Rohilkhand is a region of northwestern Uttar Pradesh state of India, named after the Rohilla Afghan tribes. It is bounded by the Ganges River on the south and the west by Uttarakhand and Nepal on the north, and by the Awadhregion to the east.It include cities of Bareilly, Moradabad, Rampur, Bijnore, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur etc.
The area was made famous by the previous settlement of Rohillas, who were Pathan highlanders of the Yusufzai tribe who were awarded the Katehr region in northern India by he Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir to suppress Rajput uprisings. Later it gained fame as Rohilkhand due to large settlements of Rohilla Pathans in the City of Bareilly and Rampur. Roh means mountains and inPashto Rohilla means mountaineer.
In 1737, the country round Farrukhabad was in the hands of an Afghan jagirdar, Kaiam Khan Bangash. The province, known now as Rohilkhand and then as Kuttahir, was in the occupation of a band of Afghan mercenary soldiers known as Rohels or Rohillas. About 1673 two brothers, Shah Alam and Hussein Khan, left their native hills and obtained some petty office under the Mughals. Shah Alam's grandson, Ali Mahomed, a man of resource and courage and quite devoid of scruple, was eventually appointed governor of Sirhind. Taking advantage of the invasion of Ahmad Shah Abdali, he added in 1748 to the lands already acquired by him those formerly owned by officers absent on field service. In this way he acquired the whole of Kuttahir and changed its name to Rohilkhand.
The first invasion of Maratha on Rohilkhand took place on 1751–1752. The Marathas were requested by Safdarjung, the Nawab of Oudh(Awadh), in 1752 to help him defeat Afghani Rohilla. The Maratha force left Poona and defeated Afghan Rohilla in 1752, capturing the whole of Rohilkhand. Rohilla were defeated badly and their whole area was ransacked by Maratha, Later the Maratha resold Rohilkhand to Zabita Khan.
In 1772, Marathas, led by Mahadji Sindhia defeated Zabita Khan of Rohilkhand and the fort of Pathargarh was completely looted by the Marathas in the form of horses, elephants, guns and other valuable things, which the Rohillas had looted at Panipat. After plundering Rohilkhand, Maratha proceed towards Oudh. Sensing the same fate as Rohilla, Nawab made frantic calls to British troops in Bengal. British company knew that Nawab of Oudh didn't possess any danger for British company whereas Maratha will try to invade Bengal and Bihar after overrunning Oudh. British company dispatched 20,000 British troops on the order of then Viceroy of British India. British wanted to free Rohilkhand from Maratha and give it to Nawab. The two army face came to came in Ram Ghat but the sudden demise of then Peshwa and the civil war in Poona to choose the next Peshwa forced Maratha to retreat. British made Oudh a buffer state in order to protect it from Maratha and from here on British troops start protecting Oudh.
Rohilkhand was under the rule of Rohillas with their capital in City of Bareilly until the Rohilla War of 1774–75. The Rohillas were defeated and driven from their former capital of Bareilly by the Nawab of Oudh with the assistance of the East India Company's troops. The state of Rampur was then established under the Nawab of Oudh in 1774. By the end of the 19th century Rohilla power had been crushed by the combined forces of Awadh and the British, leaving only Rampur in Rohilla hands under the sovereignty of Nawab Faizullah Khan. In 1801 Rampur was ceded to the East India Company
The area was made famous by the previous settlement of Rohillas, who were Pathan highlanders of the Yusufzai tribe who were awarded the Katehr region in northern India by he Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir to suppress Rajput uprisings. Later it gained fame as Rohilkhand due to large settlements of Rohilla Pathans in the City of Bareilly and Rampur. Roh means mountains and inPashto Rohilla means mountaineer.
In 1737, the country round Farrukhabad was in the hands of an Afghan jagirdar, Kaiam Khan Bangash. The province, known now as Rohilkhand and then as Kuttahir, was in the occupation of a band of Afghan mercenary soldiers known as Rohels or Rohillas. About 1673 two brothers, Shah Alam and Hussein Khan, left their native hills and obtained some petty office under the Mughals. Shah Alam's grandson, Ali Mahomed, a man of resource and courage and quite devoid of scruple, was eventually appointed governor of Sirhind. Taking advantage of the invasion of Ahmad Shah Abdali, he added in 1748 to the lands already acquired by him those formerly owned by officers absent on field service. In this way he acquired the whole of Kuttahir and changed its name to Rohilkhand.
The first invasion of Maratha on Rohilkhand took place on 1751–1752. The Marathas were requested by Safdarjung, the Nawab of Oudh(Awadh), in 1752 to help him defeat Afghani Rohilla. The Maratha force left Poona and defeated Afghan Rohilla in 1752, capturing the whole of Rohilkhand. Rohilla were defeated badly and their whole area was ransacked by Maratha, Later the Maratha resold Rohilkhand to Zabita Khan.
In 1772, Marathas, led by Mahadji Sindhia defeated Zabita Khan of Rohilkhand and the fort of Pathargarh was completely looted by the Marathas in the form of horses, elephants, guns and other valuable things, which the Rohillas had looted at Panipat. After plundering Rohilkhand, Maratha proceed towards Oudh. Sensing the same fate as Rohilla, Nawab made frantic calls to British troops in Bengal. British company knew that Nawab of Oudh didn't possess any danger for British company whereas Maratha will try to invade Bengal and Bihar after overrunning Oudh. British company dispatched 20,000 British troops on the order of then Viceroy of British India. British wanted to free Rohilkhand from Maratha and give it to Nawab. The two army face came to came in Ram Ghat but the sudden demise of then Peshwa and the civil war in Poona to choose the next Peshwa forced Maratha to retreat. British made Oudh a buffer state in order to protect it from Maratha and from here on British troops start protecting Oudh.
Rohilkhand was under the rule of Rohillas with their capital in City of Bareilly until the Rohilla War of 1774–75. The Rohillas were defeated and driven from their former capital of Bareilly by the Nawab of Oudh with the assistance of the East India Company's troops. The state of Rampur was then established under the Nawab of Oudh in 1774. By the end of the 19th century Rohilla power had been crushed by the combined forces of Awadh and the British, leaving only Rampur in Rohilla hands under the sovereignty of Nawab Faizullah Khan. In 1801 Rampur was ceded to the East India Company
Bareily in Rohilkhand had a very large number of Mints. During the period of Rohillas, Bareilly retained its status as a mint. Emperor Akbar and his descendants minted gold and silver coins at mints in Bareilly. The Afghan conqueror Ahmed Shah Durani too minted gold and silver coins at the Bareilly mint. During the time of Shah Alam II, Bareilly was the headquarters of Rohilla Sardar Hafiz Rehmat Khan and many more coins were issued. After that, the city was in possession of Awadh Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah. The coins that he issued had Bareilly, Bareilly Aasfabad, and Bareilly kite and fish as identification marks. After that, the minting of coins passed on to the East India Company.
| Ruler | Reign | |
| Ali Muhammad Khan | 1719 – 1748 | |
| Faizullah Khan | 1748 – 1774 | |
| As Nawabs of Rampur | ||
| Ruler | Reign | |
| Faizullah Khan | 1774 – 1793 | |
| Muhammad Ali Khan Bahadur | 1793 – 1793 | |
| Ghulam Muhammad Khan Bahadur | 1793 – 1794 | |
| Ahmad Ali Khan Bahadur | 1794 – 1840 | |
| Muhammad Said Khan Bahadur | 1840 – 1855 | |
| Yusef Ali Khan Bahadur | 1855 – 1865 | |
| Kalb Ali Khan Bahadur | 1865 – 1887 | |
| Muhammad Mushtaq Ali Khan Bahadur | 1887 – 1889 | |
| Hamid Ali Khan Bahadur | 1889 – 1930 | |
| Raza Ali Khan Bahadur | 1930 – 1947 | |
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#16.1
Rev : Mint Anwala. Dot in lilies, regnal year RY#3, mint name at the bottom with sword mint mark
Details :
Plain edge
KM#16.1
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#10
Rev : Mint Anwala. Dot in lilies, regnal year RY#4, mint name at the bottom with sword mint mark
Details :
Plain edge
KM#10
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#16.2
Rev : Mint Anwala. Cluster of cross-like ornaments, regnal year RY#19, mint name at the bottom with sword mint mark
Details :
Plain edge. Unlisted date in KM#. Most probably struck with old dies as the mint was renamed to Asafnagar in AH1188 and was under Awadh rule
KM#16.2
1 Rupee - In the name of Alamgir II, KM#32
Rev : Mint Bareli. Quatrefoil, regnal year RY#6.
Details :
Plain edge. Struck during the reign of local regent Hafiz Rahmat Khan, AH1167-88/1754-74AD.
KM#32
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#36.2
Rev : Mint Bareli. Rosettes, regnal year RY#11.
Details :
Plain edge. Struck during the reign of local regent Hafiz Rahmat Khan, AH1167-88/1754-74AD.
KM#36.2
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#76.2
Rev : Mint Muradabad. Quatrefoil and triskules, regnal year RY#4.
Details :
Plain edge. Struck during the reign of local regent Hafiz Rahmat Khan, AH1167-88/1754-74AD.
KM#76.2
1 Rupee - In the name of Alamgir II, KM#76.5
Rev : Mint Muradabad. "Nun" and five dots(this specimen have seven dots), regnal year RY#6.
Details :
Plain edge. Struck during the reign of local regent Hafiz Rahmat Khan, AH1167-88/1754-74AD.
KM#76.5
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#76.6
Rev : Mint Muradabad. Normal "Nun", regnal year RY#8.
Details :
Plain edge. Struck during the reign of local regent Hafiz Rahmat Khan, AH1167-88/1754-74AD.
KM#76.6
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#66
Rev : Mint Itawa. Regnal year RY#5. Mint name at the bottom.
Details :
Plain edge.
Issues from Itawa mint in the name of Shah Alam II dated AH1185/RY#12 and AH1186/RY#13 were struck under Maratha Confederacy. Issues dated AH1187/RY#14 and later were struck under Awadh.
The occupation of Itawa by the Marathas commenced about AD1752(AH1165). The Maratha rupees in the name of Shah Alam II ceased after AD1761(AH1174) when they were driven out from Itawa by the Rohillas. But the Marathas were able to reoccupy the city again and resumed the coins in AH1185/RY#12 and AH1186/RY#13. After this they were finally ejected by the Nawab of Awadh.
KM#66The occupation of Itawa by the Marathas commenced about AD1752(AH1165). The Maratha rupees in the name of Shah Alam II ceased after AD1761(AH1174) when they were driven out from Itawa by the Rohillas. But the Marathas were able to reoccupy the city again and resumed the coins in AH1185/RY#12 and AH1186/RY#13. After this they were finally ejected by the Nawab of Awadh.
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#56.2
Rev : Mint Bisauli. Flower mark, regnal year RY#11. Mint name at the bottom.
Details :
Plain edge.
Mintname: Type II. The Bisauli mint became inactive after conquest by Awadh in AH1888/RY#15.
KM#56.2
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#126.1
Rev : Mint Mustafabad (Rampur). Regnal year RY#14. Mint name at the top.
Details :
Plain edge.
KM#126.1
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II (Incorrectly listed in KM under Awadh as KM#116.11)
Rev : With katar symbol, pseudo mint name Najibabad and RY#25. Star to the left of regnal year.
Details :
Plain edge
The seat of the Rohillas, Najibabad, was lost to Awadh in 1774. The seat of Najib Khan’s family was then moved to Ghausgarh, a fortress buit by Najib Khan in 1765.
Coins dated from AH1188/RY#16 are known with the mintmark Fish for Awadh to the right of the RY#. A parallel series of coins are known of ‘Najibabad’ mint with the mintmark of a Katar of the Rohillas. It’s suggested that those coins were probably struck by the Rohillas at their fort at Ghausgarh.
Incorrectly listed in KM under Awadh as KM#116.11Coins dated from AH1188/RY#16 are known with the mintmark Fish for Awadh to the right of the RY#. A parallel series of coins are known of ‘Najibabad’ mint with the mintmark of a Katar of the Rohillas. It’s suggested that those coins were probably struck by the Rohillas at their fort at Ghausgarh.
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II (Incorrectly listed in KM under Awadh as KM#116.11)
Rev : With katar symbol, pseudo mint name Najibabad and RY#29. Katar to the left of regnal year.
Details :
Plain edge
The seat of the Rohillas, Najibabad, was lost to Awadh in 1774. The seat of Najib Khan’s family was then moved to Ghausgarh, a fortress buit by Najib Khan in 1765.
Coins dated from AH1188/RY#16 are known with the mintmark Fish for Awadh to the right of the RY#. A parallel series of coins are known of ‘Najibabad’ mint with the mintmark of a Katar of the Rohillas. It’s suggested that those coins were probably struck by the Rohillas at their fort at Ghausgarh.
Incorrectly listed in KM under Awadh as KM#116.11Coins dated from AH1188/RY#16 are known with the mintmark Fish for Awadh to the right of the RY#. A parallel series of coins are known of ‘Najibabad’ mint with the mintmark of a Katar of the Rohillas. It’s suggested that those coins were probably struck by the Rohillas at their fort at Ghausgarh.
1 Rupee - In the name of Shah Alam II, KM#116
Rev : Mint Qasbah Panipat. Swastika mint mark. Regnal year RY#25.
Details :
Plain edge. One year type, possibly struck for several years without change of AH Date 1198
KM#116
References :
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohilkhand
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohilla
- South Asian Coins & Paper Money (INDIAN EDITION) - Krause Publication
- https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=59125
