Surjan, who succeeded to the chieftainship in
1554 and by throwing in his lot with the Mahommedan emperors of Delhi
(1569) received a considerable accession of territory. From this time the
rulers of Bundi bore the title of rao raja. In the 17th century their power
was curtailed by the division of Haraoti into the two states of Kotah and
Bundi; but they continued to play a prominent part in Indian history, and
the title of maharao raja was conferred on Budh Singh for the part played
by him in securing the imperial throne for Bahadur Shah I. after the death
of Aurangzeb in 1707. In 1804 the maharao raja Bishan Singh gave valuable
assistance to Colonel Monson in his disastrous retreat before Holkar, in
revenge for which the Mahratas and Pindaris continually ravaged his state
up to 1817. On the 10th of February 1818, by a treaty concluded with Bishan
Singh, Bundi was taken under British protection. In 1821 Bishan Singh was
succeeded by his son Ram Singh, who ruled till 1889. He is described as a
grand specimen of the Rajput gentleman, and "the most conservative prince
in conservative Rajputana." His rule was popular and beneficent; and though
during the mutiny of 1857 his attitude was equivocal, he continued to enjoy
the favour of the British government, being created G.C.S.I. and a
counsellor of the empire in 1877 and C.I.E. in 1878. He was succeeded by
his son Raghubir Singh, who was made a K.C.S.I. in 1897 and a G.C.I.E. in
1901.

BUNER, a valley on the Peshawar border of the North-West Frontier Province
of India. It is a small mountain valley, dotted with villages and divided
into seven sub-divisions. The Mora Hills and the Ilam range divide it from
Swat, the Sinawar range from Yusafzai, the Guru mountains from the Chamla
valley, and the Duma range from the Puran Valley. It is inhabited by the
Iliaszai and Malizai divisions of the Pathan tribe of Yusafzais, who are
called after their country the Bunerwals. There is no finer race on the
north-west frontier of India than the Bunerwals. Simple and austere in
their habits, religious and truthful in their ways, hospitable to all who
seek shelter amongst them, free from secret assassinations, they are bright
examples of the Pathan character at its best. They are a powerful and
warlike tribe, numbering 8000 fighting men. The Umbeyla Expedition of 1863
under Sir Neville Chamberlain was occasioned by the Bunerwals siding with
the Hindostani Fanatics, who had settled down at Malk