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{{Short description|Medieval dynasty and later a zamindari estate}}
'''Karnagarh Raj or the Midnapore Raj''' was a medieval dynasty and later a [[Zamindars of Bengal|zamindari]] estate during the British period in the [[Paschim Medinipur district]] in the state of [[West Bengal]], [[India]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Panda|first=Chitta|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tu_sAAAAMAAJ&q=Midnapore+Raj|title=The Decline of the Bengal Zamindars: Midnapore, 1870-1920|date=1996|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-563295-8|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|40&13}} The semi-independent zamindar of Karnagarh were amongst the most powerful rulers of Jungle Mahal region.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QKFRAQAAIAAJ&q=semi+-+independent+ |title=The journal of Asian studies |date=1970 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Anadilinga Dandeshwar Dandeswar (R) and Devi Bhagavati Mahamaya Temple at Karnagarh at Paschim Medinipur district In West Bengal 01.jpg|thumb|Dandesvara and Mahamaya Temple]]

The kings of Karnagarh ruled over a [[zamindar]]i that included [[Midnapore]] and the surrounding areas. They had a close friendship with the [[Zamindars of Bengal|zamindar]] of [[Narajole Raj]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Agrawal|first=C. M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZGnaAAAAMAAJ&q=karnagarh+raj|title=Dimensions of Indian Womanhood|date=1993|publisher=Shri Almora Book Depot|isbn=978-81-85865-02-7|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
Karnagarh or Midnapore Raj was established by Raja Lakshman Singh in 1568. According to Binoy Ghosh, the kings of Karnagarh ruled over a zamindari that included Midnapore and the surrounding areas. The Sadgop dynasty that ruled over Karnagarh included Raja Lakshman Singh (1568–1589), Raja Shyam Singh (1589–1607), Raja Chhotu Roy (1607–1667), Raja Raghunath Roy (1671–1693), Raja Ram Singh (1693–1711), Raja Jaswant Singh (1711–1749), Raja Ajit Singh (1749) and [[Rani Shiromani]] (1756–1812).<ref name=DrAtulSur>Sur, Atul,''Atharo shotoker Bangla o Bangali'', {{in lang|bn}}, 1957 edition, page 16 ,সাহিত্যলোক,32/7 Bidan Street, Kolkata 6.</ref>

In 1589 AD With the help of Laxman Singh's brother Shyam Singh, Isha Khan of Lohani Dynasty of Odisa killed Laxman Singh of Karnagarh and captured Karnagarh and put Shyam Singh on the throne as a puppet. It didn't last though.They were soon defeated by an alliance of [[Bhurshut ]], [[Mallabhum]] and the [[Mughals]] Laxman Singh's grandson Raja Chhotu Roy was enthroned as the next ruler.<ref>{{ Citation |url=https://kanjik.net/hindu-defiance-to-orissa-lohani-saltanat/ |title= Resistance against Lohani Sultanate|date=2022 |language=bn}}</ref><ref name=BidhubhusanBhattacharya>Bhattacharya, Bidhubhusan,''Raibaghini o Bhurisrestha Rajkahini'', {{in lang|bn}},11 th Sravan 1357 Bangabda edition, page 417, Publishers & Bookseller: Nababharati Prakashan ,6, Ramanath Majumdar Street, Calcutta-9.</ref>

During the reign of Raja Jasomanta Singh, the revenue of Karnagarh was 40,126 taka 12 annas and his army numbered 15,000. Jasomanta Singh was considered as one of Strong allies of Nawab. Famous Bengali poet Rameswar Bhattacharya wrote Sivayan Kavya in Karnagarh Rajsava.<ref name=DrAtulSur/>

The Rajas of Mallabhum were an independent kingdom free from the rights of the Nawabs. In 1747, the army of King [[Gopal Singha Dev I|Gopal Singh Malla]] of Mallabhum attacked Karnagarh. It is heard with the blessings of Mahamaya Jasomanta Singh defeated Mallabhum's forces.<ref name=ManoranjanChandra>Chandra, Manoranjan,''Mallabum Bishnupur '', {{in lang|bn}}, 1957 edition, page 190, Mitra & Ghosh Publishers Pvt Ltd 10 Shyamacharan De Street, Kolkata - 700017.</ref>

The kings of Karnagarh had a close link with the Sadgop rulers of Narajole Raj. The last king of Karnagarh, Raja Ajit Singh died childless. His property went into the hands of his two queens, Rani Bhabani and Rani Shiromani. During the [[Chuar Rebellion|Chuar rebellion]], the leader of the Chuars, [[Gobardhan Dikpati]], occupied the palace. Both the queens met the king of Narajole, Raja Trilochan Khan, who provided them shelter and promised to recover their property. Rani Bhabani died in 1161 [[Bangabda]] (1754 AD) and Rani Shiromani handed over the entire property to Anandalal of the Narajole family even before she died in 1219 Bangabda (1812 AD). However, the East India Company were suspicious that Rani Shiromani had links with those involved in the Chuar rebellion, and as a result they considerably restricted the amount of sovereignty she held in response.

There, however, are other sources that say that the Chuar rebellion took place as a series of insurrections by people who lived off the jungles and a sort of primitive agriculture in the old Manbhum, Bankura and Midnapore districts between 1771 and 1809, generally under dispossessed zamindars that included Rani Shiromani of Karnagarh <ref>{{Cite book|last1=Ray|first1=Niharranjan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-lc8AAAAMAAJ&q=karnagarh+raj|title=History and Society: Essays in Honour of Professor Niharranjan Ray|last2=Chattopadhyaya|first2=Debiprasad|date=1978|publisher=K. P. Bagchi|language=en}}</ref>

==List of rulers==
*Raja Lakshman Singh (1568–1661)
*Raja Shyam Singh (1661–1668)
*Raja Chhotu Roy (1668–1671)
*Raja Raghunath Roy (1671–1693)
*Raja Ram Singh (1693–1711)
*Raja Jaswant Singh (1711–1749)
*Raja Ajit Singh (1749–1753)
*Rani Bhawani (1753–1760)<ref name="chatterjee">{{Cite book |last=Chatterjee |first=Gouripada |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=75-a8FSPmvQC&pg=PA118 |title=Midnapore, the Forerunner of India's Freedom Struggle |date=1986 |publisher=Mittal Publications |pages=118 |language=en}}</ref>
*[[Rani Shiromani]] (1760–1800)<ref name="chatterjee"/>

==Karnagarh fort==
[[File:Ruins of fort of Rani Shiromani at Karnagarh in Paschim Medinipur district 29.jpg|thumb|Ruins of fort of Rani Shiromani at [[Karnagarh]] in [[Paschim Medinipur district]]]]
[[File:Ruins of fort of Rani Shiromani at Karnagarh in Paschim Medinipur district 18.jpg|thumb]]

Karnagarh fort consisted of about 100 [[bigha]]s of land, stretching for about 4 miles, that was surrounded by the Parang River. It was about 4 miles north of Midnapore. The inside of the fort was divided into two parts, the andar mahal for the royal family and the sadar mahal for others.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bengal|first=India Superintendent of Census Operations, West|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W5pXEb8soVQC&q=karnagarh|title=District Census Handbook, West Bengal: Midnapore (2v.)|date=1965|publisher=Superintendent, Government Print.|language=en}}</ref> The temples of Dandesvara and Mahamaya, the ruling deities of Karnagarh, were located to the south of the fort. Now, hardly anything, other than memory, remains.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lm9DAAAAYAAJ&q=karnagarh+fort|title=Epigraphia Indica|date=1937|publisher=Manager of Publications|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Office|first1=West Bengal (India) Census|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lxykIfp9Gz0C&q=karnagarh+fort|title=District Handbooks: Hooghly|last2=Mitra|first2=Asok|date=1952|publisher=s.n. Guha Ray|language=en}}</ref>

The Midnapore Raj family had two other forts nearby at Awasgarh and Jamdargarh.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Agrawal|first=C. M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZGnaAAAAMAAJ&q=Awasgarh|title=Dimensions of Indian Womanhood|date=1993|publisher=Shri Almora Book Depot|isbn=978-81-85865-02-7|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Karnagarh]]
*[[Narajole Raj]]
*[[Narayangarh Raj]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Bengali zamindars]]
[[Category:Zamindari estates]]
[[Category:Dynasties of India]]

Karnagarh Raj - Revision history

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