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'''Qiladar''' ([[Urdu]]: قلعہ‌دار) was a title for the governor of a fort or large town in [[early modern India]].<ref name="Survey1885">{{cite book|last=Archaeological Survey of India |title=Reports|url=https://archive.org/details/reports14indigoog|accessdate=13 June 2010|year=1885|publisher=Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing|pages=[https://archive.org/details/reports14indigoog/page/n140 122]–}}</ref> During the [[Maratha Empire]], the title was commonly pronounced 'Killedar' ([[Marathi language|Marathi]]: किल्लेदार). The office of ''Qiladar'' had the same functions as that of a European feudal ''[[Castellan]]''.<ref name="TaylorBruce1920">{{cite book|last1=Taylor|first1=Alice Meadows|last2=Bruce|first2=Henry|title=The story of my life|url=https://archive.org/details/storymylife00brucgoog|accessdate=13 June 2010|year=1920|publisher=H. Milford, Oxford university press|pages=[https://archive.org/details/storymylife00brucgoog/page/n368 312]–}}</ref>
== Etymology ==
The title is composed of the [[Urdu]] word for fort "Qila", and the suffix "-dar", signifying an occupation. The military historian R.H.R. Smythies originally translated the term as "Custodian of the Fort".<ref name="Smythies1894">{{cite book|last=Smythies|first=Raymond Henry Raymond|title=Historical records of the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment, now 1st Battalion the Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment).: From its formation, in 1717 to 1893|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MvT-O4I0xjAC&pg=PA256|accessdate=13 June 2010|year=1894|publisher=Printed for the subscribers by A.H. Swiss|pages=256–}}</ref><ref name="SmithCunningham1887">{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=Vincent Arthur|last2=Cunningham|first2=Sir Alexander|title=General index to the reports of the Archaeological Survey of India, volumes I to XXIII|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7kYpAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA207|accessdate=13 June 2010|year=1887|publisher=Printed by the Superintendent of Government Printing|pages=207–}}</ref>
== History ==
The position of Qiladar was used in the Hindu [[Maratha Empire]] as well as [[northern India]]. Most large settlements or strategic forts in the [[Maratha Empire]] had a Qiladar.<ref name="Chaurasia2004">{{cite book|last=Chaurasia|first=R.S.|title=History of the Marathas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D_v3Y7hns8QC&pg=PA196|accessdate=13 June 2010|date=2004-01-01|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distributors|isbn=978-81-269-0394-8|pages=196–}}</ref>
However, while in northern India the autonomous position of Qiladar implied [[sovereignty]], in the Maratha Empire the position was subordinate to the civil administration of a town.<ref name="Chaurasia2004"/>
=== Ruling kiladars ===
In the case of [[Banganapalle State|Banganapalle]], the Mughal-loyal qiladars ruled it as a [[princely state]], which continued during the [[British Raj]], until and after 24 January 1876, when Fath `Ali Khan was granted the higher style [[Nawab]].
== See also ==
* [[Faujdar]]
* [[Kotwal]]
* [[List of forts in India]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
==Sources and external links==
* [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_A-J.html WorldStatesmen - India -Princely States A-J]
[[Category:Titles in India]]