<P> The Turco - Mongol Mughal Empire brought a majority of the existing Indian kingdoms and principalities under its suzerainty by the 17th century, beginning with its foundation in the early 16th century . The advent of Sikhism resulted in the creation of the Sikh Empire in the north by the early 18th century, by which time the Mughal Empire was in full decline . At the same time, the Marathas carved out their own states to form the Maratha Empire . Through the 18th century, former Mughal governors formed their own independent states . In the north - west, some of those - such as Tonk - allied themselves with various groups, including the Marathas and the Durrani Empire, itself formed in 1747 from a loose agglomeration of tribal chiefdoms that composed former Mughal territories . In 1768, Prithvi Narayan Shah, ruler of a small principality in Gorkha likewise established the Kingdom of Nepal from a federation of small states, expanding its influence over much of north - eastern India; in the south, the principalities of Hyderabad and Arcot were fully established by the 1760s, though they nominally remained vassals of the Mughal Emperor . </P> <P> India under the British Raj (the "Indian Empire") consisted of two types of territory: British India and the Native states or Princely states . In its Interpretation Act 1889, the British Parliament adopted the following definitions: </P> <P> (4 .) The expression "British India" shall mean all territories and places within Her Majesty's dominions which are for the time being governed by Her Majesty through the Governor - General of India or through any governor or other officer subordinate to the Governor - General of India . (5 .) The expression "India" shall mean British India together with any territories of any native prince or chief under the suzerainty of Her Majesty exercised through the Governor - General of India, or through any governor or other officer subordinate to the Governor - General of India . </P> <P> In general the term "British India" had been used (and is still used) also to refer to the regions under the rule of the East India Company in India from 1774 to 1858 . The term has also been used to refer to the "British in India". </P>

In terms of princely hierarchy in colonial india the status • of mysore was of a