Kiladar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Qiladar (Urdu: قلعہدار) was a title for the governor of a fort or large town in early modern India.[1] During the Mughal Empire, the title was commonly pronounced 'Killedar' (Persian: کیلدار). The office of Qiladar had the same functions as that of a European feudal Castellan.[2]
Etymology
History
The position of Qiladar was used in the Mughal Empire as well as northern India. Most large settlements or strategic forts in the Mughal Empire had a Qiladar.[5]
However, while in northern India the autonomous position of Qiladar implied sovereignty, in southern India the position was subordinate to the civil administration of a town.[5]
Ruling kiladars
In the case of Banganapalle, the Mughal-loyal qiladars ruled it as a princely state, which continued during the British Raj, until and after 24 January 1876, when Fath `Ali Khan was granted the higher style Nawab.