Marharajah Badan Singh | |
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Marharajah of Bharatpur | |
Reign | 1722–1755 AD |
Predecessor | Raja Ram Jat |
Successor | Maharaja Suraj Mal |
Died | 21st May 1755 Deeg |
House | Sinsiniwar Jat Dynasty |
Religion | Hinduism |
Marharajah Badan Singh (Hindi: बदन सिंह) (Reign: 1722–21st May 1755) was the formal founder of the princely state of Bharatpur. He was nephew of Churaman. Badan was born in Jat family. After the death of Churaman on 22 September 1721 there were family disputes between Badan Singh and Mohkam, son of Churaman. Badan Singh aligned with Jai Singh II of Jaipur to avoid the anger of Mohkam Singh. In this family feud Jai Singh supported Badan Singh.
Again did Raja Jai Singh Sawai appear on the scene to subdue the Jats. On 9 April 1722 Raja Girdhar Bahadur, Arjun Singh of Orchha, Ajit Singh of Kama and others were placed under him. He began his operations with 14,000 horseman, and the number by subsequent reinforcements rose to 50,000. Now he marched and when he was still on his way to Thun, Badan Singh coming from Deeg, met him once more, and offered him presents. Jai Singh reciprocated the gesture by presenting, a shield and a sword. The sons of Churaman were besieged in Thun, whose chief defence was a belt of impenetrable jungle. The imperialists gradually closed upon the fort by cutting the trees. Badan Singh who was with the army of Raja Jai Singh pointed out the weak spots and helped in the reduction of two fortified outworks. After conducting the defence for about two months, Mukham Singh lost heart, and secretly fleeing from Thun, took refuge with his father’s ally, Raja Ajit Singh Rathor. Next morning the Raja wanted to entre the fort. But Muhkam Singh's flight, despite abundance of supplies in Thun, convinced Badan Singh of the leader's treachery. He therefore prevented the Raja from going inside the fort and thereby prevented a major disaster. In fact Muhkam Singh while had laid a death trap for the enemy. He dug up mines in the fort and spread gunpowder on their floor. Hardly had Jai Singh decided otherwise when the fort mines began to explode, "hurling the stones through the sky". Jai Singh expressed his gratefulness to Badan Singh for having wisely saved his own life and his associates' lives. On November 18, 1722; the imperialists entered the place. The ruler of Jaipur Jai Singh entered into an agreement with Badan Singh in his camp at Thun. The Raja placed a turban on his head. The French missionary says that he also bestowed upon the Jat chief the title of "Raja of Brij", the teeka, the nishan, the naggara and the five-coloured flag (which was that of Raja of Jaipur also). But Badan Singh took no other title except that of Thakur.