between Fateh Shah and Raja of Sirmur is the prelude to the Battle of Bhangani
Battle of Bhangani
The Battle of Bhangani was fought between Guru Gobind Singh's army and the combined forces of many Rajas of the Sivalik Hills , on 18 September 1688, at Bhangani near Paonta Sahib...
(1688). Mat Prakash (or Medni Prakash), the Raja of Sirmur sought the help of Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
to reconcile his differences with Fateh Shah. The Guru persuaded Fateh Shah to restore good relations with the Raja of Sirmur and to return the seized portion of the Sirmur kingdom.
In 1688, the marriage of Fateh Shah's daughter was arranged with the son of Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur
Kahlur
Kahlur , covering an area of 1173 km², and currently a part of Himachal Pradesh state, was one of the Princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. The state was founded in/around 697 by Kahal Chand. Kahal Chand had built a fort, which was named after him, and was called...
(Kahlur). Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
had sent jewellery worth one lakh rupees to Fateh Shah's daughter at the time of marriage ceremony. However, Bhim Chand had grown wary of the rising influence of Guru Gobind Singh, and had developed animosity toward the Guru. He threatened to cancel the marriage if Fateh Shah accepted the gift from the Guru. Later, the combined forces of Bhim Chand and Fateh Shah launched an attack on Guru Gobind Singh's camp. Guru Gobind Singh was already prepared for a battle, and the two forces met at Bhangani, located about six miles from Paonta, on 18 September 1688.
Dr. Fauja Singh believes that the Battle of Bhangani should not be connected with the story of Fateh Shah's refusal of the wedding presents sent by the Guru. The author of Bichitra Natak
Bichitra Natak
Bachittar Natak is from Dasam Granth generally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru spans from ang 94 to ang 175 of the 2326 ang....
doesn't mention the name of Raja Bhim Chand, and states that Fateh Shah fought with him for no obvious reasons. According to Ajay Singh Rawat, one of the possible grievances of Fateh Shah could have been the presence of Guru's armed camp near his territory; Paonta was a strategic location on the only convenient route connecting Nahan
Nahan
Nahan नाहन is a town in Himachal Pradesh in India and is the headquarters of the Sirmaur District.- Geography :Nahan is located at . It has an average elevation of 920 metre- Demographics :...
(capital of Sirmur
Sirmur
Sirmur was an independent kingdom in India, founded in 1616. It became a part of Greater Nepal, before becoming a princely state in British India, located in the region that is now the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The state was also known as Nahan, after its main city, Nahan...
) and Garhwal. He also believes that it is likely that the subjects of Garhwal suffered from "lawless activities" of some of the Guru's followers. These reasons could have led him to ally with Bhim Chand to attack the Guru.
According to the author of Bichitra Natak, and majority of historians, the battle resulted in the victory of the author's (i.e. the Guru's) forces, and the enemy forces fled from the battlefield. However, authors such as Pandit Harikrishna Raturi, Anil Chandra Banerjee and A. S. Rawat believe that the battle ended without any consequences, since the Guru's victory is not substantiated by any territorial annexations, and the Guru entered into an understanding with Bhim Chand soon after the battle. Although, there is practically no evidence about the territorial ambitions of the Guru.
Battles with Kumaon
Fateh Shah also fought several battles against KumaonKumaon Division
For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
, without any conclusive results.
Gyan Chand of Kumaon, who ascended the throne in 1698, raided Pindar valley in Garhwal after he was crowned. In 1699, he crossed Ramganga
Ramganga
Ramganga West river originates from Doodhatoli ranges in the district of Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand state of India. The river Ramganga flows to south west from Kumaun Himalaya. It is a tributary of the river Ganges, originates from the high altitude zone of 800m-900m. Ramganga flows by the Corbett...
river and plundered Sabli, Khatli, and Sainchar. Fateh Shah replied by invading Chaukot and Giwar areas of Kumaon in 1701. In 1703, the Kumaonis defeated the Garhwalis in the battle of Duduli (near Melchauri in Garhwal). In 1707, the Kumaon forces annexed Juniyagarh in Bichla Chaukot, and razed the old fort at Chandpur.
Raja Jagat Chand of Kumaon plundered Lohba and garrisoned the fort of Lohbagarh. Next year, he proceeded as far as Srinagar in Garhwal
Srinagar, Uttarakhand
For other uses, see Srinagar .Srinagar is the biggest town in garhwal and a municipal board in Pauri Garhwal District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.-Geography:...
. According to H. G. Walton, Raja of Kumaon occupied Srinagar, and Fateh Shah fled to Dehradun. Fateh Shah appears to have returned very soon to Garhwal; in 1710, he mobilized his troops in Badhan.
Patronage to art and literature
The contemporary writings mention Garhwal as a very prosperous state during Fateh Shah's reign. Fateh shah was a great patron of art and literature. Like VikramadityaVikramaditya
Vikramaditya was a legendary emperor of Ujjain, India, famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. The title "Vikramaditya" was later assumed by many other kings in Indian history, notably the Gupta King Chandragupta II and Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya .The name King Vikramaditya is a...
and Akbar, he is said to have nine illustrious figures (Navaratnas
Navaratnas
Navaratnas Nauratan was a term applied to a group of nine extraordinary people in a emperor's court in India...
) in his court: Sureshanand Barthwal, Revatram Dhasmana, Rudridutt Kimothi, Hari Dutt Nautiyal, Vasvanand Bahuguna, Shashidhar Dangwal, Sahdev Chandola, Kirit Ram Khanthola, and Hari Dutt Thapliyal.
Some of the encomiastic works from Ratan Shah's period include:
- Fateh Shah Karna Granth by Jatadhar (or Jatashankar)
- Fateh Prakash by Ratan Kavi (or Kshem Ram)
- Vrit Vichar by Kavi Raj Sukhdev Misra
- Vrit Kaumudi or Chhandsar Pingal by Mati Ram
Ratan Kavi's eulogies
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
state that there was perfect law and order
Law and order (politics)
In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
in Garhwal during Fateh Shah's reign, and people did not lock their houses as a result. Kavi Raj Sukhdev Misra praises the Raja's gallantry. Mati Ram's Vrit Kaumudi compares the Raja's generosity with that of the Maratha king Shivaji. Ananda Coomaraswamy
Ananda Coomaraswamy
Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy was a Ceylonese philosopher and metaphysician, as well as a pioneering historian and philosopher of Indian art, particularly art history and symbolism, and an early interpreter of Indian culture to the West...
mentions that two painters from the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
court, Shyam Dass and Har Dass, accompanied Suleiman Shikoh to Garhwal; it is possible that these painters got patronage during the reign of Fateh Shah, which resulted in the birth of the Garhwali school of painting.
Family
Fateh Shah had five children:- Upendra Shah (became the Raja after his father's death)
- Dalip Shah
- Madhukar Shah
- Pahar Shah
- A daughter who married Rajkumar (later Raja) Ajmer Chand, the son of Raja Bhim Chand of BilaspurKahlurKahlur , covering an area of 1173 km², and currently a part of Himachal Pradesh state, was one of the Princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. The state was founded in/around 697 by Kahal Chand. Kahal Chand had built a fort, which was named after him, and was called...
(Kahlur).