Rama Varma of Travancore vs Yeshwant Rao Holkar II

Rama Varma, known as Dharma Raja, signed a subsidiary alliance with the British East India Company, agreeing to pay tribute and provide military support in exchange for British protection. This alliance helped Travancore resist invasions from Tipu Sultan of Mysore and ensured the kingdom's survival during the Anglo-Mysore Wars.

Tipu Sultan of Mysore invaded Travancore, but Rama Varma's forces, aided by the British, successfully defended the kingdom. The Travancore Lines, a defensive fortification, held against Tipu's army. This conflict escalated into the Third Anglo-Mysore War, which ended with Tipu's defeat and the Treaty of Seringapatam.

Rama Varma, known as Dharma Raja, implemented policies of religious tolerance, allowing Christians and Muslims to practice freely in Travancore. He granted land for churches and mosques and protected minority communities. This policy contrasted with the religious persecution in neighboring Mysore and earned him the title 'Dharma Raja' (Righteous King).

Rama Varma completed the construction of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple complex in Thiruvananthapuram, including the mandapam and other structures. The temple became the center of Travancore's religious and cultural life, and the king dedicated the kingdom to the deity Padmanabha, ruling as a servant of the god.

Yeshwant Rao Holkar II became Maharaja of Indore at age 18 after the death of his father, Shivaji Rao Holkar. He was known for his modernist outlook and patronage of art and architecture.

Yeshwant Rao Holkar II commissioned the Manik Bagh Palace in Indore, designed by German architect Eckart Muthesius in the Art Deco style. The palace featured modernist furniture and became a landmark of 20th-century design.

Yeshwant Rao Holkar II amassed a significant collection of modern Western and Indian art, including works by artists like Brancusi and Magritte. His collection was displayed at Manik Bagh and later dispersed, influencing Indian art patronage.

Yeshwant Rao Holkar II signed the Instrument of Accession, merging Indore into the Dominion of India after independence. He later served as a Rajpramukh of Madhya Bharat until the state's reorganization in 1956.