princely state · Indian princely states
Cambay State
Origins
Mirza Ja'far Najm-ud-daula, titled Momin Khan I, was a Mughal official of Persian descent in Gujarat. As imperial authority collapsed he made himself master of the ancient port of Cambay (Khambhat) around 1730, founding a line of Nawabs who survived Maratha pressure by paying them a share of the revenue.
Rule and society
Cambay had been one of India's great ports, but silting of the gulf reduced it to a modest town known for agate and cornelian working, textiles and salt. The Nawabs, who were Shia, ruled a mostly Hindu population and accepted British protection in the late 18th century, later belonging to the Gujarat States Agency with an 11-gun salute.
Decline and legacy
The last Nawab acceded to India, and in 1948 Cambay was merged into Bombay State. Since 1960 Khambhat has been part of Gujarat's Anand district.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Cambay State was a protectorate of Company rule in India1803 CE – 1858 CE
- Cambay State was a protectorate of British Raj1858 CE – 1947 CE
More states of Indian princely states →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Cambay State. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cambay-state
- MLA
- “Cambay State.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cambay-state. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Cambay State.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cambay-state.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Cambay State’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cambay-state (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻