Present Head
HH Sawai Maharaja JAI SINGH Bahadur, 9th Maharaja of Bijawar, since 1983, born .
History
Originally part of the lands held by the Garha Mandla Gonds, and was taken by Raja Chattar Sal, the founder of Panna. On the partition of territory among his sons, Bijawar fell to Raja Jagat Rai as part of Jaitpur and he later granted it to his son in 1765. In 1893, the Maharaja maintained a military force of 100 cavalry, 1000 infantry and 13 guns. The state motto is Agni pratap Vishwesha (As fire resplendent, the Lord of the World).
Genealogy
- Raja BIR SINGH DEO, 1st Raja of Bijawar 1765/1793, gradually extended his holdings by force of arms, but was killed fighting Ali Bahadur and Himmat Bahadur of Banda, married and had issue. He died .
- Yuvaraj Dhaunkal Singh, died vpsp.
- Raja Keshri Singh (qv)
- Kunwar Khuman Singh, died after 1804.
- Raja KESHRI SINGH, 2nd Raja of Bijawar 1802/1810, the state was restored to Raja Kesri Singh by Himmat Bahadur, by a sanad in 1802, married and had issue, four sons. He died
- Raja Ratan Singh (qv)
- Kunwar Khet Singh, married and had issue.
- Raja Lakshman Singh (qv)
- Kunwar Shatrujit Singh
- Kunwar Maharaj Deo
- Raja RATAN SINGH, 3rd Raja of Bijawar 1810/1833, he was granted a sanad confirming his possession of the state in 1811; he instituted state coinage. He died sp 17th December 1833.
- Raja LAKSHMAN SINGH, 4th Raja of Bijawar 1833/1847, married and had issue.
- HH Maharaja Sawai Bhan Pratap Singh Bahadur (qv)
- HH Maharaja Sawai BHAN PRATAP SINGH Bahadur, 5th Maharaja of Bijawar 1847/1899, born , succeeded 23rd November 1847, granted a valuable khilat and a hereditary salute of eleven guns for his help to the British, during the Indian Mutiny in 1857, he was granted a sanad of adoption in 1862 and the titles of Maharaja [cr.1866] and Maharaja Sawai [cr.1877], but his maladministration placed the state into financial difficulties and an administrator was appointed in 1897, he adopted Kunwar Sawant Singh, second son of the Maharaja Pratap Singh Ju Deo of Orchha in 1898, married and had adoptive issue. He died sp 1899.
- (A) HH Bharat Dharmendra Maharaja Sawai Sir Sawant Singh Bahadur (qv)
- HH Bharat Dharmendra Maharaja Sawai Sir SAWANT SINGH Bahadur, 6th Maharaja of Bijawar 1899/1940, born , K.C.I.E. [cr.1911], married 1stly, a daughter of Panwar Diwan Raghuraj Singh of Sonrai in Jhansi district, married 2ndly, 1913, a daughter of Dhandera Diwan Gajraj Singh Judeo Parmar, a Jagirdar in Datia State [HH Maharani Kanchan Kunwar, sister of Rao Hira Singh Ju Dev of Karahia (maternal grandfather of Rajkumari Anjana (Bundela) (née Rajniesh Singh) of Ajaigarh)], and had issue, two daughters, an adoptive son, as well as further issue. He died spl 30th October 1940.
- Maharajkumari (name unknown) (by 1st marriage), married 1910, Rao Lokendra Singh of Beri, and had issue.
- Kunwar Aman Singh
- (A) HH Maharaja Sawai Govind Singh Bahadur (qv)
- HH Maharaja Sawai GOVIND SINGH Bahadur, 7th Maharaja of Bijawar 1940/1983, born , son of Kunwar Malkhan Singh of Lakhanguwan and descendant of Raja Bir Singh Deo, 1st Raja of Sarila, married HH Maharani Mohini Kumari, daughter of HH Maharana Raj Saheb Pratapsinhji Amarsinhji of Wankaner, and his wife, HH Maharani Rama Kunverba Sahiba, and had issue. He died in New York.
- HH Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh Bahadur (qv)
- HH Maharaja Sawai JAI SINGH Bahadur, 8th Maharaja of Bijawar (see above)