The Italian Connection Of Madhya Pradesh: Scindias & The House Of Filose
It was published in Allen's Indian Mail and Official Gazette London, on March 25, 1876, that 'it is said that Sindia (Scindia) has just given a lakh of rupees—nominally €10,000—to the architect—we believe, an Italian—who built the palace… Signor Filose is said to be a younger member of the Filose family, descended from Jean Baptiste, and still retaining its pure European descent. This family has, during four or five generations, furnished faithful servants to the Gwalior Princes. The present Signor Filose was sent to Europe to study, since when he has been employed on all manner of duties, having no connection with his particular art."
Between Mughals and the Medicis
The palace referred to above is the magnificent Jai Vilas Palace in Gwalior, India, a fine specimen of European architecture and art in the heart of India. This palace complex was designed and built by Michael Filose after returning from a study tour in Europe. Michael was addressed as 'Mukhel Sahib" by Indians, and his grandfather and namesake, Michael Filose, a military commander in Scindia's army, had committed suicide to prove his loyalty to Maharaja Daulatrao Scindia.
About Mukhel Sahib, founding member of the present ruling party in India, the BJP, and a prominent member of the Scindia family, Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, and historian Manohar Malgaonkar wrote, 'He was the descendant of Jean Baptiste (possibly Giovanni, who changed his name to adapt to the French milieu of the Scindias' army), an Italian gentleman who had taken service under Mahadji Scindia as an officer of the kampoos, and who in Daulatrao's time had become one of the principal supporters of the regime. As such, it was perhaps natural that Mukhel Sahib should have derived his inspiration mainly from Europe. Nonetheless, the structure he put up shows evidence of an earnest desire to synthesise the style of the Mughals with that of the Medicis."
The Italian 'Nabobs"
The Filose family loyally served the Maratha Scindias for several generations as noblemen known within the Maratha administration as 'Sardars," who had significant power in the Scindia kingdom. When the last Filose in Gwalior, Colonel Augustine Filose, who was educated in England as a barrister and, on his return to India, was appointed in the Judicial Department and later as Private Secretary to Maharani Scindia, emigrated to the homeland of his family, Italy; he left his property to the members of the Scindia family he and his ancestors had served.
This Neapolitan family is especially renowned in Maratha history because of the wide spectrum of their contributions, from architecture to coin minting and poetry, and from wars to diplomacy and more. Frank Anthony, a prominent Anglo-Indian who contributed to the making of the Indian Constitution, wrote about the Filose family: 'One of the most distinguished Anglo-Indian (people of European ancestry from paternal side) families of this period, the members of which achieved distinction both as soldiers and scholars, was the Filose family of Gwalior."
From Naples to Calcutta
The story of the Filose family in India begins with the founder of the family, a gentleman named Michael Filose, who came from Naples to Calcutta in 1770 A.D. and entered the service of Maharaja Mahadji Scindia four years later. Ultimately he found service with Benoit de Boigne, the Savoyard commander in Mahadji's army; he ultimately commanded a corps under Scindia that numbered eleven battalions. Mahadji trusted him so much that when he went to meet the Prime Minister (Peshwa) of the Maratha Confederacy in Pune, he took along with him Filose and Dutch Hessing. He had two sons, Jean Baptiste (addressed by Indians as 'Jan-Batees") and Fidele by an Indian lady. He fought along with Mahadji Jean Baptiste against the British and was made the commander of Delhi by Mahadji's son Daulatrao, and his brother Fidele was made commander of Haryana by the same king.
Jean Baptiste was perhaps the only military adventurer of Hindustan, according to Frank Anthony, who survived the disaster of 1803 when the British defeated Daulatrao Scindia on many fronts. He had a colourful career. Before Scindia's defeat by the British, he used to go out on 'kingdom taking' expeditions. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the State Army, which consisted of thirty thousand regular sepoys and the famous artillery that had remained with him since the days of de Boigne. Like his father, who had helped humble the Rajputs for his employer, Mahadji Scindia, Jean Baptiste played a major role in securing extensive territories from several small Rajput chiefs, especially from the Khichis of Raghogarh for his employer, Daulat Rao Scindia; he also conquered Sabalgarh for him in 1809. Sheopur was given as a Jagir (fiefdom) by Maharaja Daulatrao Scindia to him in 1803. In 1811, while in the service of Scindia, he conquered the village of Ondila from Rajput Khichis and named it Isagarh in the honour of 'Isa-Masih' (Jesus Christ). He also conquered the famous Indian textile production hub, the city of Chanderi, for his employer, who made him the governor of this city.
Jean Baptiste served the Scindia House for 37 years and died in 1846. He built up a reputation not only as a great soldier but as a great scholar of Persian. In 1835, with his generous aid, Bishop Pezzoni extended Akbar's Church in Agra westward; this church was the first Catholic Church of Agra, and it was the Cathedral of Agra till 1848. In 1841, John permitted a Catholic school for boys to be established in his property at Jamuna Bagh, Agra, and made a donation of Rs 1 lakh (a very large sum for that time) for the construction of this school. The foundation stone was laid (in 1846) by Major O'Gorman of the East India Company. This school was named St. Peter's College and continues to be functional in Agra even today.
According to Frank Anthony, the greatest poet the family produced was Sir Florence Filose. Ram Babu Saxena wrote in his book European and Indo-European Poets of Urdu and Persian that 'as a poet, Sir Florence is a distinct success. His dewan was published under the title of Dewan Matloob in 1286 A.H. 1869 A.D. and was printed in Nizami Press, Cawnpore. It is a rarity now, and I secured a copy from Mr. Filose, Assistant Private Secretary to His Highness the Maharaja Scindhia. As a poet, Sir Florence has displayed considerable powers. His verses suffer from no defects. They have lucidity, flow, grace, and spontaneity. He shows considerable technique and mastery over language. He is clever in the use of the various artifices. His performance is creditable. He deserves a high place in Anglo-Indian poetry and is entitled to be mentioned with respect as an Urdu poet."
Florence was born in 1829 and died in the Gwalior State at the ripe age of 83. He married one Mary Anne, and both of them were buried in the Filose Chapel at Gwalior. Florence Filose had two sons, Col. Albert Filose and Major Clement Filose. Sir Florence's elder brother was Col. Sir Peter Filose, who died in Gwalior on July 4, 1872. The youngest brother was Lt. Col. Sir Michael Filose, who was born on the 18th April, 1836, and died on the 5th February, 1925. He served under four Maharajas. The Pope conferred awards on members of the Filose family; for example, Florence Filoseand Clement Filose were made The Knight Commanders of St. Gregory, and Michael Filose II was made The Knight Commander of St. Sylvester.
The Legacy
top videos
View all
There are no Filose living in Gwalior anymore, but their works and contributions to the expansion of the Scindia kingdom have made them an essential part of Maratha history. Even though they were Italians, they understood very well the Maratha way of governance, and Florence was even an Urdu poet. Even today, when visitors visit the Jai Vilas Palace and ask who built this magnificent palace, the answer they get is 'Michael Filose," and with respect within the palace is kept the bust of this 'Italian Maratha architect." The Scindias did not treat them as outsiders; rather, they made them a part of their elite aristocracy; they had hereditary titles and fiefdoms given to them by this Maratha family. Information about this family is carefully preserved in the archives of the Scindia Research Centre that this author heads. The story of the Filosefamily teaches the importance of intercultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence, a message that is very important for the world.
The author is Head, Scindia Research Centre, Gwalior. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views.
tags :
Gwalior madhya pradesh Scindias
view comments
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
July 02, 2025, 13:47 IST
News opinion Opinion | The Italian Connection Of Madhya Pradesh: Scindias & The House Of Filose
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
23 minutes ago
- News18
'His Life's In Danger': Rabri Devi Alleges Conspiracy To Kill Tejashwi Yadav Amid Bihar SIR Row
Rabri Devi alleged that the ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance was behind a conspiracy to assassinate Tejashwi Yadav amid growing protests over the controversial SIR exercise. As the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) continues protests over Bihar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi made a shocking claim, alleging a bid to kill Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav. While addressing the media, Rabri Devi raised serious allegations against the ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance, claiming a conspiracy to assassinate Tejashwi Yadav amid growing protests over the controversial SIR exercise. 'We have been surrounding the Assembly since 5 days. The state government must respond… There have been four attempts to kill Tejashwi Yadav, and his life is in danger… The BJP and JD(U) are the ones who are conspiring," she said. Rabri Devi accused the BJP of snatching the people's right to vote. While the Election Commission insists that the SIR exercise is a routine, court-monitored process aimed at eliminating bogus voters, the opposition has claimed that it risks the disenfranchisement of millions, particularly migrant workers and economically vulnerable citizens who may struggle to meet document requirements. 'I know him since childhood… he used to do hooliganism at Boring Road. He used to harass girls at Boring Road," she said. Her remarks followed a heated altercation between Choudhary and Tejashwi Yadav in the Bihar Assembly on Thursday over the Election Commission's ongoing SIR process. The BJP leader targeted Tejashwi personally and said, 'Who are you? The one whose father is a criminal, what will he say? Get lost… you're a lootera – lootera… what will he say?" In response, Tejashwi Yadav said, 'If you speak too loudly, you'll get wet." The RJD leader later reiterated that the parties in the opposition alliance could boycott the upcoming elections in Bihar if the Election Commission's voter roll revision in Bihar was not stopped. The Bihar SIR row has been at the centre of opposition protests in the Parliament, resulting in five consecutive days of disruptions as MPs raised slogans and displayed placards demanding a rollback of the exercise. Elections are likely to be held in Bihar around October-November, as the term of the assembly ends in November. First Published: July 25, 2025, 13:38 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
30 minutes ago
- India Today
Fact Check: SP members thrashed Dalit man during meet? Nope, this claim is bogus
Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav has long been seen batting for Dalits, other backward classes, and minorities through a social engineering formula he calls 'PDA' — Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak. Yadav recently said that the PDA strategy and INDIA bloc's strength will also work in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh did men from the Yadav caste thrash a Dalit leader during a Samajwadi Party meeting because he sat on a sofa? That's what's being claimed alongside a video of a group of people ruthlessly beating a man inside a A Facebook user wrote, 'Yadavs have beaten a Dalit leader because he sat on a sofa. Is this the Samajwadi Party's PDA? Imagine, if this is the status of a Dalit leader in the party, how much injustice must the ordinary Dalit public face under the Samajwadi Party's government?' Its archive can be viewed Today Fact Check found that the video has nothing to do with the Samajwadi Party. This is a recent video from Maharashtra's Latur, and shows a Maratha activist being thrashed by local Nationalist Congress Party workers. There was no caste angle to the ProbeUsing a reverse image search, we found a Times of India report from July 21, which contained a screenshot of the viral video. It said that members of a Maratha outfit called Chhava Sanghatna were protesting at a press meeting by Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) leader Sunil Tatkare in Maharashtra's Latur. The organisation demanded the resignation of Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate for allegedly playing games on his phone during an Assembly the protest, members of Chhava Sanghatna threw playing cards at Sunil Tatkare and shouted slogans against Kokate. This sparked chaos at the meeting as local NCP activists allegedly assaulted some members of the Maratha organisation in the nearby to an India Today report, the state president of Chhava Sanghatna, Vijaykumar Ghadge, was allegedly beaten up in full view of the police, which was even captured on camera. A Lokmat Times report also said the reached out to Vijaykumar Ghadge regarding the claim. He confirmed to India Today Fact Check that neither were the people assaulting him Samajwadi Party workers, nor was he a Dalit. Ghadge belongs to the upper-caste Maratha community. He also said that there were OBC members in his group who were also assaulted during the Today's Maharashtra correspondent, Aniket Jadhav, also confirmed that there was no caste angle to the it's clear that the viral claim is completely false.- Ends Want to send us something for verification? Please share it on our at 73 7000 7000 You can also send us an email at factcheck@
New Indian Express
44 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Columbia's $200M deal with Trump administration sets a precedent for other universities to bend to the government's will
How does this deal address antisemitism? The Trump administration has cited antisemitism against students and faculty on campuses to justify its broad incursion into the business of universities around the country. Antisemitism is a real and legitimate concern in US society and higher education, including at Columbia. But the federal complaint the administration made against Columbia was not actually about antisemitism. The administration made a formal accusation of antisemitism at Columbia in May of this year but suspended grants to the university in March. The federal government had initially acknowledged that cutting federal research grants did nothing to address the climate for Jewish students on campus, for example. When the federal government investigates civil rights violations, it usually conducts site visits and does very thorough investigations. We never saw such a government report about antisemitism at Columbia or other universities. The settlement that Columbia has entered into with the administration also doesn't do much about antisemitism. The agreement includes Columbia redefining antisemitism with a broader definition that is also used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. The definition now includes 'a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews' – a description that is also used by the US State Department and several European governments but some critics say conflates antisemitism with anti-Zionism. Instead, the agreement primarily has to do with faculty hiring and admissions decisions. The federal government alleges that Columbia is discriminating against white and Asian applicants, and that this will allow the government to ensure that everybody who is admitted is considered only on the basis of merit. The administration could argue that changing hiring practices to get faculty who are less hostile to Jewish students could change the campus climate, but the agreement doesn't really identify ways in which the university contributed to or ignored antisemitic conduct. Is this a new issue? There has been a long-running issue that conservatives and members of the Trump administration – dating back to his first term – have with higher education. The Trump administration and other conservatives have said for years that higher education is too liberal. The protests were the flash point that put Columbia in the administration's crosshairs, as well as claims that Columbia was creating a hostile environment for Jewish students. The administration's complaints aren't limited to Columbia. Harvard is in a protracted conflict with the administration, and the administration has launched investigations into dozens of other schools around the country. These universities are butting heads with the administration over the same grievance that higher education is too liberal. There are also specific claims about antisemitism on university campuses and the privileges given to nonwhite students in admissions or campus life. While the administration has a common set of complaints about a range of universities, there is a mix of schools that the administration is taking issue with. Some of them, such as Harvard, are very high profile. The Department of Justice forced out the president at the University of Virginia in January 2025 on the grounds that he had not done enough to root out diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the public university. The University of Virginia may have been a target for the administration because a Republican governor appointed most members of its governance board and agreed with Trump's complaints.
