princely state · Indian princely states
Indore State
Origins
Malhar Rao Holkar, a shepherd's son who rose as a cavalry commander under Peshwa Baji Rao I, received lands in Malwa from about 1731. The Holkars became one of the main Maratha houses; Ahilyabai later made Maheshwar on the Narmada their seat of government.
Rule and society
Ahilyabai Holkar (ruled 1767–95) became renowned for just administration and for rebuilding temples and ghats across India, from Kashi to Somnath. Yashwant Rao Holkar fought the British in 1804–05, but after defeat at Mahidpur in 1817 the Treaty of Mandsaur made Indore a protected state, and the capital moved to Indore. The cotton trade made Indore a commercial city; Tukoji Rao III abdicated in 1926 after a murder scandal.
Decline and legacy
Yashwant Rao Holkar II acceded to India, and in 1948 Indore merged into Madhya Bharat, joining Madhya Pradesh in 1956. Indore is now the state's largest city.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (3)
- Indore State was a vassal of Maratha Empire1731 CE – 1818 CE
- Indore State was a protectorate of Company rule in India1818 CE – 1858 CE
- Indore State was a protectorate of British Raj1858 CE – 1947 CE
More states of Indian princely states →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Indore State. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/indore-state
- MLA
- “Indore State.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/indore-state. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Indore State.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/indore-state.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Indore State’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/indore-state (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻