Editing Indore (section)

=== Holkar Era (Maratha Empire)===
{{main|Holkar}}

During the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal era]], the area under the modern Indore district was equally divided between the administrations (''[[sarkar (administrative division)|sarkar]]''s) of [[Ujjain]] and [[Mandu, Madhya Pradesh|Mandu]]. Kampel was the headquarters of a ''mahal'' (administrative unit) under the Ujjain ''sarkar'' of [[Malwa Subah]] (province). The area of the modern Indore city was included in the [[Kampel, Indore|Kampel]] [[pargana]] (administrative unit).<ref name="gazetteer_1971">{{cite book|title=Madhya Pradesh District Gazetteers: Indore|editor=P. N. Shrivastav|year=1971|edition=1st|publisher=Government Central Press|pages=2, 55–59}}</ref>

In 1715, the [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]] invaded this region (Mughal territory) and demanded [[chauth]] (tax) from the Mughal ''Amil'' (administrator) of Kampel. The Amil fled to [[Ujjain]], and the local [[zamindar]]s agreed to pay Chauth to the Marathas. The chief zamindar, [[Rao Nandlal Chaudhary|Nandlal Chaudhary]] (later known as Nandlal Mandloi), paid a chauth of around Rs. 25,000 to the Marathas. [[Jai Singh II]], the Mughal Governor of Malwa, reached Kampel on 8 May 1715, and defeated the Marathas in a battle near the village. The Marathas came back in early 1716, and raided Kampel in 1717. In March 1718, the Marathas, led by [[Bhonsle (clan)|Santaji Bhonsale]], invaded Malwa again, but were unsuccessful this time.

By 1720, the headquarters of the local pargana were transferred from Kampel to Indore, due to the increasing commercial activity in the city. In 1724, the Marathas under the new [[Peshwa]] [[Baji Rao I]], launched a fresh attack on the Mughals in Malwa. Baji Rao I himself led the campaign, accompanied by his lieutenants [[Dhar State|Udaji Rao Pawar]], [[Malhar Rao Holkar]] and [[Ranoji Scindia]]. The Mughal [[Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I|Nizam]] met the [[Peshwa]] at [[Nalchha]] on 18 May 1724, and acceded to his demand of collecting chauth from the area. The Peshwa returned to the [[Deccan]], but left [[Malhar Rao Holkar]] at Indore to oversee the chauth collection.

The Marathas maintained friendly relations with Nandlal Chaudhary, who held influence over the local [[Sardar]]s (chiefs). In 1728, they defeated the Mughals decisively in the battle of [[Battles involving the Maratha Empire|Amjhera]], and consolidated their authority in the area over the next few years. On 3 October 1730, [[Malhar Rao Holkar]] was appointed as the Maratha chief of [[Malwa]]. The local zamindars, who had the title of [[Chowdhury|Chaudhari]], came to be known as ''Mandloi''s (after [[tehsil|mandal]], an administrative unit) during the [[Maratha Empire|Maratha reign]]. The [[House of Holkar|Holkar]] dynasty of the Marathas, which controlled the region, conferred the title of ''Rao'' upon the local zamindar family.<ref>Major General Sir John Malcolm, ''Central India, Part I'', pp. 68–70</ref>
After Nandlal died, his son Tejkarana was accepted as the ''Mandloi'' of Kampel by the [[Peshwa]] [[Baji Rao I]]. The pargana was formally granted to [[Malhar Rao Holkar]] by merging 28 and one-half Pargana by the Peshwa in 1733. The pargana headquarters were transferred back to Kampel during his reign. After his death, his daughter-in-law [[Ahilyabai Holkar]] moved the headquarters to Indore in 1766. The [[tehsil]] of Kampel was converted into Indore tehsil by a change in the name.<ref name="gazetteer_1971"/>
Ahilyabai Holkar moved the state's capital to [[Maheshwar]] in 1767, but Indore remained an important commercial and military centre.