The Italian Connection Of Madhya Pradesh: Scindias & The House Of Filose

News18

17-07-2025

The story of the Filose family in India begins with founder Michael Filose who came from Naples to Calcutta in 1770 AD and entered service of Maharaja Mahadji Scindia 4 years later
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
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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
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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
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