KOTA, in Hindustan, a raj, or native state of Rajpootana, situated between Lat. 24. 30. and 25. 50., Long. 75. 35., and 76. 56. Its area may be estimated at 4339 square miles. The later history of this petty state is somewhat extraordinary. About the year 1771, on the death of a rajah named Goman Singh, the entire powers of the government passed into the hands of a chieftain named Zalim Singh, in the character of regent; the departed rajah having nominated him to this office during the minority of the heir, Omed Singh, then only ten years of age. In 1817 a treaty was concluded between the British government and the state of Kotah, which confirmed the succession to the principality to the son of Omed Singh, but vested the entire administration of affairs in Zalim Singh, by whom it had been so long exercised, and after him in his eldest son, Madhoo Singh and his heirs. It was thus proposed to perpetuate the extraordinary state of things which had accidentally arisen out of the commanding talents of Zalim Singh and the supine indifference of Omed Singh. The results which might have been anticipated followed. The rajah Omed Singh died in 1819, and the dissatisfaction of his successor soon became apparent. In 1824 Salim Singh died. His son Madhoo seems to have inherited no portion of the abilities of his father; and the incongruity of a titular prince, and a servant invested with sovereign power, was now rendered more glaring by the fact, that the latter was an incompetent administrator. To get rid of a system so anomalous, unpopular, and inconvenient, it was proposed by the British government that Madhoo Singh should resign his pretensions to the administration, and receive in compensation part of the territory to be formed into a new principality, and held by him independent of the rajah of Kota. The proposal was at first objected to. At a later period, however, it was revived, and the difficulties in the way of carrying it out surmounted. The more southern part of Kota was assigned to the descendant of Zalim Singh as a separate principality, and the remainder was allotted to the representative of the ancient rajahs of Kota. Kota, the capital of the territory of the same name, is in Lat. 25. 10., Long. 75. 52.
KOTA
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