an extensive town of Hindostan, in the province of Malwa, surrounded with a stone wall, on the outside of which is a large gurje or mart, with wide and straight streets. On a rising ground to the S.W. of the town is a fort called Futtehgar, built on a solid rock, and surrounded with square towers. Under the walls of the fort is a tank or lake four miles and a half in length.

The territory of which this town is the principal place contains an area of 6764 square miles, and belongs to a native chief, whose revenues amount to L220,000 per annum. The political relations of the British government with this state commenced in 1818, when a treaty was concluded, the leading articles of which are of the usual character—protection by the British government, and acknowledgment of its supremacy by that of Bopal, with a stipulation for subordinate co-operation.

The state of Bopal boasts of no great antiquity. Its founder, Dost Mahomed Khan, exercised subordinate authority within its limits, under the Emperor Aurungzebe, at the commencement of the eighteenth century; and, upon the death of that prince he assumed the title of Nawabu. Subsequently Bopal attracted some notice; first, in 1778, from the circumstance of its ruler rendering assistance to a British force under General Goddard, which traversed a large part of India through states then, with the exception of Bopal, all unfriendly; and again, in 1813, when the city of Bopal sustained a nine months' siege from a combined Mahratta force amounting to at least six times the number of the garrison, by whom the assailants were ultimately compelled to abandon their attempt. The Nawabu, with whom the British treaty of 1818 was concluded, died shortly afterwards from the effect of an accidental pistol shot, and was succeeded by an infant nephew, between whom and the daughter of the deceased prince, also of tender age, a marriage was negotiated. When, however, the age of the young prince entitled him to look for admission to actual power, his claim was opposed by the Begum, widow of the deceased Nawabu, a woman of some ability, and who had enjoyed since the death of her husband a large share of influence and authority. She disputed not only his right to the throne, but also the claim founded on his betrothal to the infant heiress, and he was obliged to relinquish both in favour of a younger brother, who, however, when the time came for asserting his rights, received similar treatment from the Begum, who was resolved to retain her position at the head of the state as long as possible. The prince's marriage at length took place, but sovereignty was still withheld, and would have been withheld so long as the Begum lived, had not arms achieved what negotiation was unable to accomplish. The new ruler did not long survive his recognition, and as his daughter, a child only six years old, was his successor, the necessity of the case enforced the re-establishment of a regency, in which the Begum managed finally to gratify her ambition and love of intrigue by attaining a chief part. Such is the present state of affairs in Bopal, where he who shall be so fortunate as to secure the person of the youthful princess in marriage will hereafter wield the sceptre of authority.