Maharaja Karam Singh Of Patiala was born on October 12, 1797 and ascended the gaddi of Patiala on June 30, 1813 at the age of fifteen,’ During the fight between the Gurkhas under Amar Singh Thapa and the East India Compuny in 1814 the Patiala forces helped the British. Rani Aus Kaur, the mother of the new Raja had been looking after the administration of the state for some time, ‘She had increased the jagir of Rs. 50,000 which had been granted in 1807, for her maintenance, and that of her son to two lakhs of rupees.
Finding her son, Karam Singh, showing displeasure with her, Aus Kaur, moved toSanaur and shifted her to shakhana to that place. Raja Karam Singh complained to the Political Agent of the East India Company to ask his mother to surrender the surplus estate and the valuable effects of the to shakhand. She decided to leave Patiala but she was persuaded not to go, and she consented to have good relations with her son. Here ended the political career of Rani Aus Kaur in 1828. Soon thereafter Raja Karam Singh was confronted with the extravagant claims and pretensions of his half-brother KanwarAjitSingh. The Kanwar went to reside at Delhi. In 1823 he adopted the title of *Maharaja Rajgan Maharaja Ajit Singh MohinderBahadur.*He had no right to adopt any title. Raja Karam Singh was anxious to make friends with him. Ajit Singh desired the territory to be divided and a great portion of the revenue alienated for his benefits, Ultimately. he agreed to accept Rs. 50,000 a year and later came back to Patiala,The old dispute between Patiala and Nabha over the village of Doladi, which had been settled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1807, was again revived in 1827. Nabha was accusing the Doladi villagers of encroaching on the disputed land, and Patiala was retorting. Captain Murray fixed the boundary line which pleased neither of the parties. It was slightly in favour of Patiala. Nabha appealed against it but captain Murray’s decision was confirmed by the special commissioners appointed to review Murray’s decision. Bf With the coming of Patiala under the protection of the East India Company with effect from 1809 the ruler of the state became subservient to the will of the British. Every major or minor matter relating to the state was referred to the British Resident or the Government. Hence it ceased to exist as an independent state. Raja Karam Singh died on December 23, 1845, the day after the battle of Ferozeshah, at the age of forty seven. According to James Skinner, during Raja Karam Singh’s time, the annual revenue of the state amounted to about 24 lakhs of rupees and the strength of his army comprising cavalry and infantry was about 5000. He was succeeded by his son Narinder Singh.
References :-
- Lepel Griffin, op. cit., pp. 155-57.126. Lepel Griffin, op. cit., pp. 158-
- The Punjab Past and Present by Dr. Ganda Singh