Northbrook's letter: Fort William [Kolkata], 10 April 1874. Altogether six Folio manuscripts (four folding) from ca. 15x50,5 cm (6 x 19 ¾ in) to ca. 20,5x60 cm (8 x 23 ½ in); with the manuscript contents of the folder, in all ca. 11 pp. of text. Northbrook's letter is written in English, the rest of the documents are in Urdu. Brown ink on white and creamy laid and wove paper (some watermarked). One document decorated with gold leaf. Three Urdu manuscripts bear notes by British India officials; four have period manuscript comments in Urdu on the margins; one has a large ink stamp (text in Urdu). All documents are bound in the original card folder with a green cloth spine and corners; front board with a paper label and a manuscript title in Urdu. Paper slightly age-toned, occasional staining, fold marks, one document with several splints (with period repairs), but overall a very good collection.

An interesting collection of original official manuscripts illustrating the relations between the British Indian government and the Princely State of Bhopal (now part of the Madhya Pradesh state of India) in the 1870s, when it was governed by its third female ruler, Shah Jahan Begum. "Shah Jahan succeeded her mother as Begum of Bhopal upon the death of the latter in 1868. Having been groomed for leadership of the state, Shah Jahan improved the tax revenue system and increased state intake, raised the salaries of her soldiers, modernised the military's arms, built a dam and an artificial lake, improved the efficiency of the police force and undertook the first census after the state suffered two plagues (the population had dropped to 744,000)" (Wikipedia). The line of female rulers in Bhopal continued for over a hundred years, from Shah Jahan Begum’s grandmother, Qudsia Begum (rule: 1819-1837), to her daughter, Begum Kaikhusrau Jahan (rule: 1901-1926).

In his letter, the Viceroy of India, Lord Northbrook, congratulates Shah Jahan Begum on the entire liquidation of the “debts of the Bhopal State, which on your Highness’ accession amounted to nearly 7 lakhs of Rupees. I congratulate Your Highness on this satisfactory result which has been attained, notwithstanding the increased expenditure that has been entailed by the introduction of certain administrative reforms on Your Highness’ State.” In the address, Shah Jahan Begum is titled as “Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India” – having received the award in 1872, she became one of only three female recipients of the order, together with her mother Sikandar Begum, and Mary of Teck, Queen consort of Great Britain.

One manuscript in the folder is a verified translation of Lord Northbrook’s letter into Urdu (which replaced Persian as the court language in the State of Bhopal in 1862). The other manuscripts have not been translated but apparently relate to the diplomatic relations between the Government of British India and the Princely State of Bhopal in the 1870s.

The Earl of Northbrook "came as an energetic reformer who was dedicated to upgrading the quality of government in the British Raj. He reduced taxes and overcame bureaucratic obstacles in an effort to reduce both starvation and widespread social unrest” (Wikipedia).