Raja Pratap Singh, Raja of Satara
Raja of Satara
Biography
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The basics
Quick Facts
| Intro | Raja of Satara | ||
| Places | India | ||
| Gender |
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| Birth | 18 January 1793 | ||
| Death | 14 October 1847Varanasi, India (aged 54 years) | ||
| Star sign | Capricorn | ||
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The details
Biography
Pratap Singh Bhonsle (18 January 1793 – 14 October 1847) was the last Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, Satara from 1808 to 1819 and was a Hindu Maratha. However, political power was under the control of Peshwas and Raja of Satara until 1839, when the emperor was deposed by the British.
Descent
He was born in the Bhonsle clan of Maratha, whose main occupation was agriculture.
Early life
Pratap Singh was the eldest son of Shahu II of Satara, whom he succeeded, and a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire.
Emperor
He was dethroned and stripped of his powers and personal possessions in 1839. He was exiled to Benares and granted an allowance for his maintenance. Rango Bapuji Gupte, a loyal Sardar to him, long fought unsuccessful legal battles in London on his behalf.
He was succeeded by his brother, Appa Saheb, under the title Shreemant Maharaj Shaji Raja Chhatrapati of Satara. Appa Saheb then became known as Raja Shahaji.
Reign
Pratap Singh built Pune-Satara Road, a palace called Rajwada that was used as a court for 150 years. It is now in possession of the vanshaj of Udayan Maharaj). Pratap Singh High School was started around 1851. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was a pupil of this school until 4th standard.
Pratap Singh's wife started a Private Library in Satara town in 1851 that was open to the public of Satara. The library now known as Nagar Vachanalaya was once Chhatrapati Pratap Singh Maharaj (Thorle) Nagar Vachanalay Satara.
He built the Satara-Medha-Mahabaleshwar Road in Mahabaleshwar (a hill station for Britishers he established Malcom Peth named for the contemporary Governor of Bombay (Now Mumbai) 48 km from Satara) State.
Rajpath 2 ways from Rajwada to Powai Naka was built by him.
He started two schools for English, Persian, Marathi, and Sanskrit in Satara. Modern Satara is his creation as Chh Shahu's RangMahal was burned in a fire, following which he built Jal Mandir Palace as a residence for him and his family where now Chh Udayanraje Bhosale live.