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Sawai Jai Singh

Sawai Jai Singh II (3 November 1688 – 21 September 1743) was a Kachwaha Rajput ruler who acceded to the throne of Amber at age eleven following the death of his father, Bishan Singh, and governed until his own death. As a vassal of the Mughal Empire, he demonstrated military acumen by capturing the strategic Vishalgarh Fort in 1701, earning the honorific "Sawai" from Emperor Aurangzeb, signifying exceptional capability beyond his predecessors.^[1] Jai Singh's reign marked a period of territorial expansion and administrative innovation, culminating in the foundation of Jaipur in 1727–1728 as a meticulously planned capital city incorporating grid layouts, wide avenues, and principles from both Indian Shilpa Shastra and European urban designs.^[1] His most enduring legacy lies in astronomy, where he rejected purely traditional methods by constructing five massive observatories—known as Jantar Mantars—at Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain, Varanasi, and Mathura, featuring fixed stone instruments for precise celestial observations to compile updated ephemerides like the Zij-i Muhammad Shahi.^[1]^[2] A polymath versed in Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic, he amassed rare manuscripts, including European works such as Ptolemy's Almagest and Flamsteed's Historia Coelestis Britannica, and commissioned translations of texts like Euclid's Elements to advance mathematical astronomy in India.^[1] Despite the Mughal Empire's decline after Aurangzeb's death in 1707, Jai Singh maintained influence through diplomacy and military service, abolishing the discriminatory jizya tax during Muhammad Shah's reign while navigating alliances amid rising regional powers.^[1]

Early Life and Accession

Birth and Family Background

Sawai Jai Singh II was born on 3 November 1688 in Amber, the fortified capital of the Kachwaha Rajput kingdom in present-day Rajasthan.^[3]^[4] He was the eldest son of Maharaja Bishan Singh, who had ascended the throne of Amber in 1688 following the death of his father, Bishan Singh's predecessor in the lineage tracing back through the Kachwaha rulers.^[5]^[6] His mother was Rani Indira Kanwar (also recorded as Indra Kanwar or Rathorji Indra Kanwarji), a Rathore Rajput from the family of Rao Kesari Singh of Kharwa in Ajmer district.^[7] The Kachwaha dynasty, to which Jai Singh belonged, originated as Suryavanshi Rajputs claiming descent from ancient solar lineages, with historical records placing their rule in the Dhundhar region around Amber from the 11th century onward.^[8] Bishan Singh's brief reign (1688–1699) maintained the kingdom's vassalage to the Mughal Empire, a pragmatic alliance forged by earlier Kachwaha rulers like Jai Singh's great-great-grandfather Man Singh I, who served Mughal emperors from Akbar onward to secure autonomy and territorial grants.^[5] This Mughal-Rajput interdependence shaped the family's strategic position, enabling expansions in Rajputana while navigating imperial politics, though genealogical claims of divine or epic ancestry in clan traditions lack corroboration from contemporary non-mythical records.^[9] Jai Singh had at least one younger brother, Bijai Singh, though records of siblings are sparse and primarily derived from court chronicles emphasizing primogeniture in succession.^[7] The family's emphasis on martial and administrative prowess, inherited through generations of service in Mughal campaigns, positioned Jai Singh for early involvement in governance despite his youth following Bishan Singh's death on 31 December 1699.^[5]

Education and Early Influences

Sawai Jai Singh II, born on November 3, 1688, in Amber, received an education aligned with Kachwaha Rajput traditions, emphasizing military affairs, statecraft, philosophy, arts, and introductory sciences under the guidance of leading scholars.^[10] Following the death of his father, Bishan Singh, in 1699, he ascended the throne at age 11 in 1700 and continued studies under his mother's oversight and private tutors, including the noted mathematician-astronomer Jagannatha Samrat, who assisted in translating key texts like Ptolemy's Almagest into Sanskrit.^[11] This tutelage extended his proficiency in Sanskrit for Hindu astronomical and philosophical works, as well as Persian and Arabic for accessing Islamic scientific literature, such as Ulugh Beg's Zij tables from 1428.^[11]^[12] In line with dynastic custom, Jai Singh was dispatched to Varanasi during his youth to deepen knowledge of Hindi, Sanskrit, and Vedic texts, fostering a foundation in indigenous intellectual traditions.^[12] His early scholarly environment, shaped by Amber's position as a Mughal vassal, exposed him to syncretic influences blending Indian and Persian-Islamic astronomy, though primary records on specific curricula remain sparse.^[11] By age 13 in 1701, Jai Singh exhibited precocious scientific curiosity, inventing a practical water-raising mechanism using jointless pipes, which foreshadowed his lifelong pursuit of empirical observation and instrumentation in astronomy.^[11] This interest, likely ignited by tutors like Jagannatha, persisted amid regency constraints and military duties, prioritizing verifiable celestial data over astrological speculation prevalent in contemporary courts.^[11]

Ascension to the Throne and Initial Regency

Sawai Jai Singh II succeeded his father, Maharaja Bishan Singh, as ruler of the Kingdom of Amber upon the latter's death on 31 December 1699. Born on 3 November 1688, Jai Singh was eleven years old at the time of his ascension, marking the beginning of a minority period that required regency oversight by court nobles and family members, though primary historical accounts do not specify a formal regent or council composition. The young monarch inherited a vassal state under Mughal suzerainty, with limited immediate resources to assert independent authority.^[5] In the early phase of his reign, Jai Singh navigated pressures from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who ordered his participation in the Deccan campaigns roughly six months after the ascension, around mid-1700. Logistical difficulties in mobilizing troops, compounded by Jai Singh's marriage in March 1701, postponed his departure until 3 August 1701, when he arrived at Burhanpur. Persistent delays due to monsoon rains and supply issues prompted Aurangzeb to reduce Jai Singh's mansab rank and stipend on 13 September 1701, reflecting the emperor's dissatisfaction and the precarious position of Rajput subordinates during ongoing imperial wars.^[5] Despite these constraints, the regency period laid groundwork for Jai Singh's later autonomy, as he maintained nominal loyalty to the Mughals while consolidating internal administration in Amber. By the time Aurangzeb's death in 1707 shifted imperial dynamics, Jai Singh had gained military experience in the Deccan, enabling him to challenge Mughal control more assertively in subsequent years.^[5]

Political and Military Engagements

Relations with the Mughal Empire

Sawai Jai Singh II ascended the throne of Amber in 1699 at age 11, inheriting the Kachwaha clan's longstanding policy of vassalage to the Mughal Empire, which provided military ranks (mansabs) and titles in exchange for troops and loyalty in imperial campaigns.^[13] Under Emperor Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707), Jai Singh, still under regency until around 1701, contributed forces to Deccan operations against Maratha and other resistances, including a summons in the mid-1700s to suppress rebellions, aligning with Amber's tradition of Mughal service dating to Akbar's era.^[4] This involvement, from approximately 1704 to Aurangzeb's death in 1707, reinforced Amber's position amid the empire's southern exertions, though Jai Singh's youth limited personal command.^[5] Following Aurangzeb's demise and the ensuing war of succession, Jai Singh backed Bahadur Shah I (r. 1707–1712), preserving Amber's privileges despite financial strains that compelled him to petition the Mughal court for subsidies to sustain his contingents, often receiving refusals that highlighted the empire's fiscal woes. With Jahandar Shah's brief rule (1712–1713) and the rise of Farrukhsiyar (r. 1713–1719), backed by the Sayyid brothers, Jai Singh aligned strategically, earning appointment as subahdar (governor) of Malwa in 1713–1714 to repel Maratha raids into imperial territory.^[14] In recognition of his effectiveness, Farrukhsiyar conferred the hereditary title "Sawai" around 1715, denoting superiority equivalent to one-and-a-quarter ordinary rulers, alongside an elevated mansab of 3500 zat/5000 sawar, solidifying his status as a key Mughal ally.^[15] ^[10] Jai Singh's tenure in Malwa (1714–1717) involved clashes with Maratha leaders like the Peshwas, defending Mughal interests while curbing expansions that threatened Rajputana's borders; he later held governorships in Agra and Allahabad, combating Jat revolts under Churaman in 1716–1718.^[16] Under Muhammad Shah (r. 1719–1748), whose reign saw accelerating Mughal decline, Jai Singh retained favor, with the emperor confirming his "Raj Rajeshwar" title in 1723 and granting further autonomies, though Delhi's weakening grip allowed Jai Singh to prioritize regional consolidation.^[17] Despite these ties, Jai Singh consciously cultivated a distinct Rajput identity, avoiding full assimilation into Mughal nobility and leveraging imperial frailties for independent initiatives like urban planning in Jaipur without direct Delhi oversight.^[14] By the 1730s, as Nadir Shah's 1739 invasion exposed Mughal vulnerabilities, Jai Singh's relations shifted toward pragmatic detachment; he advised defensive preparations but focused on Amber's defenses, embodying a pattern where professed loyalty masked growing de facto sovereignty amid the empire's causal unraveling from internal strife and external pressures.^[18] This duality—service for prestige versus autonomy for survival—defined Kachwaha-Mughal dynamics, with Jai Singh's maneuvers exemplifying Rajput adaptation to imperial entropy without outright rebellion.^[19]

Campaigns Against the Marathas

Sawai Jai Singh II was appointed Subahdar of Malwa by Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar in 1714, tasked with securing the province against Maratha incursions from the Deccan.^[5] During his tenure from 1714 to 1717, his forces conducted vigorous campaigns against isolated Maratha raiding bands led by commanders such as Kanhoji Bhonsle and Khanderao Dabhade, defeating them in multiple skirmishes and a major engagement near the village of Pilsud on 10 May 1715.^[5]^[20] These actions temporarily checked Maratha expansion into Malwa, demonstrating Jai Singh's effective use of mobile Rajput cavalry to harass and repel the invaders.^[5] Reappointed as Subahdar of Malwa in 1732 amid renewed Maratha pressure under Peshwa Baji Rao I, Jai Singh faced a more formidable confederacy, including forces commanded by Malharrao Holkar.^[5] In February 1733, Holkar's cavalry encircled Jai Singh's army at Mandsaur, cutting supply lines and forcing a defeat after prolonged siege tactics, which highlighted the Marathas' superiority in maneuver warfare and logistics.^[21] This setback compelled Jai Singh to petition Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah for negotiations with the Marathas, reflecting the shifting balance as Maratha cavalry raids increasingly targeted Rajputana territories.^[5] To counter ongoing Maratha threats, Jai Singh convened a conference of Rajput rulers at Hurda in July 1734, aiming to forge a confederacy for mutual defense and coordinated resistance against Peshwa expansionism.^[22] However, internal Rajput rivalries and the Marathas' relentless pressure undermined these efforts, culminating in the Mughal-Maratha Treaty of Bhopal in 1737, which granted the Marathas chauth rights over Malwa and paved the way for their deeper incursions into Rajasthan despite Jai Singh's military opposition.^[5] His campaigns, while initially successful, ultimately illustrated the limitations of Mughal-aligned Rajput forces against the decentralized Maratha military system.^[22]

Expansionist Ambitions in Rajputana

Sawai Jai Singh II sought to expand the Kingdom of Amber's influence across Rajputana amid the Mughal Empire's weakening grip after Aurangzeb's death in 1707, aiming to forge a political union under Jaipur's leadership to counter emerging threats like the Marathas.^[5] He capitalized on this vacuum by annexing territories from Mughal control and local chieftains, including the Shekhawati region encompassing Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu, and Nagaur, which provided vital recruits for his modernized army equipped with artillery such as the Jaivana cannon.^[5]^[23] These annexations, often achieved through military subjugation of rebels and Jat uprisings—with allied support from rulers of Kota, Narwar, and Bundi—bolstered Amber's territorial extent in northern Rajasthan.^[23] To assert dominance over neighboring Rajput states, Jai Singh intervened in their internal affairs, such as expelling Budh Singh of Bundi to install his son-in-law Dulel Singh, later reinstating him with Maratha assistance after initial resistance.^[24] He annexed Bundi and Rampura in the Malwa plateau around or after 1732, while meddling in Rathor politics of Bikaner and Jodhpur to install favorable rulers or secure tribute.^[5] Initial alliances, including matrimonial ties with Mewar and cooperation with Marwar during the Rajput Rebellion of 1708–1710, successfully expelled Mughal forces from much of Rajputana, but these pacts frayed as Amber's ambitions clashed with rivals' autonomy.^[5]^[23] Secretly backing Maratha campaigns in Malwa as its subedar, Jai Singh paid 6 lakh rupees and ceded 38 parganas as chauth following the Battle of Mandsaur in 1733, using them to undermine Mughal hold and indirectly extend his sway, though this yielded no permanent territorial gains.^[24] Jai Singh's expansionist peak involved convening the Hurda Conference in 1734 to rally Rajput rulers against Maratha incursions, but disunity prevented a cohesive front.^[5] His overreach culminated in the Battle of Gangwana on 14 April 1741, where an alliance with Bundi, Kota, Bharatpur, and Mughal contingents aimed to subdue Marwar's Bakht Singh over succession disputes in Jodhpur and Bikaner; despite numerical superiority, Jai Singh's forces suffered a decisive defeat, marking the collapse of Amber's bid for regional hegemony and accelerating Maratha penetration into Rajasthan after his death in 1743.^[23]^[5] This failure stemmed from internal Rajput rivalries and tactical errors, underscoring the limits of Jai Singh's ambitions despite his strategic reforms and artillery innovations.^[23]

Military Forces and Strategic Reforms

Sawai Jai Singh II's military forces were organized around a core of Rajput cavalry and infantry, supplemented by contingents from jagirdars and temporary levies raised during campaigns. The army's administration fell under a bakshi, who oversaw recruitment, salary distribution, and maintenance of muster rolls, with troop obligations tied to land assignments where jagir holders often sub-delegated responsibilities to subordinates. Composition typically included sawars (cavalry) as the primary striking force, pyadas (foot soldiers), and bandugchis equipped with matchlocks for firepower, drawing from clans such as Rajawats, Shekhawats, and Narukas. In emergencies, total mobilized strength could exceed 50,000, incorporating cash-paid troops, bhomia irregulars, and allies from states like Mewar and Marwar.^[25] The ruler's regular standing army was estimated by historian Jadunath Sarkar at no more than 40,000 men, a force sustained at an annual cost of approximately 60 lakh rupees through revenues from expanded territories acquired via Mughal grants and conquests. As subedar of Malwa in 1732, Jai Singh committed to maintaining 30,000 troops, balanced equally between horsemen and foot-musketeers, reflecting a deliberate emphasis on infantry equipped with firearms to counter mobile threats like Maratha raids. This buildup followed his early accession, when resources initially supported only 1,000 cavalry, expanding through annexations and Mughal alliances that restored confiscated mansabs.^[5]^[25] Strategic reforms under Jai Singh prioritized artillery integration and siege capabilities, marking a shift from reliance on cavalry charges toward combined arms tactics suited to defending Rajputana against Jat, Maratha, and Afghan incursions. He oversaw the casting of the Jaivana cannon in 1720 at Jaigarh Fort, the largest wheeled artillery piece ever constructed in India with a barrel over 20 feet long and capable of firing 50-pound shot up to 2 miles, enhancing fortress defense and field engagements. Campaigns demonstrated this approach, such as the 1717 siege of Thun Fort, where 84 guns and 52 supply carts supported 10,000 horse and 5,000 foot to breach defenses, and the 1720 Battle of Hasanpur, employing over 110,000 troops with Amber forces in reserve. These innovations increased firepower beyond traditional Rajput levies, though constrained by feudal structures and Mughal oversight, allowing Jai Singh to secure victories like the defeat of 30,000 Marathas at Pilsud in 1715 despite sustaining 500 casualties.^[25]^[5]

Architectural and Administrative Achievements

Founding and Planning of Jaipur

Sawai Jai Singh II established Jaipur as the new capital of the Kachwaha kingdom in 1727, shifting from the fortified hilltop town of Amber to address water shortages and support an expanding population.^[26] The relocation aimed to create a more spacious urban center conducive to trade and governance, leveraging the flat plains south of the Amber hills for strategic defensibility amid surrounding fortifications.^[27] The city's planning followed ancient Indian treatises on architecture, including Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, resulting in a grid-iron layout unprecedented for its scale in northern India at the time.^[28] Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, a Bengali Brahmin scholar appointed by Jai Singh, is traditionally recognized as the chief architect and planner, though some historical analyses question the direct evidence linking him to the design beyond administrative roles.^[27]^[29] The urban form divided the area into nine rectangular sectors—symbolizing the nine planets—with broad, straight avenues intersecting at right angles along cardinal directions, facilitating efficient circulation and commerce.^[30] Enclosing approximately 709 hectares, the walled city featured seven to nine fortified gates and three major public squares (chaupars) formed by principal north-south and east-west axes, with twelve bazaar streets integrated into the grid.^[27] The royal palace complex occupied the northeastern quadrant, prioritizing defensive elevation and symbolic centrality, while markets and residential zones were allocated to southern and central blocks to promote economic vitality.^[31] Construction progressed rapidly, with the core layout completed by 1731, reflecting Jai Singh's integration of indigenous spatial principles with practical urban foresight.^[27]

Administrative Policies and Societal Reforms

Sawai Jai Singh II centralized administrative authority in the Kingdom of Amber, consolidating control over its territories by the 1720s through direct oversight and appointed officials, which enabled effective governance amid Mughal decline.^[32] Revenue policies focused on land taxation, with assessments accounting for cultivable versus uncultivable wasteland to determine equitable collections, supplemented by other taxes on administered regions outside core Amber holdings.^[33] This system supported fiscal stability, funding military and infrastructural initiatives without evidence of excessive burdens, though detailed settlement records remain sparse. Judicial administration emphasized efficiency, with disputes resolved without undue delay; civil and minor cases were often decided on the hearing day, while complex matters carried over to the next, minimizing backlog through structured court proceedings.^[19] Criminal justice involved magistrates, and panchayats handled local civil matters, aligning with Rajput traditions but streamlined under royal directive to uphold order. Societal reforms targeted Hindu community cohesion, including initiatives to reduce inter-Brahmin discriminations by promoting unity among subgroups, fostering broader social harmony.^[20] Jai Singh also advanced progressive customs by discouraging sati and supporting widow remarriage, reflecting an intent to alleviate restrictive practices, though enforcement varied within entrenched Rajput norms and lacked comprehensive abolition.^[10] These efforts complemented religious patronage, such as temple restorations, prioritizing dharma-aligned governance over radical upheaval.

Scientific and Intellectual Contributions

Construction of the Jantar Mantar Observatories

Sawai Jai Singh II initiated the construction of five astronomical observatories, known as Jantar Mantars, across northern India to conduct precise observations for revising astronomical tables and almanacs. The project began with the Delhi observatory in 1724, commissioned at the request of Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah, and continued through the late 1720s, with the Jaipur site extending to 1734.^[11]^[34] The sites included Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi (Benares), and Mathura (Muttra), strategically placed to enable observations from different latitudes for improved accuracy in determining celestial positions.^[11] The observatories featured large-scale, fixed masonry instruments constructed from local stone, marble, and limestone, chosen for their stability and permanence over traditional portable brass devices, which Jai Singh deemed prone to wear and measurement errors.^[11]^[35] In Delhi, the complex included at least six major instruments, such as the Samrat Yantra sundial and Ram Yantra, built as monumental structures up to several meters high.^[11] The Jaipur Jantar Mantar, the largest, housed 19 instruments, including a 27-meter-high Samrat Yantra, constructed starting around 1727 and completed by 1734, incorporating geometric forms aligned for solar, lunar, and planetary tracking.^[11] Jai Singh personally oversaw the designs, drawing on consultations with Indian, Persian, and European astronomers, to create specialized yantras—such as astrolabes and quadrants—scaled up to human height or larger for naked-eye precision without telescopic aid.^[11] The remaining observatories at Ujjain, Varanasi, and Mathura followed similar architectural principles, though smaller in scope, with construction emphasizing durable, fixed installations to facilitate continuous data collection across sites.^[34] These structures represented an innovative fusion of architecture and astronomy, prioritizing empirical measurement over symbolic elements.^[36]

Astronomical Research and Methodological Approaches

Sawai Jai Singh II initiated his astronomical research to address discrepancies in planetary positions and eclipse predictions found in existing tables from Hindu, Muslim, and European traditions, aiming for empirical verification through direct observation. He amassed a library of texts, including translations of Ptolemy's Almagest into Sanskrit as Samrat Siddhanta, Ulugh Beg's Zij, and European works such as Philippe de La Hire's Tabulae Astronomicae (1702) and John Flamsteed's Historia Coelestis Britannica, often procuring them via agents sent to Europe.^[37] These sources were compared impartially, with Jai Singh favoring methods grounded in observational data over purely theoretical models, such as adjusting for precession rates (50°26" annually) and obliquity of the ecliptic (23°28').^[37] His methodological approach emphasized precision in naked-eye observations, rejecting small, portable brass instruments like astrolabes due to errors from mobility, wear, and inconsistent graduations. Instead, he innovated fixed masonry instruments scaled to monumental sizes—such as the 68-foot-high Samrat Yantra at Delhi—for stability and readability to arcseconds, minimizing parallax and refraction issues inherent in telescopic aids of the era.^[37] ^[38] Of the 15 instrument types developed, seven were original designs, including the Jai Prakash Yantra for meridian transits and Ram Yantra for equatorial coordinates, adapting Hindu and Arabic prototypes while incorporating geometric principles from Euclid's Elements, which he had translated.^[37] Early personal experiments with a telescope confirmed qualitative phenomena like lunar phases and Saturn's shape but were deemed insufficient for quantitative positional astronomy, leading to reliance on unaided eyes augmented by large-scale tools.^[39] Research involved coordinated programs across observatories at varying latitudes (Delhi founded 1724, Jaipur circa 1734), enabling longitude corrections and comprehensive data collection. Over seven years at Delhi, systematic recordings of star positions and celestial events yielded a revised star catalogue, cross-verified against multiple traditions to resolve inconsistencies—often prioritizing Muslim sources like Ulugh Beg's for their empirical basis over Hindu texts perceived as neglecting recent observations.^[37] This culminated in the Zij-i Muhammad Shahi (circa 1728), co-authored with Persian astronomer Mirza Khairullah, which updated Ulugh Beg's tables with a 4°8' precession correction and aimed to rectify the calendar through predictive accuracy.^[37] ^[39] Jai Singh's synthesis represented the final major effort in pre-telescopic, large-instrument observational astronomy, blending causal scrutiny of data sources with first-hand verification.^[38]

Patronage of Mathematics, Arts, and Cross-Cultural Exchanges

Sawai Jai Singh II actively patronized mathematicians and astronomers, assembling a diverse group of scholars at his court to advance Indian scientific traditions through integration of foreign knowledge. He supported Jagannatha Panditaraja, a renowned polymath, who under his patronage translated Euclid's Elements into Sanskrit as Rekhaganita, completing it by 1727, and rendered Nasir al-Din al-Tusi's commentary on Ptolemy's Almagest as Siddhantasamrat, incorporating insights from Ulugh Beg and al-Kashi.^[40] These works exemplified Jai Singh's aim to revitalize indigenous mathematics by adapting Greek, Persian, and Islamic texts, with Jagannatha providing geometric proofs involving trigonometry and algebra, such as for sin(π/10).^[40] His patronage extended to fostering cross-cultural exchanges in astronomy and mathematics, viewing observatories as hubs for multilingual discourse across Indian, Islamic, and European traditions. In 1727, he dispatched Father Emmanuel de Figuerado and Padre Manuel to Portugal to procure Western astronomical texts and instruments, yielding Philippe de la Hire's Tabulae Astronomicae but excluding heliocentric works by Kepler, Newton, and others due to Jesuit adherence to geocentric models.^[39] Jai Singh further invited Bavarian astronomers to Jaipur, where they collaborated from 1740 to 1743, seeking to refine observational methods despite challenges like political instability and outdated European data.^[39] These efforts diversified his scholarly team, incorporating Jesuit expertise to validate and enhance Hindu sidereal computations against tropical European ones.^[41] In the arts, Jai Singh's rule marked the inception of the Jaipur school of miniature painting, which evolved under his patronage by attracting artists from Mughal and regional courts to produce works blending intricate detailing with religious and literary themes.^[42] His court emphasized Sanskrit scholarship and cultural synthesis, supporting poetic and literary endeavors alongside scientific pursuits, as seen in the multilingual translations that bridged aesthetic and technical domains.^[40]

Later Years, Death, and Succession

Final Political Maneuvers and Alliances

In his third and final tenure as Mughal Subahdar of Malwa from October 1732 to August 1737, Sawai Jai Singh confronted the intensifying Maratha incursions led by Peshwa Baji Rao I, who sought to consolidate control over the province. While directing military operations to repel Maratha raids, including fortifying key positions and engaging in skirmishes, Jai Singh pragmatically counseled Emperor Muhammad Shah to negotiate a settlement with the Marathas, recognizing their military momentum and the weakening Mughal authority as a pathway to regional stability rather than prolonged conflict. This approach reflected his strategic realism amid the empire's decline, though it yielded limited success, culminating in the Nizam-ul-Mulk's replacement of Jai Singh and the eventual Maratha dominance in Malwa by 1738.^[23]^[5]^[43] Jai Singh harbored deep distrust toward Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I, the ambitious Mughal viceroy of the Deccan, whom he viewed as a rival encroaching on Rajput interests. To counter potential threats from the Nizam's forces, Jai Singh independently urged fellow Rajput rulers—including those of Mewar, Marwar, and other states—to mobilize their armies preemptively, bypassing direct Mughal coordination and emphasizing collective defense of Rajputana's autonomy. This initiative underscored his efforts to foster a unified Rajput front, building on prior matrimonial alliances, such as his daughter's marriage to a Mewar prince, which had solidified ties against fading Mughal suzerainty.^[44]^[5] To secure his eastern borders, Jai Singh addressed Jat unrest in Agra and surrounding territories, where peasant revolts under leaders like Churaman had challenged authority during his earlier governorships. By the 1720s, he subdued resistant Jat factions and elevated Badan Singh of Bharatpur to the status of thakur (lord), extracting tribute and integrating him into a tributary relationship that neutralized immediate threats while preserving Jaipur's influence over the region. Following Nadir Shah's devastating 1739 invasion of Delhi, which exposed Mughal vulnerability and prompted widespread realignments, Jai Singh prioritized internal consolidation and defensive postures, avoiding overt entanglements that could invite Maratha or Afghan exploitation, thereby safeguarding Amber's sovereignty until his death on 21 September 1743.^[45]^[23]

Death and Dynastic Succession

Sawai Jai Singh II died on 21 September 1743 in Jaipur at the age of 54.^[5] ^[7] The cause of his death remains undocumented in primary historical records, though it occurred amid ongoing political tensions following his diplomatic engagements with the Mughal court and regional powers.^[46] He had previously nominated his son, Ishwari Singh (born February 1721), as heir-apparent, ensuring a direct dynastic transition within the Kachwaha Rajput lineage.^[47] Ishwari Singh ascended the throne shortly after, reigning from 1743 until his own death in 1750, though the succession was immediately contested by Madho Singh, an adopted son and stepbrother to Ishwari, who claimed rights through ties to Jai Singh's other consort.^[47] ^[46] This rivalry escalated into military confrontations, including a siege led by Madho Singh's forces, destabilizing the nascent rule and highlighting fractures in the Jaipur court's internal alliances.^[47] The transition underscored the fragility of Jai Singh's administrative centralization, as factional loyalties among nobility and extended family undermined the smooth transfer of power, contributing to Jaipur's vulnerability to external threats like Maratha incursions in the ensuing years.^[46]

Legacy and Historical Evaluation

Political and Territorial Impact

Sawai Jai Singh II significantly expanded the territory of Amber, later Jaipur, from its ancestral holdings to over 20,000 square miles by the time of his death in 1743, incorporating regions such as Shekhawati, Tonk, Fatehpur, and parts of Ajmer through conquests, revenue farming (ijara), and imperial grants.^[25] His political influence stemmed from multiple subahdari appointments under Mughal emperors, including governor of Malwa in 1712, 1714–1716, 1729, and 1732–1734; Agra from 1717–1721 and 1740–1741; and Gujarat from 1722–1724, which allowed him to consolidate power in central India while advancing Amber's interests.^[25] These roles facilitated the suppression of local rebellions and the extraction of tribute, enhancing Jaipur's economic and military stature amid Mughal decline.^[25] Militarily, Jai Singh led campaigns that directly contributed to territorial gains, such as the capture of Tonk on March 24, 1710, and victories over Jat leader Churaman, culminating in the siege and submission at Thun fortress from November 9, 1716, to May 1718, followed by a second campaign in September 1722 that vassalized Badan Singh's territories with annual tribute of Rs. 83,000.^[25] He defeated Maratha forces at Pilsud on May 11, 1715, forcing their retreat from Malwa, and secured jagirs like Dausa in August 1706, Chatsu, Malarna, Amarsar, Lalsot via ijara yielding Rs. 25,000 annually from 1713, and Mahmudabad in July 1713.^[25] Alliances with other Rajput states, including coalitions that expelled Mughal forces from Amber and Jodhpur in June–July 1708 and mediation in Bundi succession disputes leading to control under Dalel Singh by 1730, further extended influence over parganas in Ajmer and Jodhpur.^[25] Despite these successes, Jai Singh's ambitions provoked rivalries, notably the Battle of Gangwana on June 11, 1741, where his forces defeated Jodhpur's Bakht Singh, gaining Bhinai and Kekri but straining Rajput unity against rising Maratha pressures.^[25] His conferral of the title "Sawai" by Emperor Farrukh-siyar on July 12, 1713, symbolized enhanced Mughal-Rajput ties, yet his independent maneuvers, such as organizing the Rajput conference at Hurda in 1734 to counter Maratha expansion, positioned Jaipur as a regional hegemon while navigating imperial fragmentation.^[25] Overall, these efforts transformed Jaipur into a fortified, administratively robust state capable of sustaining scientific patronage amid political volatility.^[25]

Enduring Scientific and Cultural Influence

The Jantar Mantar observatories constructed by Sawai Jai Singh II between 1728 and 1734 exemplify enduring advancements in pre-modern astronomy, featuring monumental masonry instruments such as the Samrat Yantra and Jai Prakash Yantra that enabled precise measurements of celestial positions without telescopic aid.^[48] These facilities refined positional astronomy by integrating Indian, Persian, and European methodologies, producing astronomical tables that contributed to the revision of the Indian calendar and supported agricultural and religious timing.^[48] The Jaipur observatory, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, continues to serve as a testament to 18th-century scientific precision, rivaling contemporary European observatories in accuracy and inspiring ongoing studies in historical astronomy.^[48] Sawai Jai Singh's patronage extended to cultural domains, establishing Jaipur in 1727 as a planned urban center with a grid layout of nine sectors, wide avenues measuring 108 feet, and uniform architectural elements like crenellated walls, which influenced subsequent Indian city planning models.^[49] His support for scholars, including the assembly of over 7,800 manuscripts in the Pothikhana between 1728 and 1738 and collaboration with experts like Samrat Jagannath, fostered a scholarly hub that preserved Sanskrit treatises and produced works such as the Zij-i Muhammad Shahi in 1728.^[49] This intellectual environment sustained traditions in literature, with patronage of poets like Bihari Lal, and performing arts, nurturing the Jaipur gharana of khayal gayaki and Kathak dance, which persist in contemporary Indian cultural practice.^[49] The fusion of scientific inquiry with Rajput-Mughal aesthetics in structures like Chandra Mahal and Govind Devji Temple underscores Jai Singh's role in blending utility and artistry, elements that define Jaipur's enduring identity as a cultural and architectural landmark.^[49] His initiatives, including the establishment of Brahmapuri for scholars and Gunijanakhana for musicians, created institutions that outlasted his reign, contributing to Jaipur's recognition as a center of diverse religious and artistic expression.^[49]

Criticisms, Controversies, and Debates

Jai Singh's adherence to naked-eye observational methods, despite awareness of European telescopic advancements through commissioned translations of works like Ptolemy's Almagest and interactions with Jesuit scholars, has drawn scholarly critique for limiting the precision of his astronomical tables. His Zij-i Muhammad Shahi, compiled between 1726 and 1737, incorporated data from Islamic, Hindu, and select European sources but retained geocentric assumptions and inherent errors from non-telescopic sightings, such as deviations in planetary positions that later telescopic observations corrected. Historians of science argue this represented the final major effort in large-scale pre-modern Indian astronomy, innovative in scaling masonry instruments for communal verification but ultimately conservative, as Jai Singh prioritized traditional stability over emerging optical technologies that could have reduced parallax and atmospheric distortions.^[38]^[2] The financial burden of constructing five observatories—Jaipur (1734), Delhi (1724), Ujjain (1734), Mathura (destroyed soon after), and Varanasi (c. 1737)—using costly cut-stone masonry rather than portable brass, has prompted debate on resource allocation amid ongoing military campaigns. Estimates suggest expenditures equivalent to millions in modern terms, funded by Jaipur's treasury and Mughal grants, potentially straining defenses against regional threats like the Marathas, though proponents contend the investments advanced empirical validation over textual reliance, correcting prior tables' inaccuracies by up to several arcminutes in solar and lunar positions.^[37] Politically, Jai Singh's role as Mughal viceroy of Malwa (from 1729) and leadership in anti-Maratha expeditions, including the 1731–1732 campaigns that briefly checked Peshwa Baji Rao I's incursions, has fueled accusations of subservience to a declining empire. Critics, including some Rajput chroniclers and modern nationalists, portray these alliances—forged under Emperor Muhammad Shah—as opportunistic consolidation of personal power through Mughal mansabdari ranks (elevated to 7,000 zat in 1719), at the cost of broader Hindu confederation against Islamic rule, evidenced by his suppression of Maratha raids that later enabled their resurgence post-1743. Defenders highlight pragmatic expansion of Amber's territory by 50% via annexed Mughal lands and his advisory push for Mughal-Maratha peace treaties, framing him as a strategic autonomist rather than vassal. A 2022 controversy arose when a Samarkand inscription labeled him a "Mughal servant," prompting Indian historians to rebut it as misrepresentation, emphasizing his command autonomy and temple restorations as markers of Rajput agency.^[50]^[51]

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