Kota

Kota was established as an Independently Ruled State in 1624, by permission of Emperor Jahangir, and later Emperor Shahjahan formalized the State of Kota in 1631 AD.

First Ruler of Kota was Rao Madho Singh. He was the second son of Rao Ratan Singh of Bundi. Rao Madho Singh came to Kota with his five sons. He encouraged his younger four son’s to capture their own territories and establish their own independent Jagirs (land grants) under the State of Kota. Early in 19 C. Zalim Singh Jhala became The Regent when the Ruler of Kota died leaving a minor successor to the throne.

The British were very close to Zalim Singh Jhala, and referred to him as “ Talleyrand of North India,” because under Zalim Singh Kota was the first State in Rajasthan to sign a treaty with the British in 1817 !

When the ruler of Kota came of age, he wanted Zalim Singh Jhala to leave Kota. The British had assured Zalim Singh Jhala a hereditary Prime Ministership of the Kota State in return for signing of the Treaty with the British. In order to satisfy Zalim Singh Jhala, the British decided to create the State of Jhalawar in 1838, from half the area of Kota State.