Bettiah Raj

The Bettiah Raj, also known as Champaran Cheiftency, was a prominent zamindari estate in the historic Champaran region of present-day Bihar, India. According to their own geneology, its founder was Gangeshwar Dev, who established his authority in Champaran, the principal of Bettiah. Akbarnama mentions Uday Karn as the cheif of Champaran cheiftency who controlled the Champaran sarkar. Gaj Singh, his grandson, relocated his kingdom's capital to the village of Bettiah and built a strong fortification there. Gaj Singh received the title of Raja from the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, and during his reign the Bettiah Raj came to encompass the whole of the Champaran sarkar.

During the Mughal period, Bettiah Raj ranked among the major hereditary zamindaris of Bihar. Historians have identified it as one of the few zamindaris whose authority evolved from pre-Mughal local chieftaincies rather than from revenue grants alone. The estate exercised extensive territorial control over Champaran and remained one of the region's principal landed estates throughout the Mughal and British periods. Fist Mughal Emperor Babur mentions Champaran Sarkar as the second most revenue generating sarkar after Jaunpur Sarkar in his memoir Baburnama.

According to the British Gazetteers and various other sources, the rulers of Bettiah Raj belonged to the Jaithariya mool of Bhumihar Babhan community and traced their lineage through an ancient hereditary dynasty. The dynasty maintained matrimonial alliances with the rulers of Banaras State and prominet Bhumihar zamindaris.

The estate's rulers supported public institutions and patronized literature and the arts. During their rule, hospitals and libraries were established, while writers and artists received patronage at the Bettiah court. Among those reportedly associated with the court were Bharatendu Harishchandra and Raja Shiv Prasad Sitare Hind.

Oppostite to popular perception, Bettiah ruler recieved the title of Maharaja Bahadur in 1830, much before their support in the rebellion of 1857 for the British government. Iw was conferred upon Anand Kishore.

Bettiah Raj was spread over 5,000 km^2 in area and it had second highest revenue consisting 23 lakh rupees in late 1800s, which was higher than most princely states.