Kurwai.
KURWAI is one of the mediatised chief ships within the .political charge of the British Agent in Bhopal. In the year 1713 A.D. Mahammad Diler Khan, an Afgan adventurer from Tirah, belonging to the Feroz Khel clan, seized Kurwai and some of the surrounding villages. Later on, in return for certain services he was granted 31 parganas by the Emperor. Diler Khan is said to have been murdered by Dost Mahammad Khan of Bhopal. The chiefship was, during the decline of the Mogul Empire, equal in size and strength to Bhopal, if not larger, but during the Mahratta period it rapidly declined, although it always remained independent. The assistance rendered by the Chief to Colonel Goddard in 1783 A.D. specially marked out Kurwai as an object of Mahratta persecution. In 1818 A.D. the State was hard pressed and the Nawab applied to the Political Agent at Bhopal for aid against the Sindhia, which was granted.
Nawab Mahammad Diler Khan was succeeded by his son, Mahammad Izzat Khan, who died in 1753 A.D., having made over the two parganas of Basoda and Mahammadgarh to his brother, Ahsan Ullah Khan. Mahammad Izzat Khan was succeeded by Mahammad Hurmat Khan, who died in 1784 A.D. and was succeeded by his second son, Mahammad Akbar Khan, who seized the State and allowed an annuity of Rs. 6,000 to his brother, Iradat Mahammad Khan. Mahammad Akbar Khan died in 1839 A.D. and was followed succeessively by his sons, Muzaffar Khan (18394859 A.D.) and Najaf Khan (18594887 A.D. ). The latter was a very successful ruler and enjoyed a personal salute of 9 guns. Nawab Mahammad Najaf Khan died without male issue and his grandson, Munawar Ali Khan, a minor, succeeded him in 1887 A.D. The administration of the State, during his minority, was conducted by his father, Khan Bahadur Mian Mazhar Ali Khan. Munawar Ali Khan was invested with ruling powers in 1 892 A. D., but owing to debts exceeding two lacs of rupees, the State soon had to be again taken under management. Nawab Mahammad Munawar Ali Khan died in 1895 A.D. and was succeeded by his younger brother, Nawab Mahammad Yakub Ali Khan. The latter died in the prime of his life in October 1906 A.D. leaving a son and heir, Nawab Sarwar Ali Khan, who was born on the 1st December 1901 A.D. He was installed on the gadi on the 15th April 1907 A.D. The State again came under British management, and Rai Sahib Munshi Kedar Nath Bhargava, the Superintendent, conducts the administration under the supervision of the Political Agent in Bhopal. The State is independent of any other Durbar and pays no tribute to Government or to any other State. The minor Nawab is 10 years old and has been studying in the Daly College, Indore.
The area of this State is 142.3 square miles. Its population according to the census of 1911 A.D. is 18,354, and the revenue is about one lac of rupees.
