SATTARA, Pratap Singh, Raja of (1793-1847).
Letter Signed (with his seal stamp) from the Raja to [Stephen] Gaselee, 3 pages 4to on flimsy paper, including translation, with envelope, Benares, 4 January 1846. Thanking Gaselee for his support and for joining with his other friends to secure justice for him.

The Raja was deposed in 1839 by the somewhat questionable actions of the British and was exiled to Benares with a pension. Charges had been brought against him as early as 1830, but his rights to know the conduct of the case were never granted. He took with him into exile a complement of 2700 people and 1353 animals, and carried on his struggle to clear his name until his death in 1847 (the year after this letter).

A covering letter from Rango Bauji, the Raja's agent who came to England in 1840 in order to plead the Raja's case, accompanies the Raja's letter.

Stephen Gaselee was the MP for Plymouth and a Sergeant-at-Arms, which explains why he is addressed as 'Serjeant Gaselee' [sic] in these letters.
[No: 26241]