About District

Rampur is a city and a municipality headquarter of Rampur District in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It was formerly known for its various industries, including sugar refining and cotton milling. Its library has more than 12,000 rare manuscripts and a fine collection of Mughal miniature paintings.

It is the administrative headquarters of Rampur District. According to the government of India,  It is also known as city of nawaabs . It is famous for its rampuri chaaku (knife).

History Of Rampur

As per medieval history, Rampur was the part of the Delhi region, and was divided between Badaun and Sambhal districts. Later, in the beginning of the Mughal period, the capital of Rohilkhand was changed from Badaun to Bareilly and hence the importance of Rampur increased.
The Rohilla War of 1774–5 began when the Rohilla Pathans – dominant in the area – reneged on a debt they owed the Nawab of Oudh for military assistance against the Marathas in 1772. The Rohilla were defeated and driven from their former capital of Bareilly by the Nawab with the assistance of the East India Company’s troops lent by Warren Hastings
The Rohilla State of Rampur was established by Nawab Faizullah Khan on 7 October 1774 in the presence of British Commander Colonel Champion, and remained a pliant state under British protection thereafter.
Faizullah Khan laid the first stone of the new fort at Rampur and thus Rampur city was founded in 1775. The first Nawab proposed to rename the city ‘Faizabad’. But many other places were known by the name of Faizabad already existed, so the name was changed to Mustafabad alias Rampur. Nawab Faizullah Khan ruled for 20 years. He was a great patron of scholarship, and began the collection of Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu manuscripts which now make up the bulk of the Rampur Raza Library. After his death his son Muhammad Ali Khan took over, but he was killed by the Rohilla leaders after 24 days, and Ghulam Muhammad Khan, the brother of the deceased, was proclaimed Nawab. The East India Company took exception to this, and after a reign of just 3 months and 22 days Ghulam Muhammad Khan was defeated by its forces. The Governor-General made Ahmad Ali Khan, son of the late Muhammad Ali Khan, the new Nawab. He ruled for 44 years. He did not have any sons, so Muhammad Sa’id Khan, son of Ghulam Muhammad Khan, took over as the new Nawab. He raised a regular Army, established Courts and carried out many works to improve the economic conditions of farmers. His son Muhammad Yusuf Ali Khan took over after his death. His son Kalb Ali Khan became the new Nawab in 1865.
Nawab Kalb Ali Khan (1832–1887) was literate in Arabic and Persian. Under his rule, the state did much work to uplift standards of education. He was also a Member of Council during the Viceroyalty of Lord John Lawrence. He built the Jama Masjid in Rampur. He was also knighted in Agra by the Prince of Wales. He ruled for 22 years and 7 months. After his death his son Mushtaq Ali Khan took over. He appointed W. C. Wright as the Chief Engineer of the state and built many new buildings and canals. Nawab Hamid Ali became the new ruler in 1889 at the age of 14. Many new schools were opened during his reign. In 1905 he built the magnificent Darbar Hall within the Fort which now houses the great collection of Oriental manuscripts held by the Rampur Raza Library. His son Raza Ali Khan became the last ruling Nawab in 1930.
On 1 July 1949 the State of Rampur was merged into the Republic of India. However, the Library remains a flourishing institution of immense value to scholars from all over the world.