Fatehpur

Fatehpur was among the several independent Jat principality that existed in the Subahs of Agra and Delhi as a result of the rebellion of Gokula Jat(1669). The house of Fatehpur was founded by Rustam Singh of Tuhia who was the grandson of Umrao Singh a scion of the reputed house of Sogar. Thus the houses of Tuhia was a cadet branch of the house of Sogar. Rustam with his brother Lodh Singh joined the service of Achal Singh, who was a prominent member of the Ram Dal and a very powerful rebel. Both brothers rose to high positions Lodh Singh was appointed administrator of Sogar and Rustam was made chief of the army. Achal Singh and his bands of warrior took possession of Pahari, Rupbas, Uchain and parts of Helak and Bayana. Achal Singh became one the most powerful chiefs in the Kated country. Rustam Singh served his lord dearly and in return was awarded with the management of ilaqa Aghapur. The Jats were soon to face the full wrath of Emperor Aurangjeb. He employed Raja Bishen Singh of Amber, Prince Bidar Bakht, Shah Alam, Kalyan Singh Bhadauria, Fidai Khan(Subahdar of Agra) and several fauzdars of Agra and Delhi Subah to regain the land annexed by the Jat rebels.

By 29th December 1690, the fort of Sogar was surrounded by imperialists. It was impossible to starve Sogar to surrender, because, however vigilant the imperialist might be the Jats from outside could always throw in supplies by secret jungle tracks known only to them. One day imperialists fell upon Sogar at a time when it’s gate was kept open for admitting provisions. Disguising themselves as labourers ,some Mughal soldiers entered the Fort,while ten main troops arrayed outside the gate. Then they killed all who opposed them. Five hundred people were captured, meanwhile Achal Singh, Lodh Singh and Rustam Singh managed to escape. The news and fall of Sogar was sent to the Emperor with its golden key. After the fall of Sogar, Rustam Singh became a wanderer, ousted from his land he joined other Jat chiefs and made the wasteland of Chambal his adobe. For a time he plundered the imperial highway and then the environ of Bayana and Hinduan. In 1696 the condition became favourable again, Girdhar Singh the son of Achal Singh was able to regain a part of his patrimony and called for all the chiefs which were previous in the service of his father to join him. Rustam returned to Kated and received from Girdhar Singh the mauza Tuhia and ilaqa Aghapur.

In the year 1700,Rustam Singh started the building of the city of Fatehpur in the marshland of Ghana. A legendary story about how the family acquired the wealth to built Fatehpur is famous among the Sogarwars it is said that once Kripa Ram the son of Rustam Singh discovered asrafis near the fortress of Aghapur, the ground was dug up and immense wealth was recovered. One cannot argue that Rustam Singh acquired enormous wealth during his predatory life in the imperial highway and in the Sarkar of Hindaun-Bayana and it was this wealth not the coins discovered at Aghapur, that he used to built Fatehpur. Rustam joined Churaman of Thun and Hathi Singh Sonkh in there expedition against the states of Bundi and Kota(1704).

Rustam Singh soon conquered parganas of Rupbas and Pahari which were under imperial jagirdars for his patron Girdhan Singh. Girdhar Singh was a man of simple intellect and lacked the qualities of a leader. The popularity of Rustam Singh was rising in the Sogarwars and Girdhar Singh saw it as a threat to his gaddi. So when in 1709,it time for the Sogarwars to regain there old capital(I.e Sogar), the band of Rustam was sent on an expedition towards Bayana. This angered and disgusted Rustam Singh, who after the conquest of Sogar left the service of Girdhar Singh and established himself as a independent chief. Several sardar deserted Girdhar Singh , Rustam ousted the karories and thanedars appointed by Girdhar from the parganas of Rupbas, Pahari Bayana but his vengeance on Girdhar could only be completed when he would have snatched the sardari(cheifship) of the clan from him and became the Rai(Chief) of the Sogarwars. He gained the support of the chiefs of Mutia, Sewar, Ubar, Tuhia and others and in a grand meeting at Sogar it was decided that the bandobast of pargana Pahari(with Sogar) will be given to Girdhar Singh and rest of the sardari to Rustam Singh. This forever branched the town houses. Rustam Singh then ousted the Mughal garrison from Barah and conquer Ikram from the Sayyids. Rustam Singh married Rani Ajay Kaur a lady of Chahar or Kuntel clan. She bore him 6 sons out of them Kripa Ram, Bhigha Ram and Khemkaran Singh inherited the brilliant qualities of there father.

Rai Rustam Singh was successed by his son Khem Karan Singh in the year 1714. Khem Karan Singh continued to expand his territories. In order to pacify the Jats, Emperor Farukhsiyar invited Khem Karan Singh and 3 other Jat chiefs (Churaman and probably Majha Singh Chahar and Hathi Singh of Sonkh) to Delhi. All these Jat chiefs were well received by the Emperor at Baramulla and all of them were given Khilats. The parganas of Rupbas, Fatehpur (Bharatpur), Malah, Aghapur, Barauli(Agra) and Ikran were recognised as the watan jagir of Rai Khemkharan Singh. He was also awarded with the title of ‘Bahadur Khan’. However this flattery was of no use as Khem Karan Singh soon resumed his old habits and started annexing more land, he annexed pargana Sikri and part of Helak pargana in the next year.

Rai Khem Karan Singh and other Jat leader joined the Sayyid brothers in there march against the Emperor. On 19 April 1719,the rebels captured Delhi and Farukhsiyar was brutally killed. Khem Karan Singh’s relationship with the Sayyid brothers were soon strained. During the Agra revolt(1719) Khem Karan Singh showed his desire to become the master of Kated(the country to the west of Yamuna between Mewat and Chambal) and supported the claim of Prince Nikusiyar who was recently proclaimed as the successor of Faruksiyar by Mitrasen at Agra. Mitrasen called Gaj Singh Naruka and Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur to support the claim of Nikusiyar. On the 26th of July a diplomatic meeting was held between Thakur Kripa Ram(the brother of Khemkaran) and Jai Singh. The next day gifts were exchanged between Bigha Ram Sogharia, Sawant Singh(nephew of Khem Karan), Jai Singh of Jaipur and Gaj Singh Naruka and thus there alliance was sealed. Meanwhile, the Sayyid brothers proclaimed Rafiuddaullah as there claimant to the Mughal throne and in this enterprise they were supported by Rao Churaman and the sons of Nandram Thenua(Jai Singh of Hathras and Bhoj Singh of Jawar). When Churaman and the Sayyids were engaged in the siege of Agra, Khemkaran Singh plundered the parganas of Sahar, Sikri and threatened the jagir of Churaman. He was joined by the army of Jai Singh and together they moved towards Agra. Hussain Ali Khan despatched Dilawar Ali Khan and Mursriq Jafar Khan to reduce Fatehpur which compelled Khemkaran Singh to return and take position at his capital. Shi Ram the commander of Jai Singh surrendered to the Sayyids and took shelter at Khemkaran’s fortress of Aghapur. In the 12th of August, the fort of Agra finally fell into the hands of the besiegers. On 24th of August Thakur Kripa Ram and Sawant Singh Sogharia met with Jai Singh at Toda Bhim to discuss the future of there alliance against the Sayyids. The new Emperor Rafiuddaullah suddenly died near Sikri (September) and the Sayyids crowned Mohammad Shah as the new Padshah. By November the fort of Fatehpur was surrounded and Khem Karan Singh was forced to surrender. A cold war started between Mohammad Shah and the Sayyids. Husain Ali was murdered and Abdullah was ready to avenge the death of his brother.

After Huisan Ali Khan Sayyid was murdered, Khem Karan Singh joined Emperor Mohamed Shah on his march towards Yamuna. He met the Emperor at Barsana with his 10,000 sawars in the month of October,1720. He was directed to take his position in the rear of the victorious army, and afford protection to those of the royal camp who lagged behind,due to fatigue. Finally the army’s of Abdullah and Mohamed Shah met at Hasanpur. Khem Karan Singh and Churaman found themselves again on opposite sides however this time both reunited, they abandoned there respective camps and plundered all. Churaman returned to his country and Khem Karan Singh inspite of his dealing at Hasanpur rejoined the Emperor at Delhi.

He stayed in Delhi trying to get the country of Kated in jagir. During his planned stay in Delhi, Khem Karan Singh killed 3 tigers with his dagger at the royal ground. Mesmerized with the courage of Khem Karan Singh,the Emperor bestowed upon him the title of ‘Bhagmaar’.The Emperor also presented him a horse,robe of honour and renewed his watan jagir. Francoo tells us that Khem Karan Singh was appointed as the Subahdar of Agra. It appears that he was considered for that position however that position of Subahdar was bestowed upon Jai Singh of Jaipur. This can be confirm by the fact that Jai Singh after his appointment met Khem Karan Singh at Jaisinghpura and reconciled him. Jai Singh presented a horse and a robe of honour to Khem Karan Singh and promised to help him against Rao Churaman.

On 22 February, Khem Karan Singh was granted the choldari between Farazkhana and Gaji. He stayed in Delhi for a period of 10 months and only returned to his dominions after hearing the news of Rao Churaman’s death. The relationship he shared with Churaman was a complex one, they were comardes turned foes, they both respected each other but refused to see each other as equals. Churaman wanted Khem Karan to act like his vassal while Khem Karan wanted the whole Jat country for himself.

Rao Churaman was succeed by Raja Mukham Singh. Raja Mukham Singh’s authority was challenged by Thakur Badan Singh of Deeg who was recently released from the jail. Badan Singh joined Sadat Khan and later Sawai Jai Singh against Mukham Singh. Khem Karan Singh finding a opportunity in the Sinsinwar civil war supported Badan Singh,his blood relative. Badan Singh was well aware of Khem Karan Singh’s intentions. After the victory of Thun, Badan Singh made sure that no favour’s are bestowed upon Khem Karan Singh by the Mughal authorities. Badan Singh offered an alliance to Khem Karan Singh which was declined. Khem Karan Singh instead started to increase his arm strength. Badan Singh employed his karories to extract tax in parts of Khem Karan Singh’s land. In retaliation Khem Karan Singh’s man did not allowed the karories of Badan Singh to extract tax in the paragana of Helak, which was part of Badan Singh’s jagir.

On the last weak of May,1726, Raja Badan Singh send his troops under the leadership of his son Surajmal to attack Fatehpur. In an surprise night attack Fatehpur was captured. Khem Karan Singh escaped on his elephant and reached Aring . Khem Karan Singh was unaware about the plot of treachery hatched against him. Badan Singh instigated Faunda Singh Kuntal of Aring to end the life of Khem Karan Singh. Faunda Singh welcomed Khem Karan Singh and his companions, treated them well and appeared to be an excellent host. Khem Karan Singh stayed there for a few days until Faunda Ram showed his true colors and poisoned the meal of the Sogarwar chief. An ailing Khem Karan Singh with his sardars left Aring and took shelter at Motia. The Thakur of Motia tried hard to save the life of his lord but after 3 days of suffering Khem Karan Singh left the world. Fatehpur was renamed as Bharatpur and, it served as the new capital of the Sinsinwar Jat kingdom.

Tej Singh the son of Khem Karan Singh was accepted by elected by the Sogarwars as the next Rai. He made the fort of Aghapur his headquarters and resisted the encroachment of Bharatpur in his dominion. Howver he was soon pacified by Raja Badan Singh and in the year 1733 he accepted the suzerainty of Raja Badan Singh and was given a part of his fathers estate. The jagirs of Sabal Singh (the nephew of Khem Karan Singh), House of Mutia and other Sogarwar sardars were were not consificated as it would have been too risky to control them otherwise. The principality of Fatehpur was hence fragmented into several small zamindaris. Tej Singh is mentioned several times in the biographical accounts of Sudan, he later fell out of favours with the Bharatpur government and joined the service of Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur, who presented him with a jagir in his state. It is said the Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Bharatpur invited Tej Singh to resettle in the Bharatpur Kingdom and bestowed upon him the jagirs of Sewar and Tuhi.