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Khokhra Chieftaincy
The Khokhra chieftaincy, also known as the Nagvanshi dynasty, was a principality that ruled the parts of Chota Nagpur Plateau region (modern-day Jharkhand) during much of the medieval and early-modern period. The chieftaincy came to prominence while the region was part of Bihar Subah in the Mughal Empire.
Legendary accounts trace the founder of this dynasty to be Phani Mukut Rai who lived during the 1st century CE, however the definite history of the Khokhra chieftaincy begins from the 15th century onwards.
The origins of the Khokhras are unknown and while the family claimed to be Kshatriya, recent evidence points to them having their origins with the Munda tribe before the leader of the tribe, Madra Munda, was adopted into the Nagvanshis.
The Khokhra family receives no mention during the period the Delhi Sultanate and even during the reign of Sher Shah Suri. The reason for this likely relates to the isolated location from which the Khokhras ruled as none of the ruling authorities in Bihar were able to reach them. During the Mughal period, it was Emperor Akbar who was the first to try and expand into the territory of the Khokhras. Abul Fazl writes that in 1585 CE, the emperor requested Shahbaz Khan Kamboh to attack the Khokhras after the chief, Madhukar Rai, had refused to accept the overlordship of the Mughals as he was confident that the forests and mountains of his principality would protect him. Shahbaz Khan eventually went on to conquer the Khokhras and Madhukar Rai agreed to pay land revenue to the Mughals. In the 1590s, Madhukar Rai was asked to serve in the imperial army for a campaign against the Afghans of Odisha along with other zamindars of Bihar including those of the Gidhaur chieftaincy and Kharagpur Raj.
Madhukar Rai died in 1599 and was replaced by Bairisal who according to records visited the Emperor in Delhi and accompanied him on various expeditions. Because of his services, he was rewarded with valuable gifts and granted the pargana of Sherghati. However, in 1613 Bairisal rebelled against the Mughals and the Baharistan-i-Ghaibi mentions that Bairisal failed to fulfill payment of revenue. The Mughal General, Zafar Khan, besieged the Khokhras however just as he was about the achieve victory, news about the death of Islam Khan, then Governor of Bengal spread and Zafar Khan was forced to reach a settlement with the Khokhras so that he could move to Bengal to reestablish control. Zafar Khan soon returned to Chota Nagpur under the orders of the Emperor but before he could relaunch his campaign, he was struck by an illness which left him paralysed and the campaign was unable to go ahead.
Bairisal died in 1614 and was succeeded by his son, Durjan Shah who continued to defy Mughal authority however he was eventually defeated and Khokhra was annexed into the Mughal empire by the governor of Bihar, Ibrahim Khan Fath-i-Jang in 1615. Emperor Jahangir noted that Durjan Shah was imprisoned for at least three years following the subjugation of Khokhradesh. A story recounts that Durjan Shah was released from prison after Jahangir was impressed with his ability to judge the purity of diamonds. As per the terms of his release, Durjan Shah was to pay tribute of 6000 Rs and was also conferred with the title of Shah. Durjan Shah died in 1640 and was succeeded by his son, Ram Shah.
Ram Shah built Kapilnath Temple in 1643 CE in Navratangarh. Raghunath Shah (1663–1690) built several temples, including Madan Mohan temple in Boera and Jagannath temple. According to Lal Pradumn Singh, the writer of the book Nagvansh, the Mughals invaded Khukhra during the reign of Raghunath Shah. Mughal officials were sent by Aurangzeb to attack Khokhra. The invasion was strongly resisted which resulted in the death of Mughal officials. Later he agreed to pay tax to the Mughals. Thakur Ani Nath Shahdeo made Satranji the capital of Barkagarh estate near Subarnarekha river. He built the Jagannath temple in 1691.
In 1719, during the reign of Emperor Muhammad Shah, Sarbuland Khan invaded to Chotanagpur plateau. Raja Yadunath Shah agreed to pay Rs. 100,000 (one lakh) as Nazrana.[clarification needed] Then Yadunath Shah shifted the capital from Navratangarh to Palkot upon realising the weakness of the capital from a defensibility point of view. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Shivnath Shah (1724–1733). Due to non-payment of tribute, Fakhr-ud-daula invaded Khokhra in 1731. He faced considerable resistance from the Raja of Khokhra but both parties reached a compromise and he paid Rs. 12,000 as tribute. When Fakhr-ud-daula was removed from the post of Subedar of Bihar Suba in 1733, the Khokhra chief discontinued the payment of tribute to the Mughals. Maninath Shah (1748-1762) consolidated his authority over the estates of Bundu, Silli, Barwe, Rahe, and Tamar, and the chiefs of these estates were compelled to acknowledge the Nagvanshi ruler as their chief.
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Khokhra Chieftaincy
The Khokhra chieftaincy, also known as the Nagvanshi dynasty, was a principality that ruled the parts of Chota Nagpur Plateau region (modern-day Jharkhand) during much of the medieval and early-modern period. The chieftaincy came to prominence while the region was part of Bihar Subah in the Mughal Empire.
Legendary accounts trace the founder of this dynasty to be Phani Mukut Rai who lived during the 1st century CE, however the definite history of the Khokhra chieftaincy begins from the 15th century onwards.
The origins of the Khokhras are unknown and while the family claimed to be Kshatriya, recent evidence points to them having their origins with the Munda tribe before the leader of the tribe, Madra Munda, was adopted into the Nagvanshis.
The Khokhra family receives no mention during the period the Delhi Sultanate and even during the reign of Sher Shah Suri. The reason for this likely relates to the isolated location from which the Khokhras ruled as none of the ruling authorities in Bihar were able to reach them. During the Mughal period, it was Emperor Akbar who was the first to try and expand into the territory of the Khokhras. Abul Fazl writes that in 1585 CE, the emperor requested Shahbaz Khan Kamboh to attack the Khokhras after the chief, Madhukar Rai, had refused to accept the overlordship of the Mughals as he was confident that the forests and mountains of his principality would protect him. Shahbaz Khan eventually went on to conquer the Khokhras and Madhukar Rai agreed to pay land revenue to the Mughals. In the 1590s, Madhukar Rai was asked to serve in the imperial army for a campaign against the Afghans of Odisha along with other zamindars of Bihar including those of the Gidhaur chieftaincy and Kharagpur Raj.
Madhukar Rai died in 1599 and was replaced by Bairisal who according to records visited the Emperor in Delhi and accompanied him on various expeditions. Because of his services, he was rewarded with valuable gifts and granted the pargana of Sherghati. However, in 1613 Bairisal rebelled against the Mughals and the Baharistan-i-Ghaibi mentions that Bairisal failed to fulfill payment of revenue. The Mughal General, Zafar Khan, besieged the Khokhras however just as he was about the achieve victory, news about the death of Islam Khan, then Governor of Bengal spread and Zafar Khan was forced to reach a settlement with the Khokhras so that he could move to Bengal to reestablish control. Zafar Khan soon returned to Chota Nagpur under the orders of the Emperor but before he could relaunch his campaign, he was struck by an illness which left him paralysed and the campaign was unable to go ahead.
Bairisal died in 1614 and was succeeded by his son, Durjan Shah who continued to defy Mughal authority however he was eventually defeated and Khokhra was annexed into the Mughal empire by the governor of Bihar, Ibrahim Khan Fath-i-Jang in 1615. Emperor Jahangir noted that Durjan Shah was imprisoned for at least three years following the subjugation of Khokhradesh. A story recounts that Durjan Shah was released from prison after Jahangir was impressed with his ability to judge the purity of diamonds. As per the terms of his release, Durjan Shah was to pay tribute of 6000 Rs and was also conferred with the title of Shah. Durjan Shah died in 1640 and was succeeded by his son, Ram Shah.
Ram Shah built Kapilnath Temple in 1643 CE in Navratangarh. Raghunath Shah (1663–1690) built several temples, including Madan Mohan temple in Boera and Jagannath temple. According to Lal Pradumn Singh, the writer of the book Nagvansh, the Mughals invaded Khukhra during the reign of Raghunath Shah. Mughal officials were sent by Aurangzeb to attack Khokhra. The invasion was strongly resisted which resulted in the death of Mughal officials. Later he agreed to pay tax to the Mughals. Thakur Ani Nath Shahdeo made Satranji the capital of Barkagarh estate near Subarnarekha river. He built the Jagannath temple in 1691.
In 1719, during the reign of Emperor Muhammad Shah, Sarbuland Khan invaded to Chotanagpur plateau. Raja Yadunath Shah agreed to pay Rs. 100,000 (one lakh) as Nazrana.[clarification needed] Then Yadunath Shah shifted the capital from Navratangarh to Palkot upon realising the weakness of the capital from a defensibility point of view. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Shivnath Shah (1724–1733). Due to non-payment of tribute, Fakhr-ud-daula invaded Khokhra in 1731. He faced considerable resistance from the Raja of Khokhra but both parties reached a compromise and he paid Rs. 12,000 as tribute. When Fakhr-ud-daula was removed from the post of Subedar of Bihar Suba in 1733, the Khokhra chief discontinued the payment of tribute to the Mughals. Maninath Shah (1748-1762) consolidated his authority over the estates of Bundu, Silli, Barwe, Rahe, and Tamar, and the chiefs of these estates were compelled to acknowledge the Nagvanshi ruler as their chief.