Fateh Muhammad

Fateh Muhammad (1752 – 30 October 1813) was a regent who administered Cutch State from 1786 to 1801 and 1804 to 1813 as a leader of Bar Bhayat ni Jamat under titular kings, Prithvirajji and Rayadhan III.

Fateh Muhammad, a Notiar Muslim of Sindh descent, born in 1752, who was a Jamadar under Cutch state. Maharao Rayadhan III was deposed by the revolt of Jamadars, the local chiefs, led by Meghji Sheth of Anjar and placed under restraint in 1786.

The chief actors, the Jamadars and Meghji Seth, raised Prithvirajji, Rayadhan's younger brother to the chiefship, appointed during his minority a council known as the Bar Bhayat ni Jamat which was a congregation of power. Initially the council was successful in restoring order in the state but soon disagreement followed. Meghji Seth, convicted of an attempt to poison some of the members, was forced to flee. Seeking shelter in his old province of Anjar he established himself there as an almost independent ruler. To his party belonged the chief of Mandvi and Aima Bai, the mother of the Prithvirajji, and by their secession, the power of Dosal Ven and the other members of the council was greatly reduced. To add to the confusion two members of the council freed Rayadhan III from restraint.

The rest of the members of council left Bhuj and the disorders followed. One day Rao attacked Fateh Muhammad who had to fly for his life. Strengthening himself in one of the towers of the city wall he resisted the Rao's attacks, and with the help of Dosal Ven, defeated the Rao and again placed him under restraint. Thus he was admitted a member of Jamat. For a year matters went quietly. But Dosal Ven, the head of the council, too sure of his position, neither took pains to treat the Rao with respect nor to win the regard of the Jadeja chiefs. Taking advantage of Dosal Ven's want of popularity, Fateh Muhammad withdrew for a time from Bhuj, and, finding that the Jadeja chiefs were annoyed with Dosal Ven's treatment of the Rao, he in Dosal's absence came back to Bhuj. Always a favourite with the troops, Fateh Muhammad had little difficulty in putting an end to Dosal's supremacy and restoring Prithvirajji to his proper position as the head of the state. As minister, Fateh Muhammad won regards of the young Prithvirajji, he secured the favour of the Jadejas by pensions ; and, by raising a powerful body of mercenaries t acted with such vigour against those who opposed him, that except Dosal Ven, who retired to Mundra, all the members of the council were either banished from Cutch, or placed in confinement.

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