Bhaunagar
LIST OF
THE RULERS OF BHAUNAGAR in modern times.
Bhausinghji I 1703-1764AD
Akherajji 1764-1772 AD
Wakhat Singh 1772-1816 AD
Vajesinhji 1816-1852 AD
Akherajji II 1852-1854 AD
Jasvatsinhji 1854-1871 AD
Takhsinhji 1871AD-1896AD
Bhausinhji II 1896-1919 AD
HISTORY[1].
Bhaunagar (
The area is said to have been settled in about
1260AD by the Gohel Rajputs
under Sajakji (Sejakji).
The Gohels are said to be descendents
of the Palavas, who, in turn are of the “Lunar” Chandrabansi race. Sajakji was grandson of Mohodas,
twentieth in line of descent from Shalivahan, who
migrated to
There followed a series of uneventful reigns,
and then Bhausingji I, 20th in line from Sejakji, who took over on the death of his father, Vikoji, in 1703AD. Bhausinghji ruled for over 60 years until his death in
1764AD.
Bhaunagar town itself was
founded by Bhausinghji I in 1723AD. His son, Rawal Akherajji and
grandson, Wakhat Singh (1772 AD) succeeded in turn to
the chieftainship. All three set about improving
their territory and extirpating the pirates who infested the state’s coastline,
in which they were encouraged by the government of the Bombay Presidency. The area was threatened by the Nawab of Cambay, and, to protect himself from this danger, Bhausingji applied for protection of the Sidi of Surat, to whom he paid a
quarter of the income from customs dues, in 1739AD. Rawal Akherji (1764-1772AD) assisted the
The next ruler was Vajesinhji
(1816-1852AD), then came Akherajji (1852-1854AD), and
Jasvatsinhji (1854-1870AD)who rendered valuable
assistance to the British during the Mutiny of 1857/58AD.
Jasvatsinhji had a minor son, Takhtsinhji who succeeded in 1870AD, and was placed under a
British Administrator until 1878AD when he was invested with full ruling
powers. He died in 1896 and was
succeeded by his son, Bhausinhji II (1896-1919AD) and
was followed on the gadi by his minor son, Maharaja
Krishna Kumarasinhji (1919AD-?) under a Council of
Administration during his minority., during the reign of
The Thakur was allowed to rule the British
section as his own until 1816, when it was taken over by the British for “a
serious abuse of power”. He was allowed
Rs.52,000 in perpetuity from those estates.
Later, in 1866AD some villages of the area were transferred to the
COINAGE.
It is not known when the Bhaunagar
mint opened, but it was presumably some time during the reign Bhausinghji or Rawal Akherji, because the first known coins bear the name of the
Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan
III. It was closed by the British in
1840AD, during the reign of Ajherajji. Coinage was on the
The first known issues are an undated quarter trambiya bearing the mark “Shri” in Nagari characters on
the reverse and the Mughal’s names and titles on the obverse, and two versions
of the Dokdo, also undated, bearing a scimitar on the
reverse, which points up on some coins, and down on others. It is not known whether this is
significant. Some coins carry, in
addition to the scimitar, the Nagari Shri or the date 1825. It is not known whether this date is real or
false, but it falls during the reign of Muhammad Akbar II, not Shah Jahan III, whose inscriptions
are found on the coin. There is also a
copper Dhinglo, bearing a Nagari “Shri” on the
reverse.
The next issue is an undated copper Dokdo in the name of Shah Alam II.
The last true issue of coinage is an undated Dhinglo in the name of Muhammad Akbar II bearing a scimitar
on the reverse.
Uncatalogued variations of these rather crude
issues are not infrequently met with, most of which should be treated as die
varieties only. Coins struck on
unusually shaped flans are also occasionally found.