Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 July 2005
Up until the British departure from India, in 1947,hundreds of Indian princely states succeeded inmaintaining a semi-autonomous existence beneath thewide umbrella of British paramount power. Thesestates, which were scattered over the wholesubcontinent, ranged from large and imposing to tinyand insignificant, and were dominated by Hindu,Muslim and Sikh ruling elites.
I gratefully acknowledge the useful suggestionsand corrections received from John McLeod, ManuBhagavan and Michael Fisher. Funds for travel andresearch were kindly granted by the NetherlandsOrganisation for Scientific Research (NOW), TheHague.
* I gratefully acknowledge the useful suggestions and corrections received from John McLeod, Manu Bhagavan and Michael Fisher. Funds for travel and research were kindly granted by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NOW), The Hague.