Yashwantrao Holkar

Yashwant Rao Holkar
''Maharaja (Ruler of Indore) Ali Jah (the Exalted Dignity) Zubdat ul-Umara (Best of the Army) Bahadur ul-Mulk (Hero of the Empire) Farzand-i-Arjmand (Son of the Nobleman) Nusrat Jang (Who Help in War)
Yashwant Rao Holkar
Reign	(as regent. 1799 – 1807) (r. 1807 - 1811)
Coronation	January 1799
Successor	Malhar Rao Holkar II
Born	December 3, 1776 Malwa, Maratha Empire (present-day Madhya Pradesh, India)
Died	October 28, 1811 Bhanpura, Malwa
Full name H. H. Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Shrimant Yashwant Rao Holkar
Marathi	महाराजा यशवंतराव होळकर
Father	Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar
Religion	Hinduism

H. H. Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Shrimant Yashwant Rao Holkar (Marathi: यशवंतराव होळकर) Bahadur, belonging to the Holkar dynasty of the Marathas was the Maharaja of Indore allied to the Maratha Empire. He was born on 3 December 1776. He was a gifted military leader and educated in accountancy as well as literate in Persian and Marathi. Yashwant Rao has been often referred to as the "Napoleon of India".

In January 1799, Yashwant Rao Holkar was crowned King, as per Hindu Vedic rites and in May, 1799, he captured Ujjain. He started campaigning towards the north to expand his empire in that region. Yashwant Rao rebelled against the policies of the Peshwa Baji Rao II. In May 1802, he marched towards Pune the seat of the Peshwa. This gave rise to the Battle of Poona in which the Peshwa was defeated. After the defeat, the Peshwa fled from Pune. Conquering Pune resulted in Yashwant Rao Holkar in charge of the administration and made some constructive steps to rebuild the Maratha Empire.

To keep the British at bay, Yashwant Rao Holkar played a great role in Indian history. He stood up against the British with his forces. Accompanied by Raghuji Bhonsale and Daulat Scindia, Maharaja Yashwantrao Holkar on 4 June 1803 decided to fight against the British force after their meeting at Bodwad. However, after a conspiracy against him, he decided not to be a part of the Maratha Confederacy. To curb the power of British, Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holkar wrote letters to different rulers and welcomed them to get united and fight against the British power. But, all his plans and appeal went in vain as all the kings had already signed treaties with the British. Afterwards, Yashwant Rao decided to fight against the British on his own. He defeated the British army, led by Colonel Fawcett, at Kunch, in Bundelkhand as well as attacked Delhi to free the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, who was imprisoned by the British and attacked the army of Colonel Ochterlony and Berne. This battle lasted for a week, but Yashwant Rao Holkar could not succeed because Colonel Ochterlony was supported by Lord Lake. Yashwant Rao Holkar won the title of "Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Alija Bahadur" as a token of admiration by Mughal Emperor Shah Alam for his bravery.