Morvi

During the British Raj era, Morvi State was one of several princely states governed by the Jadeja dynasty of Rajputs. It was classified as an 11-gun salute state. The Royal House of Morvi representing the senior-most branch of the Jadeja Rajputs, son of Jam Ravaji Rayadhanji of Kutch. The state came into being when Kanyaji, the son Kumar Shri Ravaji, the Heir Apparent of Cutch, fled with his mother after his father's murder in 1698. He escaped from Bhuj and took immediate possession of Morvi and Kataria in Wagad. From that date, Morvi has remained an independent Jadeja principality.

Aliaji, the second son of Kanyaji, succeeded his father in 1734. Kumar Shri Ravaji, extended his domains by conquering several villages from the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar. He fortified Morvi, constructed a number of buildings, extended and beautified the town. His death in 1764 was followed by a sixty year period of almost continuous warfare and rebellion, mostly with Cutch or its allies. The restoration of peace had to wait until the assumption of British rule during the early years of the nineteenth century. However, a final settlement could not be effected until the late 1820's.

Maharaja Waghji succeeded his father as a minor in 1870. The state was placed under administration and he was sent to school at the new princes' college at Rajkot. Emerging from his minority he took charge of his state in 1879 and immediately set about developing it. A gifted administrator who modernised his state, introduced the first telephonic communications, a system of district tramways, built roads, schools and reservoirs, improved the city with bridges, public buildings and amenities, and banned money lenders in favour of state loans. He improved the old port of Vavania, enabling it to take ocean-going vessels, and constructed a modern industrial port at Naulakha. Both helped to stimulate trade, especially the local textile and salt industries. His tireless efforts were rewarded were recognised when Morvi was raised to the status of a first class state in 1887. The Thakore Sahib reigned for fifty-two years and died in 1922.

Maharaj Lakhdhirji was just as progressive and energetic as his illustrious father, but was not entirely sympathetic with the nationalist aspirations emerging around him. He did much to beautify his capital and other towns with fine public buildings, bridges, and palaces but forbade newspapers and resisted any sort of democratic reforms. Although he dutifully signed the instrument of accession to the Dominion of India in 1947, he abdicated in favour of his eldest surviving son and heir within a year. It was left to Maharaja Mahendrasinhji, who had assisted his father in the administration for several years, to oversee the final transfer of the state and its merger into the Kathiawar Union. A gifted sportsman who was much addicted to the turf, in later life. He retired from public life and died at his English country home, Buckhurst Park, in Ascot, within three months of his father.

Maharaja Mayurdhwaj succeeded his father in 1957, and enjoyed his titular ranks and titles until the revocation of those rights by Mrs Gandhi's government in 1971. He died unmarried and without a male heir, seven years later.