Jauts

or Jats . A people of Hindostan, who have at different times made some figure in its annals. The first historical mention of them occurs in the beginning of the 11th century, on the invasion of India by Mahmoud the Gaznevide, when they were completely defeated and driven into the mountainous districts of the interior of India. We find them afterwards, under the growing imbecility of Aurungzebe’s succe ors, continually extending their conquests. They suffered a reverse, however, at the hands of Ahmed Shah, the sovereign of Cabul, who invaded Northern India, and overran a great portion of their territory. The Jaut chief afterwards became an ally of Ahmed Shah, having treacherously betrayed his former allies, the Mahrattas, at the battle of Paniput, January 14, 1761. When the British power became predominant, the rajah of the Jauts, Rungeet Sing, sought security by concluding a treaty by which he agreed to a ist England against all enemies, and by this means he retained the government of his territories. In 1808, however, on the defeat of Holkar by the British, he received into Bhurtpore the discomfited army. The city was besieged, and cost the British an immense number of lives; but at length, despairing of effectual resistance, the rajah agreed to compel Holkar to quit the place. For this breach of the terms of the treaty he was compelled by the English to pay a heavy fine. Disputes about the succe ion to the throne afterwards led to the interference of the British, and the hitherto impregnable fortre of Bhurtpore was taken by Lord Comber mere, January 18, 1826, after a desperate resistance on the part of the Jauts.