Editing Maharaja (section)

== Indian subcontinent ==
===[[Raja]] as a ruler's title===
On the eve of [[Indian independence movement|independence]] in 1947, the [[British Indian Empire|Indian Empire]] contained more than 600 [[princely state]]s, each with its own native ruler, often styled [[Raja]] or [[Rana (title)|Rana]] or [[Thakur (title)|Thakur]] (if the ruler were [[Hinduism|Hindu]]) or [[Nawab]] (if he were [[Muslim]]), with a host of less current titles as well.

The [[British Empire|British]] directly ruled two-thirds of the [[Indian subcontinent]]; the rest was under [[indirect rule]] by the above-mentioned princes under the considerable influence of British representatives, such as [[Resident (title)|Resident]]s, at their courts.

The word Maharaja may be understood simply to mean "ruler" or "king", in spite of its literal translation as "great king". This was because only a handful of the states were truly powerful and wealthy enough for their rulers to be considered 'great' monarchs; the remaining were minor [[princely state]]s, sometimes little more than towns or groups of villages. The word, however, can also mean emperor in contemporary Indian usage.

The title of Maharaja was not as common before the gradual British colonisation of India, upon and after which many [[raja]]s and otherwise styled Hindu rulers were elevated to Maharajas, regardless of the fact that scores of these new Maharajas ruled small states, sometimes for some reason unrelated to the eminence of the state, for example, support to the British in Afghanistan, [[World War I]] or [[World War II]]. The Maharaja of Punjab in the 19th century was Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He earned this title by keeping the Britishers beyond the Sutlej and even crushed the Afghan Empire. Maharajas in the twentieth century were the Maharaja of [[Kingdom of Cochin|Cochin]] and [[Maharaja Jagatjit Singh]] of [[Kapurthala]]. Apart from princely states, rulers of some large and extended zamindaris were also awarded the title of Maharaja. The rulers of [[Jeypore]], [[Darbhanga]], [[Vizianagaram]], [[Parlakhemundi]] [[Gidhaur]] were a few zamindars who were titled Maharaja for their cordiality and contribution to the British Raj.
* Variations of this title include the following, each combining ''Maha-'' "great" with an alternative form of [[Raja]] 'king', so all meaning 'Great King': ''[[Maharana]]'' (as in [[Udaipur]]), ‘’[[maharaj rana]] ( as in [[Jhalawar]], ’’ [[Rawal (title)|Maharawal]]'' (as in [[Dungarpur]]/[[Jaisalmer]]), ''[[Maharawat]]'' ([[Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh|Pratapgarh]]), ''[[Maharao]]'' (as in [[Kotah]], [[Bundi]]) and ''[[Rawal (title)|Maharaol]]'' (as in [[Baria State|Baria]]).
* ''Maharajah'' has taken on new spellings due to the time change and migration. It has even been shortened to ''Mahraj'' and ''Maraj'' but the most common is ''Maharajah'' and ''Maharaj''.
* Despite its literal meaning, unlike many other titles meaning [[Great King]], neither Maharaja nor ''Rajadhiraja'' ('[[King of Kings]]'), nor its equivalent amongst Maharajas, 'Maharajadhiraja', ever reached the standing required for imperial rank, as each was soon the object of title inflation.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} Instead, the Indian title which is commonly rendered as Emperor is [[Emperor#Samrajya system|Samrat]] or Samraj(a), a personal distinction achieved only by the [[List of Maurya emperors|Mauryans]] and the [[Vakataka dynasty|Vakataka]] ruler [[Pravarasena I]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Upinder |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GW5Gx0HSXKUC&pg=PA482 |title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century |date=2008 |publisher=Pearson Education India |isbn=978-81-317-1677-9}}</ref> Muslim equivalent of emperor would be [[Padshah]] (of Persian origin), notably applied to the [[List of emperors of the Mughal Empire|Mughal dynasty]], the paramount power until the British established their raj.

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File:H.H. Maharaja Thakore Shri Sir Bhagwant Singhji Sagramji Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Gondal, GCSI, GCIE, 1911.jpg|Maharaja [[Bhagvatsinhji|Bhagvat-Singh]] of [[Gondal, India|Gondal]].
File:Maharajah of Kolhapur 1912.jpg|The [[Marathi people|Maratha]] [[Shahu of Kolhapur|Shahu]] of [[Kolhapur]].
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File:Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Maharaja of Baroda, 1919.jpg|The [[Maratha]] [[Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III]] of [[Baroda]].
File:Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.jpg|[[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma]], the Maharaja of [[Travancore]]
File:Shri Sir Nripendra Narayan, Maharaja of Cooch Behar.jpg|Maharaja [[Nripendra Narayan]] of [[Cooch Behar State|Cooch Behar]].
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File:Maharajah Duleep Singh dressed for a State function, c. 1875.jpg|Maharaja [[Duleep Singh]], the last Maharaja of the [[Sikh Empire]].
File:HH MAHARAJAH SIR SRI SRI VIKRAM DEV III K.C.I.E.jpg|Maharaja [[Vikram Dev III]] of [[Kingdom of Jeypore|Jeypore Samasthanam]] [[Zamindar|Estate]], [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]].
File:Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar c1903.jpg|[[Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV|Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV]], the [[Maharaja of Mysore]]
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===Compound and dynastic ruler titles===
* ''Dharma-maharaja'' was the devout title (compare Rajadharma) of the rulers of the [[Eastern Ganga dynasty|Ganga dynasty]].

In the [[Mughal Empire]] it was quite common to award to various princes (hereditary or not) a series of lofty titles as a matter of protocolary rank. The British would, as paramount power do the same.
Many of these (see also above) elaborate explicitly on the title Maharaja, in the following descending order:
* ''Maharajadhiraja Bahadur'' (or ''Maharajadhiraj Bahadur''): a title of honour, one degree higher than Maharajadhiraja.
* ''Maharajadhiraja'' (or ''Maharajadhiraj''): one degree higher than Sawai Maharaja Bahadur.
* ''Sawai Maharaja Bahadur'': a title of honour, one degree higher than Sawai Maharaja. (the term ''bahadur'', originally 'brave' in Persian, was often used for 'one-degree' higher', and 'sawai' is 'one and a quarter higher', i.e. just a step above bahadur)
* ''Sawai Maharaja'': a title of honour one degree higher than Maharaja Bahadur; as granted (directly) to the Rajas of Ajaygarh.
* ''Maharaja Bahadur'': a title of honour, one degree higher than Maharaja.

[[File:Shivaji British Museum.jpg|thumb| [[Shivaji|Chhatrapati Shivaji Bhosale]]. The [[Maratha]] ruler preferred the title of [[Chhatrapati]] as against Maharaja and was the founder and sovereign of the [[Maratha Kingdom]] in India]]
[[File:Prithvinarayanshah.jpg|thumb|Sri Panch Bada Mahārājādhirāja [[Prithvi Narayan Shah|Prithvi Narayan Shah Dev]] of Nepal.]]
[[File:Khengarji III.jpg|thumb| His Highness Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Shri Sir [[Khengarji III of Kutch|Khengarji III]] Sawai Bahadur, Rao of Kutch, GCIE, KIH]]
[[File:Maharaja_Partab_Singh_(1848_-_1925).jpg|thumb|Maharaja Sir [[Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir]]]]
[[File:Palden Thondup Namgyal.jpg|thumb|Maharaja [[Chogyal]] [[Palden Thondup Namgyal]] of [[Kingdom of Sikkim|Sikkim]]]]

Furthermore, there were various compound titles simply including other princely styles, such as:
* ''Maharaja [[Chatrapati]]'' in [[Satara State|Satara]], the paramount state of the [[Maratha Confederacy]]
* H.H. the ''Maharaj Rana'' of [[Jhalawar]]
* ''Maharaja-i-Rajgan'': great prince amongst princes
* ''Maharaja [[Sena dynasty|Sena]] Sahib Subah'' of [[Nagpur]], another [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] state
* ''Maharaj [[Babu (title)|Babu]]'': A [[Rajput]] title similar to Maharaja. Used by the ruling Chiefs of Hazari Estate, Dohazari of South [[Chittagong]].
* For details concerning various titles containing [[sahib]], see there

Certain Hindu dynasties even came to use a unique style, including a term which as such is not of princely rank, e.g. [[Maharaja Gaikwar]] of [[Baroda State|Baroda]], [[Maharaja Scindia|Maharaja Shinde (or later anglicised: Scindia)]] of [[Gwalior State|Gwalior]], [[Maharaja Holkar]] of Indore, three of the very highest ranking ruling [[Maratha Confederacy|Maratha]] houses.

===Chakravarti===
[[Chakravarti (Sanskrit term)|Chakravarti]] is a [[Sanskrit]] term for "emperor". The meaning of chakravarti is "he, whose wheels (of [[Ratha|chariot]]) are moving" which symbolises that the leader who is a war hero, who commands over vast land and sea, the one who rules the people with dedication. In the Mahabharata, the [[Bharata (Mahabharata)|Chakravarti Bharat]] is known to have ruled the entire sub-continent of India brought golden age to his empire. He is called as chakravarti. The wife of a Chakravartin or a female Chakravartin is called a Chakaravartini.

===Yuvaraja===
[[Yuvaraja]] means the [[crown prince]] of the kingdom or empire. He is granted with certain powers and responsibilities so that he can be prepared to take over as the Maharaja. His wife is called Yuvarani.

===Rajakumara===
Rajakumara is the son of a king who is not the heir apparent. He is conferred with certain duties or powers per the king's wishes. The daughter of a king who is not the heir apparent is called Rajakumari.

=== Maharani ===
Maharani usually denotes the wife of a Maharaja (or [[Maharana]], [[Maharao]], Maharawal) or in rare cases, in some states where it was customary, a [[Queen regnant|woman ruling without a husband]].'''<ref>Hansdev Patel (1998). ''Royal Families and Palaces of Gujarat''. Scorpion Cavendish. {{ISBN|1-900269-20-1}}.</ref>'''

===Rajamata===
In cases where a child king is crowned, the mother of the king takes charge of the kingdom and acts as a regent. Until the young king is of the age, the [[Rajmata]] ([[Queen mother]]) administers the kingdom. Famous examples include Rajamata Shetu Lakshmi Bai of Travancore dynasty, Gowri Lakshmi Bai, Maharaji (later Rajamata) Rudrama Devi of Kakatiya dynasty.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 October 2016 |title=Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, The Feminist Queen of the House of Travancore |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/73169/sethu-lakshmi-bayi-the-ivory-throne-manu-s-pallai/ |access-date=17 April 2021 |website=Thebetterindia.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Srinivas |first=Pendem |date=14 March 2016 |title=Rudramadevi History, Achievements and Administration |url=https://indiathedestiny.com/indian-kings/rudramadevi/ |access-date=17 April 2021 |website=Indiathedestiny.com}}</ref> When the king is present, the Rajamata being the mother of the king, might be given ceremonial roles. A famous Rajamata who functioned with the king is Rajamata [[Jijabai]] of the [[Maratha Kingdom]], accompanying the [[Chhatrapati]] (king).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rajmata Jijau Birthplace, Sindkhed Raja &#124; District Buldhana, Government of Maharashtra &#124; India |url=https://buldhana.nic.in/en/tourist-place/rajmata-jijau-birthplace-sindkhed-raja/ |access-date=17 April 2021 |website=Buldhana.nic.in}}</ref>

===Noble and honorary use===
Like ''Raja'' and various other titles, ''Maharaja'' was repeatedly awarded to notables without a princely state, such as [[zamindar]]s.
* One Raja of [[Lambagraon]], a [[Jagir]] (in [[Himachal Pradesh]]) who served in the colonial army was granted personally the non-hereditary title of Maharaja of Kangra-Lambagraon and a personal 11-guns salute, so neither honour passed on to his son and heir.
* In the major, Muslim realm of [[Hyderabad and Berar]], there was a system of ennobling titles for the Nizam's courtiers, conferring a specific rank without any (e)state of their own, not unlike peerage titles without an actual fief in the UK, the highest titles for Hindu nobles being ''Maharaja Bahadur'' and ''Maharaja'', above ''Vant, Raja Rai-i-Rayan Bahadur, Raja Rai Bahadur, Raja Bahadur, Raja'' and ''[[Rai (Indian)|Rai]]''; for their Muslim counterparts there were alternative titles, the highest being [[Jah]] and [[Umara]]; e.g. the [[Diwan (title)|Diwan]] (Prime Minister) [[Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad]], held such a Maharaja-title.

===Derived style for princes of the blood===
''Maharaj Kumar'' (or [[Kumar|Maharajkumar]]) means son of a Maharaja or Heir-Apparent; the female equivalent is ''Maharaj Kumari (Maharajkumari''): daughter of a Maharaja.

=== Nepal ===
[[File:Rana Bdr Shah.jpg|thumb|[[Sri|Shree Panch]] Mahārājādhirāja [[Rana Bahadur Shah]] Bahadur Shamsher Jang Devanam Sada Samaravijayinam, Sovereign King of Nepal]]
The Gorkha [[Kings of Nepal]] (now a republic) used the title of '''Mahārājādhirāja''' which was "King of Great Kings", a title of honour, a degree higher than Mahārājā.
[[Rana dynasty|Rana Prime ministers of Nepal]] used the title of [[Sri|Shree Teen]] Maharaja while the Gorkha Kings used Shree Panch Maharajadhiraja.