Maharaja

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Maharaja (/ˌmɑː(h)əˈrɑːdʒə/^[1] MAH-(h)ə-RAH-jə; also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king", or "high king".^[2]

A few ruled states informally called empires, including the ruler Raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, and Chandragupta Maurya.^[3] 'Title inflation' soon led to most being rather mediocre or even petty in real power, which led to compound titles (among other efforts) being used in an attempt to distinguish some among their ranks.

The female equivalent, Maharani, Maharanee, Mahārājñī or Maharajin, literally 'Great Queen', denotes either the wife of a Maharaja (or Maharana, Maharao, Maharawal) or also, in states where it was customary, a woman ruling without a husband. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata, "queen mother".^[4] Maharajakumar generally denotes a son of a Maharaja, but more specific titulatures are often used at each court, including Yuvaraja for the heir (the crown prince). The form "Maharaj" (without "-a") indicates a separation of noble and religious offices, although since in Hindi the suffix -a is silent, the two titles are near homophones.