Jai Singh II

3 November 1688 – 21 September 1743

Jai Singh II was the Rajput ruler of the kingdom of Amber (later Jaipur) and one of history's great royal patrons of astronomy. He founded the planned city of Jaipur in 1727 and built five monumental masonry observatories, the Jantar Mantars, whose giant instruments achieved remarkable naked-eye precision. He also commissioned the astronomical tables known as the Zij-i Muhammad Shahi.

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Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Jai Singh II.

Life events

Born in Amber, Rajputana
3 November 1688

Jai Singh was born into the Kachhwaha Rajput dynasty of Amber, the son of Maharaja Bishan Singh.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Succeeded to the throne of Amber at age 11
1699

On the death of his father Bishan Singh, Jai Singh became ruler of Amber while still a boy.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Granted the title 'Sawai' by the Mughal emperor
c. 1699

Emperor Aurangzeb is traditionally said to have conferred the title 'Sawai' (one and a quarter, i.e. exceeding his peers) on the young ruler, a title borne by his successors ever after.

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Appointed Mughal governor of Malwa
c. 1713

Jai Singh served the Mughal empire in senior posts, including multiple terms as subahdar (governor) of the province of Malwa.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Built the first Jantar Mantar observatory in Delhi
c. 1724

Commissioned to reform the calendar and astronomical tables for Emperor Muhammad Shah, Jai Singh constructed a large masonry observatory in Delhi, the first of five he would build.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Founded the city of Jaipur
1727

Jai Singh founded the fortified, grid-planned city of Jaipur, laid out with the architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, and moved his capital there from Amber.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Completed the Zij-i Muhammad Shahi astronomical tables
c. 1732

Jai Singh's astronomers produced a set of astronomical tables dedicated to Emperor Muhammad Shah, drawing on Islamic, Hindu, and European sources.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Completed the great Jantar Mantar observatory at Jaipur
c. 1734

The Jaipur observatory, largest of Jai Singh's five, included the Samrat Yantra, a roughly 27-metre sundial capable of measuring time to about two seconds, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in Jaipur
21 September 1743

Jai Singh II died on 21 September 1743; a war of succession between his sons followed his death.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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