The Rajas Of The Punjab : Being the History of the Principal States in the Punjab and their Political Relations with the British Government (Second Edition) Volume 1(Hardcover-2023)

About the Book

The book, first published in 1870, highlights the history of the princely chiefs of a number of small states located in the composite Punjab and their political relations with the British Empire during the British colonial rule in India. It gives a connected account of the political relations of the British Government with the Independent States of the Punjab from the commencement of the 19th century. Along with the biographical and genealogical details of the prominent princely chiefs, called Rajas, it includes their territorial control, military strength, and their political relations with British. With the British Government, the relations of the Cis-Satlej States had been more or less intimate from the time of the conquest of Delhi by Lord Lake in 1803; and it is the history of these relations, and the policy which the British Government had adopted towards its feudatories, which this book is here chiefly desired to record. The history of princely chiefs of Punjab has been presented in considerable detail and without reserve, except with reference to events of contemporary dates regarding which, obvious political and personal reasons of the author forbade the expression of opinion or detail in relation. This book is one of the earliest accounts on the concerned topic and is treated as a reference material by many historians of Punjab and Sikh history. The author who served as undersecretary of the British Government of Punjab had an intimate knowledge of the prominent ruling families of Punjab.

About the Author
Lepel H. Griffin (20th July 1838, Watford, U.K.—9th March 1908, London, U.K.), was a British administrator, diplomat, and writer. He was educated briefly at Harrow School, having also attended Malden's Preparatory School, Brighton. He did not go to university but was privately tutored for the competitive examination for entry to the Indian Civil Service. He qualified the examination during 1859 and 1860, being ranked tenth among the 32 successful candidates. He came to India in November 1860 and was posted in Lahore. In 1880, he became Chief Secretary of the Punjab. He was sent as a diplomatic representative to Kabul at the end of the Second Afghan War. He was then Governor-General's Agent in Central India and Resident in Indore and Hyderabad. After his return to the U.K., he was Chairman of the East India Association. He was also for several years the Chairman of the Imperial Bank of Persia, and in late 1902 received the Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion and the Sun from the Shah of Persia.