Rampur

Rampur is what is left out of the once powerful cluster of kingdoms of Rohillakhand. The area was originally called Katehr. On the death of Aurangzeb, the Muslim and Hindu estate holders tried to become independent and the want of troops was fulfilled by Afghan prospectors, commonly known as Rohillas. One of the earliest of that kind of people is Daud Khan who came from Tirah in Afghanistan and worked initially for Mudar Shah of Madhkar. In one of his raids of plunder, he came across a six year old boy at Bakauli who is connected to the Saiyyids of Barha according to some versions and a Jat according to other, and adopted him under the name of Ali Muhammad Khan. Daud Khan was executed by the Raja of Kumaun eight years later and Ali Muhammad Khan soon grew to be the most powerful person in Katehr to the level of stopping tribute to Delhi and using the money to build his own army. By 1720, he acquired Aonla and Shahjananpur and in 1737, he was confirmed Nawab with a considerable part of Katehr as his estate.