Editing Princely state (section)

===Salute states===
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2024}}
{{main|Salute state}}

[[File:HH The Maharaja Sir Jayaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior, General Sir Henry Daly (Founder of The Daly College, Indore), with British officers and Maratha nobility in Indore, Holkar State, Central India. Circa 1879..jpg|thumb|left| [[Jayajirao Scindia|HH Maharaja Sir Jayaji Rao Scindia]] of [[Gwalior State]], General Sir [[Henry Daly]] (Founder of The [[Daly College]]), with British officers and [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] [[nobility]] ([[Sardar]]s, [[Jagirdar]]s & [[Mankari]]s) in [[Indore]], [[Holkar State]], {{circa|1879}}]]
The [[gun salute]] system was used to set unambiguously the precedence of the major rulers in the area in which the British East India Company was active, or generally of the states and their dynasties. As heads of a state, certain princely rulers were entitled to be saluted by the firing of an odd number of guns between three and 21, with a greater number of guns indicating greater prestige. Generally, the number of guns remained the same for all successive rulers of a particular state, but individual princes were sometimes granted additional guns on a personal basis. Furthermore, rulers were sometimes granted additional gun salutes within their own territories only, constituting a semi-promotion. The states of all these rulers (about 120) were known as [[salute states]].

After [[Partition of India|Indian Independence]], the Maharana of [[Udaipur State|Udaipur]] displaced the [[Nizam]] of Hyderabad as the most senior prince in India, because [[Hyderabad State]] had not acceded to the new [[Dominion of India]], and the style ''Highness'' was extended to all rulers entitled to 9-gun salutes. When the princely states had been integrated into the Indian Union their rulers were promised continued privileges and an income (known as the [[Privy Purse in India|Privy Purse]]) for their upkeep. Subsequently, when the Indian government abolished the Privy Purse in 1971, the whole princely order ceased to be recognised under Indian law, although many families continue to retain their social prestige informally; some descendants of the rulers are still prominent in regional or national politics, diplomacy, business and high society.

At the time of Indian independence, only five rulers – the [[Nizam]] of [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]], the Maharaja of [[Kingdom of Mysore|Mysore]], the Maharaja of [[Kashmir and Jammu (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir state]], the Maharaja [[Scindia]] of [[Gwalior State|Gwalior]] and the Maharaja [[Gaekwad]] of [[Baroda State|Baroda]] – were entitled to a 21-gun salute. Six more{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} – the Nawab of [[Bhopal State|Bhopal]], the [[House of Holkar|Maharaja Holkar]] of [[Indore State|Indore]], the Maharaja of [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]]{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}, the Maharana of [[Udaipur State|Udaipur]], the Maharaja of [[Kolhapur State|Kolhapur]], the [[Maharaja]] of [[Patiala State|Patiala]]{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} and the Maharaja of [[Travancore]] – were entitled to 19-gun salutes. The most senior princely ruler was the [[Nizam of Hyderabad]], who was entitled to the unique style ''[[Exalted Highness]]'' and [[21-gun salute]].<ref>{{cite web |title=King of all rewinds |website=[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]] |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/king-of-all-rewinds.html}}</ref> Other princely rulers entitled to salutes of 11 guns (soon 9 guns too) or more were entitled to the style ''Highness''. No special style was used by rulers entitled to lesser gun salutes.

As ''paramount ruler'', and successor to the Mughals, the British ''[[King-Emperor]]'' of India, for whom the style of [[Majesty]] was reserved, was entitled to an 'imperial' 101-gun salute—in the European tradition also the number of guns fired to announce the birth of an heir (male) to the throne.