Anup Singh of Bikaner

Anup Singh (; 1638–1698) served as the ruler of Bikaner from 1669 until his death in 1698. Like his father Karan Singh, he was a vassal of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and participated in several Mughal campaigns in the Deccan region. He led the Mughal charge that resulted in the fall of the Golconda Sultanate, for which Aurangzeb conferred the title of Maharaja upon him. Anup Singh was a patron of scholars and painters. He collected several manuscripts and established the Anup Sanskrit Library in his capital city of Bikaner.

Early life Anup Singh was the eldest son of his predecessor and father Karan Singh, also a Mughal vassal. In July 1667, while Karan Singh was still alive, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb conferred on Anup Singh the right to rule Bikaner after his father's death. In 1669, Karan Singh died in Aurangabad during the Mughal campaign in the Deccan region, and Anup Singh succeeded him on the throne of Bikaner.

Military career

Anup Singh was an absentee ruler, and spent much of his life at the Mughal court or in Mughal campaigns away from Bikaner. He participated in the Mughal campaign against the Maratha king Shivaji, as a subordinate of the Mughal general Mahabat Khan. Aurangzeb also granted him the royal honour of Mahi Maratib, and raised his mansabdar rank, first to 3500, and then to 5000. Bellary was also placed under his charge.

Anup Singh's eldest son Sarup Singh (r. 1698–1700), who was nine-year old at the time, succeeded him on the throne. He died of chicken pox at Adoni. Anup Singh's younger son Sujan Singh (r. 1700–1735) then became the ruler of Bikaner. He also patronized many Sanskrit writers including Manirama Dikshita, Vidyanatha, and Joshiraya (apparently same as Virasimha Ganaka). The authorship of Josiraya's Anupa-karana is falsely attributed to him (as Anūpasiṃha).

During his years as a Mughal general in Deccan, Anup Singh set up a court there, and employed several painters. His finest artist was Ruknuddin, who had already been in Bikaner's service since the 1660s; several of his relatives also joined the Bikaner service. During this period, the Mughal style influenced the Bikaner style of painting.

Besides the construction of Anupgarh,