The New Cambridge History of India, Volume 3, Part 6: The Indian Princes and their States

Barbara Ramusack describes the pre-colonial origins of the Indian princes, frequently portrayed as synonymous with oriental luxury, and how they adapted their public activities and personal lifestyles to survive as political leaders and cultural icons. Their collaboration enabled the British to govern India with relatively limited manpower from the late 1790s to 1947. The book is intended for students of colonial history and visitors to the princely states. Although The Princes Of India Have Been Caricatured As Oriental Despots And British Stooges, Barbara Ramusack's Study Argues That The British Did Not Create The Princes. On The Contrary, Many Were Consummate Politicians Who Exercised Considerable Degrees Of Autonomy Until The Integration Of The Princely States After Independence. Ramusack's Synthesis Has A Broad Temporal Span, Tracing The Evolution Of The Indian Kings From Their Precolonial Origins To Their Roles As Clients In The British Colonial System. The Book Breaks New Ground In Its Integration Of Political And Economic Developments In The Major Princely States With The Shifting Relationships Between The Princes And The British. It Represents A Significant Contribution, Both To British Imperial History In Its Analysis Of The Theory And Practice Of Indirect Rule, And To Modern South Asian History, As A Portrait Of The Princes As Politicians And Patrons Of The Arts.--jacket. Indian Princes And British Imperialism -- Princely State Prior To 1800 -- The British Construction Of Indirect Rule -- The Theory And Experience Of Indirect Rule In Colonial India -- Princes As Men, Women, Rulers, Patrons, And Oriental Stereotypes -- Princely States : Administrative And Economic Structures -- Princely States : Society And Politics -- Federation Or Integration? Barbara N. Ramunsack. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 281-293) And Index. Although the princes of India have been caricatured as oriental despots and British stooges, Barbara Ramusack's study argues that the British did not create the princes. On the contrary, many were consummate politicians who exercised considerable degrees of autonomy until the disintegration of the princely states after independence. Ramusack's synthesis has a broad temporal span, tracing the evolution of the Indian kings from their pre-colonial origins to their roles as clients in the British colonial system. The book breaks ground in its integration of political and economic developments in the major princely states with the shifting relationships between the princes and the British. It represents a major contribution, both to British imperial history in its analysis of the theory and practice of indirect rule, and to modern South Asian history, as a portrait of the princes as politicians and patrons of the arts. This is a fascinating portrait of the princes of India from their pre-colonial origins to their decline after 1947. Frequently caricatured as British stooges, Ramusack argues that the princes were not a British creation. Many were consummate politicians who exercised considerable autonomy until the distintegration of the princely states