7 - Britain’s First Maharajah

Duleep Singh - Britain’s First Sikh And Punjab’s Last Maharajah

October 2020 sees the 127th anniversary of the death of Duleep Singh, last Maharajah of the Punjab. Born on 4 September 1838, Duleep Singh was the youngest son of Maharajah Ranjit Singh, known as Sher-e-Punjab or Lion of the Punjab. Ranjit Singh was a fierce and wily ruler who united the Kingdom of Punjab, successfully defending invasions particularly from Afghanistan and took procession of the famous Koh-I-Noor diamond, which he wore as an amulet.

After his death in 1839 a period of turmoil began before his youngest son, Duleep Singh finally ascended the throne in 1843 with his mother reigning on his behalf. The East India Company had a longstanding interest in the Kingdom and in 1845 Britain declared war against the Sikhs. The first Anglo Sikh War ended the following year with the Treaty of Lahore; Duleep Singh remained as Maharajah but his mother was replaced by a British Council of Regency, who later imprisoned her. After the second Anglo Sikh War in 1848 and the annexation of the Singh was deposed. He was forced to hand over the Koh-I-Noor diamond, promised a pension of up to £50,000 per year and put into the care of Dr John Logan and his wife; leaving Lahore for Fatehgarh with restrictions on who he could meet. He was allowed to retain the title Maharajah Duleep Singh on the provision that he remained obedient to the British Government and resided at a place the government thought fit.

Image: Ancient House Museum

Many of Duleep Singh’s possessions were sold over the following months under the title of Lahore Confiscated Property. The anglicisation of the young Maharajah began with regular updates being sent to London and the Queen. In the hill station of Musoorie he had lessons in music, drawing, cricket, hunting and hawking. In 1853 aged 14, he was formally Christened in his own name using water from the Ganges with the approval of Governor General Lord Dalhousie. The following year, on the eve of his journey to England, the Maharajah was presented with a bible by Lord Dalhousie (now on display in Ancient House Museum). The teenage Maharajah quickly established himself as a favourite of Queen Victoria, who described him as ‘extremely handsome and speaking perfect English, having a graceful and dignified manner.’ Duleep Singh enjoyed many visits to Osborne House as a guest of the Queen who sketched him regularly. However, within two years the Maharajah had tired of England and longed to return to India; the India Office against such a move, organised a Punjab in 1849, Duleep

continental tour with the Logans instead. In 1857 aged 19, the Maharajah began to manage his own household affairs, his pension was increased to £15,000 but remained lower than the agreed amount in the Treaty of Lahore. Three years later, the India Office finally gave Duleep Singh permission to visit India as long as he didn’t return to the Punjab, in order to bring his mother back to England. The Maharajah’s pension was increased to £25,000 in 1862, and in 1863 Elveden Hall was purchased by the Government for him. Maharani Jind Kaur died just 3 years after being reunited with her son, but not before she had reminded him of the Kingdom and jewels that he had lost as a child. Keen to find a wife, on route to take his mother’s remains to India in 1864, Duleep Singh wrote to the American Presbyterian School in Cairo to request a suitable good Christian wife be found. On his return he was introduced to Bamba Muller; despite both speaking different languages, the pair marry and Bamba returns with the Maharajah as Maharani Bamba.

Duleep Singh settled into married life and soon had a family of 6 children, Prince Victor, Prince Frederick, Princess Bamba, Princess Catherine, Princess Sophia and Prince Albert. Queen Victoria was Godmother to Prince Victor and Princess Sophia and the Maharajah enjoyed memberships of exclusive London Clubs with his great friend, the Prince Of Wales.

Elveden Hall became the fashionable place to be seen. The Maharajah’s lavish lifestyle continued until the India Office refused to pay his bills. Duleep Singh petitioned the Government that his pension was less than agreed and appealed to the Queen to intervene, but Victoria refused. The Maharajah then asked to be compensated for the loss of his personal property at Fatehgarh in 1857, an estimated £25,000. After several years the Government offered £3000, which was refused. Poor farming and the agricultural depression caused further debts and loss of income. By 1879 the Government advised that ‘the obviously desirable course is to adopt the sale of the estate’, Every year a wreath laying service commerates the a £57,000 interest free loan was offered on the anniversary of the death of Maharajah Duleep Singh condition that Elveden was sold upon the death continued to fight his unsuccessful claim for his of the Maharajah. Pressure from Coutts Bank kingdom to be returned. The death of Maharani to repay an advancement left the Maharajah no Bamba in 1887 failed to bring the Maharajah back choice but to accept the offer. to England. The following year he married his mistress Ada Wetherill. With two more children Disillusioned with his fate, Duleep Singh decided to support and suffering from money troubles his to research papers connected with the annexation health dramatically declined. In 1890 he suffered a of the Punjab. His family remained at Elveden. stroke, and asked Prince Victor to write to Queen In 1882 Duleep Singh asked for permission to Victoria to ask for a pardon. In 1891 Duleep Singh travel to the Punjab. Fearful that his presence travelled with Prince Frederick to the South of would incite an uprising, the Viceroy refused. France where he met the Queen for the final time. The following year, his cousin Thakur Singh The Maharajah remained in Paris where he was Sandhanwalia organised the family priest to visit cared for by Prince Victor and Maharani Ada. the Maharajah, who was determined to fight for what he had lost and was reintroduced to a On October 22, 1893 the Maharajah died alone Sikh lifestyle. Promises to raise a force in India in Paris. His son Prince Frederick returned his on behalf of the Maharajah were made and father’s body to England where he was buried jewels, silver gilt, rare Indian carpets, shawls and next to Maharani Bamba and Prince Albert. embroideries were auctioned in London to raise funds for the Maharajah’s return. Prince Frederick continued to live his life in the local area and became a great collector and In 1886 the Duleep Singh family left England antiquarian. His lasting legacy in Thetford is with the permission of the British Government, Ancient House Museum which he bequeathed to however on arrival in Aden, the Maharajah was the town in 1924. Princess Sophia campaigned for placed under house arrest at the British residency; many causes, she is now best known for her work the rest of the family returned back to England. as a Suffragette. Prince Victor became the first The Maharajah began to suffer from ill health and Sikh in Canada and Princess Catherine helped The Mulberry REV Advert 4.qxp_Layout 1 21/09/2020 15:27 Page 1 eventually agreed to move to Paris. There he Jewish families escape form Nazi Germany.

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