Kurwai princely state court fee/revenue stamp

 KURWAI                                                                          ( NON   SALUTE  STATE )    

Indian Princely State Kurwai, Formerly Bhopal Agency, now in Madhya Pradesh state. Area of state 368 Sq.km. , Population was 22,076 in 1931, Privy purse was 60,000 Rs. at the time of accession on 15 June 1948 .

                                              Kurwai State was founded in 1713 by Mohammed Diler Khan, an Afghan soldier in the Mughalarmy. The state came under British Sovereignty in the early nineteenth century, becoming a British protectorate in 1817. Its last ruler acceded to the Dominion of India on 15 June 1948.The ruling house of Kurwai was founded by Muhammad Diler Khan, a Pashtun from the Orakzai tribe who acquired the title of Nawab. Diler Khan was a contemporary and cousin of Nawab Dost Muhammad Khan of Bhopal.

 

                                          Diler Khan's son Izzat Khan formed an alliance with the Marathas, and fought for them at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. The Marathas suffered a defeat in the battle, and Diler Khan was badly wounded in action. He was rescued by his maternal uncle. After recovering, Izzat Khan joined enemy camp, and received high commands, titles and territories from Ahmad Shah Abdali. He died of the battle injuries after returning to Kurwai.

Izzat Khan's son Hurmut Khan was imprisoned by the Marathas for three years. He was freed after he ceded several villages to them, and agreed to an indemnity of 3 lakhs rupees. He formed an alliance with the British in hopes of gaining back his territory, but the British annexed the recovered lands. Kurwai became a princely state under British suzerainty.