Sawai Jai Singh
Sawai Jai Singh II (3 November 1688 – 21 September 1743), popularly known as Sawai Raja Jai Singh, was the 29th Kachwaha Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Amber, who later founded the fortified city of Jaipur and made it his capital. He became the ruler of Amber at the age of 11, after the death of his father, Mirza Raja Bishan Singh, on 31 December 1699.
| Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II
| |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saramad-e-Raja-e-Hindustan Raj-Rajeshwar Raj-Rajendra Shri Maharajadhiraj Maharaja Sawai Shri Jai Singhji II Bahadur Shri | |||||||||
Sawai Jai Singh's portrait (1725 CE) from British Museum | |||||||||
| 29th Kachhwaha Ruler of Amber | |||||||||
| Reign | 1699–1743 | ||||||||
| Coronation | 5 March 1699 (first) 25 January 1700 (second) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Bishan Singh | ||||||||
| Successor | Ishvari Singh | ||||||||
| Maharaja of Jaipur | |||||||||
| Reign | 1727–1743 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Bishan Singh | ||||||||
| Successor | Ishvari Singh | ||||||||
| Born | Kunwar Vijay Singh 3 November 1688 Amer, India | ||||||||
| Died | 21 September 1743 (aged 54) | ||||||||
| Spouse | Gaurji Kesar Kanwarji of Sheopur in Malwa
Khichanji Sukh Kanwarji of Raghogarh-Vijaypur in Malwa Ranawatji Chandra Kanwarji of Mewar Rathorji Suraj Kanwarji of Marwar Rathorji Anand Kanwarji of Kishangarh Sisodiniji Phool Kanwarji of Banera in Mewar Chundawatji Amrit Kanwarji of Devgarh in Mewar Jadonji Indra Kanwarji of Karauli Hadiji Umaid Kanwarji of Bundi Rathorji Chandan Kanwarji of Bandanwara in Ajmer Rathorji Bakht Kanwarji of Amjhera in Malwa Tanwarji Laad Kanwarji of Lakhasar in Bikaner Solankiniji Gulab Kanwarji of Aligarh in Tonk | ||||||||
| Issue | Kunwar Shiv Singh (d. 1724) Kunwar Ishwari Singh Kunwar Madho Singh Vichitra Kanwarji m.to Maharaja Abhay Singh of Jodhpur-Marwar Kishan Kanwarji m.to Rao Dalel Singhji of Bundi | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Dynasty | Kachhwaha | ||||||||
| Father | Bishan Singh | ||||||||
| Mother | Indra Kanwarji d.of Rao Kesari Singhji of Kharwa in Ajmer | ||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||
Initially, Maharaja Jai Singh served as a vassal of the Mughal Empire. He was given the title of "Sawai" by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb before the siege of Khelna Fort in Deccan."Sawai" means one and a quarter times superior to his contemporaries. He received the title of Maharajah Sawai, Raj Rajeshwar, Shri Rajadhiraj in the year 1723; this was in addition to the title of Saramad-i-Raja-i-Hindustan, conferred on him on 21 April 1721
In the later part of his life, Jai Singh broke free from Mughal hegemony, and to assert his sovereignty, performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice, an ancient rite that had been abandoned for several centuries. He moved his kingdom's capital from the town of Amber to the newly established walled city of Jaipur in 1727, and performed two Ashwamedha sacrifices, one in 1734, and again in 1741.
Sawai Jai Singh II had a profound interest in mathematics, architecture and astronomy. He commissioned the Jantar Mantar observatories at multiple places in India, including his capital Jaipur. He had Euclid's "Elements of Geometry" translated into Sanskrit.