The Nizam’s Daughters is a work of fiction: the princely state of Chintal never existed. However, the story is firmly rooted in what was happening in India just after Waterloo in the build-up to the third Maratha war. And Chintal (even with its singular rajah) is, I would maintain, not untypical of the minor princely states whose precarious existence depended increasingly on the Honourable East India Company. They were states where young Englishmen like Hervey — as soldiers, administrators or tutors to the royal household — often had disproportion-ate influence.
India had its own military language, of course, and in this story I use some of that language, though in a way, I trust, that will not bar understanding if the words are unfamiliar. But just a few words of explanation of the different terms used by the Honourable East India Company’s army — and others — may be of help. The list is by no means exhaustive, and it must be remembered that terms (and spelling) varied between the Company’s three ‘presidencies’ (Bengal, Madras, Bombay), and were in unofficial use long before being formalized:
Sowar — cavalryman of the lowest rank
Sepoy (sipahi) — infantryman of the lowest rank
Jemadar — junior officer (second lieutenant/lieutenant), infantry or cavalry
Subedar — next senior officer (lieutenant/captain), infantry
Rissaldar — next senior officer (lieutenant/captain), cavalry
Subedar-major — most senior officer (major), infantry
Russaldar-major — most senior officer (major), cavalry
Daffadar — serjeant, cavalry
Lance-daffadar — corporal, cavalry
Havildar — serjeant, infantry
Naik — corporal, infantry
Khansamah — butler
Khitmagar — servant (waiter)
Bhisti — water-bearer/sprinkler
Syce — grass-cutter
Ryot — peasant
Rissalah — a body of cavalry, one-or two-hundred strong
Jingal — gun mounted on and fired from a horse or elephant
I know that all classes of the people look up to me and it will be difficult for another officer to take my place. I know also that my presence would be useful in the settlement of many points… But these circumstances are not momentary… very possibly the same state of affairs which now renders my presence desirable will exist for the next seven years… I have considered whether in the situation of affairs in India at present, my arrival in England is not a desirable object. Is it not necessary to take some steps to explain the causes of the late increase in military establishment, and to endeavour to explode some erroneous notions which have been entertained and circulated on this subject… I conceive there-fore that in determining not to go into the Deccan, and to sail by the first opportunity for England, I consult the public interest not less than I do my own private convenience and wishes.
Major-General Sir Arthur Wellesley, to his brother,
the Governor-General, January 1805
I entreat the Directors to consider whether it was expedient to observe a strict neutrality amidst these scenes of disorder and outrage, or to listen to the voice of suffering humanity and interfere for the protection of the weak and defenceless states who implored our assistance against the ravages of the Pindarees and the Patans.
Lord Minto, Governor-General of India,
to the Court of Directors of the Honourable East
India Company, 1812