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824
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1889.
in figs. 1 and 2 are universally attributed by the local bankers (mahdjan, Sran) to him, his mark being the kalghi, or aigrette plume.10
Alha Singh was succeeded by his grandson, Amar Singh, after a struggle for the chiefship with his elder half-brother Himmat Singh, the offspring of an irregular marriage, known in the Pañjâb as the karéwa, and which is in fact the levirate. This chief reigned till 1781 and was in his turn petted by Ahmad Shah, during the latter's last irruption into India in 1767, being given the title of Raja-i-Rajgân Bahadur in addition to that of Rajâ already conferred on his grandfather. Like Ålha Singh be was a great soldier, and made Pațiâlâ the most powerful of the Cis-Satluj states. He is represented in the coins by fig. 3; his mark being like that of Albâ Singh, the kalghi.nl
He was succeeded by sahib Singh, his sot, then but six years old, who reigned till 1813. This chief, who was more or less a madman, injured his State almost as much as his predecessors had improved it, and although he secured the title of Maharajâ from the Dehli Emperor, Akbar II., in 1810, he left Patiala in such a condition that no one respected its authority. His days saw the rise of Ranjit Singh of Lahôr, and his court was much concerned in the diplomatic struggles between that great ruler and the British Government, in the course of which it became entirely subservient to the latter. Sabib Singh's coinage is represented in fig. 4; his mark being the same as his predecessor's.13
Sahib Singh's successor was his son Karm Singh, who reigned on till 1845, bis last act in joining the British against the Lahor Government on the outbreak of hostilities doing much towards wiping out the injury done to his State by his wild and imbecile predecessor, He did not, however, live to reap the reward of his loyalty, for he died on 23rd Dec. 1845, the day after the battle of Phêrůshahr (Ferozeshah). His coin is shown in figs. 5 and 6, the special mark being & saif or two-handed sword.13
The next chief was Narinder Singh, the son of Karm Singh, who died in 1862, after doing as much for his State as the ablest of his predecessors had done, and whose comparatively loyal action in the Sikh War and whole-hearted loyalty in the Mutiny enlarged its borders to their present extent. His coin is shown in fig. 7 with a spear-head as his special mark.16
Narinder Singh was succeeded by his son, Mahindar Singh, who did nothing remarkable during his 14 years of rule up to his death in 1876. His coin is depicted in fig. 9 with a halberd bead for the distinguishing sign.16
BAjindar Singh, the son of Mahindar Singh, is the present Mahårâjâ of Pațiálů, to whose kindness, through his Minister - for he was a small boy when I procured the collection - the bulk of the Patild coins reproduced in the plate attached to this paper are due. His peculiar sign is the well-known katár or dagger
169.7
17 of India. His coin is represented in figs. 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14. No 14, & gold coin, was specially struck for me on the occasion of my visit to the Pațiálê mint in 1884. In this connection I shonld draw attention to a curions coin represented by Mr. Rodgers as fig. 17, Plate II., of his Coins of Ahmad Shah Abddu, in Vol. LIV., Part I., (1885), of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. It is reproduced Rodgers's Coin of Rajinder Singh of PatiALA. here for reference.
SADE
1. But see poat, pp. 825, 835, 886.
11 Griffin, op. cit. p. 288, noems to argue that Amar Singh was the first P AA RAJA to use Abmad Shah's soins but I hardly think this is likely under the circumstances and it is against the testimony of the local banker. 11 But see post, pp. 825, 806.
w But noe post, pp. 825, 836. * But see poet, pp. 385, 398. But soo port, pp. 825, 886.
