Mewar–Delhi Sultanate Wars

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Delhi Sultanate—Mewar conflicts

Kingdom of Mewar in 1525[1]
Date1222-1521
Location
Modern day Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh
Territorial
changes		 The Sisodia dynasty of Mewar expanded its rule by annexing several territories from the Delhi Sultanate
Belligerents
Kingdom of Mewar

• Guhila dynasty (1206—1303)
• Sisodia dynasty (1326—present)

Supported by:
Kingdom of Marwar
Kingdom of Amber
Khandesh Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Lakha Singh
Mokal Singh
Rana Sanga (WIA)
Medini Rai
Ibrahim Lodi

After the defeat of Chauhan ruler Prithviraj Chauhan in the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 CE, the Delhi Sultanate, a successor to Ghurid dynasty, was established in the northern part of India. After conquering much of the Indo-Gangetic Plain the Sultans of Delhi now had turned their attention towards Rajputana. They subdued Jalore, Ajmer and Ranthambore and followed up by invading Mewar.[2][3] This led to a series of wars between ruling dynasties of Kingdom of Mewar and the Delhi Sultanate from the 13th century to the early 16th century.

The Guhilas under Rawal Jaitrasimha, Tejsimha and Samarasimha were successful in repulsing the Sultanate's invasions.[4] However, Guhilas faced a major setback when their capital Chittorgarh was captured by Sultan Alauddin Khalji in 1303.[5]

Badnor and Bakrol from the Delhi Sultanate.[7][8]

Mewar's golden age started under the reign of Maharana Kumbha and reached its zenith under Maharana Sanga.[9] Rana Sanga, with his superior tactics, repeatedly humbled Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi, prevailing over him decisively at Khatoli, Dholpur and Ranthambhore. These victories not only secured Mewar’s triumph but also expanded its boundaries up to Bayana.[10] At the height of his power, Rana Sanga held control over extensive regions encompassing much of present day Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh with his capital at Chittor.[11]

These events not only made Mewar one of the greatest powers in Northern India in the early 16th century but also contributed to the downfall and weakening of the Delhi Sultanate.[12] The Sultanate ultimately collapsed after its last Sultan Ibrahim was defeated by Timurid ruler Babur with the possible help of Rana Sanga and other rebellious Afghani chiefs.[13]

Background

The Guhila dynasty, a Rajput dynasty, governed the Mewar region of present-day Rajasthan, founded by Bappa Rawal in the 8th century.[14] However some historians discard Bappa Rawal as founder of the dynasty.[15] Bappa Rawal is famous for repelling the Arab invasion of India and this led to a belief of him being the founder of this dynasty.[16]

The Guhila kings then ruled as

Rashtrakutas.[17]

In the later half of 10th century, the Guhilas encountered numerous defeats from neighboring kingdoms like the Chahamanas of Shakambhari, the Chalukyas of Gujarat, and the Paramaras of Malwa. At one point, the Paramara king Munja II even occupied the Chittorgarh fort, but the Guhilots refused to surrender and instead gathered their strength gradually.[18]

Seizing the opportunity presented by the Ghurid invasions weakening the Chauhans, Chalukyas, and Paramaras in neighboring kingdoms, Jaitra Singh attempted to leverage this situation to consolidate Guhila power over the region.[18] It was during his reign, that the Delhi Sultan Iltutmish raided Mewar for the first time thus giving rise to a conflict that went over for three centuries.

Battles during Guhila Dynasty

Name of Conflict (time) Rawal of Mewar/Commander Sultan of Delhi/Commander Outcome
Battle of Bhutala

(1222-1229)

Jaitrasimha
  • Viradhavala
 Iltutmish Mewar Victory[19]
  • Initially, Iltutmish overran Mewar and destroyed the then capital of Mewar Nagahrada but on receipt of the news that the Vaghela Viradhavala was advancing with his forces to help Jaitrasimha, the Muslims hastily retreated.
Invasion of Mewar

(1253–54)

Tejasimha Balban

(under Sultan Nasiruddin Shah)

Mewar Victory[20]
  • Tejasimha successfully repulses the muslim invasion.
Second Invasion of Mewar (1255) Tejasimha Balban

(under Sultan Nasiruddin Shah)

Mewar Victory[20]
  • Rawal Tejasimha who gave refuge to Qutlug Khan who revolted against Sultan of Delhi repelled another invasion from Balban.
Invasion of Gujarat (sometime before 1285) Samarasimha
  • Sarangdeva
 Balban Mewar Victory[21][22][19]
  • The combined forces successfully routed out the Muslim army.
Raid on Mewar (1299) Samarasimha Ulugh Khan

(under Sultan Alauddin Khalji)

Inconclusive[24][23][19][25]
  • The Sultanate forces during invasion of gujarat met somewhere near Chittor and attempted to raid the Guhila territory but were met with strong resistance. The sources are contradicting, as some suggest that Guhila king's feudatory Bhuvanasimha repelled the raid[23] while others suggest that Samarasimha protected his country possibly by paying a tribute.[26]
Siege of Chittorgarh (1303) Ratnasimha Alauddin Khalji Khalji Victory[19][28]
  • The Siege of Chittorgarh occurred in 1303, when Alauddin Khalji captured and sacked the Chittor Fort, toppling the Guhila king Ratnasimha, after an eight-month-long siege.
  • Alauddin renamed Chittor to Khizrabad and assigned it to his son Khizr Khan and later to Maladeva who ruled it as a vassal of the Sultan.[29]

Battles during Sisodia dynasty

Name of Conflict (time) Maharana of Mewar/Commander Sultan of Delhi/Commander Outcome
Recovery of Mewar (1321–36)
Maharana Hammir
 Maladeva & Jaiza

(first under Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq and later Muhammad bin Tughluq)

Mewar Victory[31][32][30][33]
  • Amid the turmoil caused by the end of the Khalji dynasty in Delhi, Hammir Singh regained control of whole of Mewar including Chittorgarh.
  • He evicted Maladeva's son Jaiza, the Chauhan vassal of the Delhi Sultantate, from Mewar and established the Sisodiya dynasty in Mewar.
Battle of Singoli (1336)
Maharana Hammir
 Muhammad bin Tughluq Mewar Victory[31]
  • After Hammir regained whole of Mewar, Jaiza fled in panic to the Delhi court of Muhammad bin Tughluq, prompting Tughluq to march towards Mewar.
  • According to Rajput chronicles, in the ensuing battle, the Tughlaq army was defeated and Muhammad bin Tughlaq was taken prisoner. However historians such as Majumdar and Hooja have rejected the idea of imprisonment of Sultan himself.
  • Nonetheless, Hammir Singh managed to gain a decisive victory and free whole of Rajputana from Sultanate's rule.[35][31]
Battle of Bakrol Maharana Kshetra Dilawar Khan Gori

(under Firuz Shah Tughluq)

Mewar Victory[36]
  • Kshetra Singh obtained a victory over the King of Delhi, whose forces were badly defeated at Bakrol.
Battle of
Badnor
 		Maharana Lakha Firuz Shah Tughlaq Mewar Victory[8]
  • Rana Lakha like his father defeated the royal army of Delhi's Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq.
  • He further took the war to Gaya in Bihar and got exemption from the pilgrimage tax imposed on the Hindus for their visit there.
Battle of Raipur Maharana Mokal Mubarak Shah Mewar Victory[37]
  • Maharana Mokal repelled an invasion by Sayyid dynasty.
Battle of Khatoli (1517) Maharana Sanga

(WIA)

Ibrahim Khan Lodi Mewar Victory[38][39]
  • Rana Sanga defeated Ibrahim Lodi and annexed northeast Rajputana.
  • Ibrahim after being defeated fled from the battle leaving one of his sons behind to be taken as a prisoner.
  • The resources of Ibrahim were depleted by this war with Sanga so he could not renew the contest for some time.
Battle of Dholpur (1519) Maharana Sanga Ibrahim Khan Lodi Mewar Victory[40][41][39][42]
  • In the battle, which was fought near Dholpur, the Mewar army made a successful charge, and defeated the opposing armies despite being numerically inferior.
  • The boundaries of Rana Sanga's military influence came to extend within striking distance of Agra. Chanderi bestowed to Medini Rai.
Battle of Ranthambhore (1521) Maharana Sanga Ibrahim Khan Lodi Mewar Victory[43][44]
  • Rana Sanga inflicted a crushing defeat on Ibrahim Lodi when the latter attacked Ranthambore.

Aftermath

The conflict ultimately ended after the defeat and death of the Sultanate's last sultan Ibrahim. After this conflict, Kingdom of Mewar under Rana Sanga had emerged as the most powerful native power in Northern India.[45] Sanga earlier thought that Babur wouldn't stay in Delhi for long but his assumption turned out to be wrong. This brought him in conflict with the Timurids.[46] Babur too realizing the potential threat started preparing for the war. Both powers then engaged in multiple battles which were fought at Bayana and Khanwa.

References

  1. ISBN 978-81-291-0890-6
    .
  2. ^ Srivastav Ashoka .k (1981). Khalji Sultans In Rajasthan.
  3. ^ S N Sen (1987). Ancient Indian history and civilization. p. 336.
  4. ^ Somani, Ram Vallabh (1976). History of Mewar: from earliest times to 1751 A.D. C.L. Ranka, Jaipur.
  5. ISBN 978-81-250-3226-7
    .
  6. ^ Majumdar, R.C (1960). The History and Culture of the Indian People: The Delhi Sultante (2nd ed.). Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. pp. Pg- 70 "The story of Hammira's success against the Muslims cannot, therefore, be regarded as altogether baseless. We may accept the conclusion of Ojha that not only Mewar but nearly the whole of Rajputana became practically independent of Delhi Sultanate.".
  7. ^ G. N. Sharma (1954). Mewar and Mughal Emperors (G. N. Sharma). pp. 09–10.
  8. ^ a b Ahluwalia, Manjit Singh (1978). Muslim Expansion in Rajasthan: The Relations of Delhi Sultanate with Rajasthan, 1206-1526. Yugantar Prakashan. p. 168. Lakshman Simha (Rana Lakha) is said to have defeated the Sultan of Delhi near Badnor and got exemption from the pilgrimage tax imposed on the Hindus for their visits to holy places like Kashi, Gaya and Paryag.
  9. ISBN 9788129108906
    . Kumbha's vigorous policy resulted in an unprecedented expansion of the boundaries of Mewar, besides the acquisition of immense wealth, including ransoms, indemnities and loot
  10. ISBN 978-81-291-0890-6
    .
  11. ISBN 978-81-241-1066-9
    .
  12. ^ Sharma, G. N. (1954). Mewar and the mughal emperors. pp. 13–30.
  13. ISSN 1568-5209
    .
  14. ISBN 978-1-78074-108-6
    .
  15. ^ Somānī, Rāmavallabha (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari Publications. p. 40.
  16. ISBN 978-81-208-0436-4
    .
  17. ^ Somānī, Rāmavallabha (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari Publications. p. 51.
  18. ^ a b A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat, A.D. 1206-1526, edited by Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami. People's Publishing House. 1970.
  19. ^ a b c d S N Sen (1987). Ancient Indian history and civilization.
  20. ^ a b Somānī, Rāmavallabha (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari Publications. pp. 86–87.
  21. ^ Somānī, Rāmavallabha (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari Publications. pp. 90–91.
  22. ^ Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra (1966). The History and Culture of the Indian People. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
  23. ^ a b c Majumdar, Asoke Kumar (1956). Chaulukyas of Gujarat: A Survey of the History and Culture of Gujarat from the Middle of the Tenth to the End of the Thirteenth Century. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 188.
  24. ^ Lal, Kishori Saran (1968). History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290-1320. Asia Publishing House. p. 84.
  25. ^ Somānī, Rāmavallabha (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari Publications. p. 91.
  26. ISBN 978-0-521-54329-3
    .
  27. ISBN 978-81-291-1501-0
    .
  28. ISBN 978-81-291-1501-0
    .
  29. ^ A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206–1526), ed. by Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami. People's Publishing House. 1970. p. 368.
  30. ^
    ISBN 978-81-7033-859-8
    . The Charans who occupied significant positions in the courts of the rulers were known as Barhats. In Mewar, the descendants of Baru Charan, who came to be known as Sauda Barhats, acquired prominence on account of Baru's timely military assistance to Hammir in regaining his lost throne.
  31. ^ a b c Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra (1960). The History and Culture of the Indian People. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 70.
  32. ^ Somānī, Rāmavallabha (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari Publications. p. 106.
  33. ^ Lal, Kishori Saran (1968). History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290-1320. Asia Publishing House. p. 131. Maldeva's greatest enemy was Hammir, Rānã of Sesoda, whose grandfather Lakshman Singh had died with his seven sons including Arsi Singh, father of Hamrair, fighting in the battle of Chittor. Hammīr who had survived the memorable battle, Hammir became the Rana of Sesoda estate and constantly waged war to obtain Chittor Maldeva tried to conciliate him. He married his daughter to Hammīr and ceded certain parts of Chittor to him, but the brave Ränā was determined to regain the whole of Chittor. At last his efforts were crowned with success and after the death of Maldeva in about 1321 A.D. Hammir became master of the whole of Mewar, and assumed the title of Mahãrānā. In an inscription of Mahārānā Kumbhā's time,dated 1438 A.D.;Hammīr is said to have killed a large number of Musalmans. Hammir's descendants have ruled Mewar to the present day
  34. ^ Bhatnagar, V. S. (1974). Life and Times of Sawai Jai Singh, 1688-1743. Impex India. p. 377. In regards of Allaudin invasion, We do not know the outcome of the campaign. However, even if Amber was conquered by Turkish domination, which seems likely, it is certain that they soon regained freedom by taking advantage of the growing weakness of the Sultanate after 1335 A.D by Raja Junsi (Jawan Singh) in joining Rana Hammir of Mewar against Delhi Sultanate forces.
  35. ISBN 978-81-291-0890-6
    .
  36. ^ G. N. Sharma (1954). Mewar and Mughal Emperors (G. N. Sharma). p. 09.
  37. ISBN 978-81-291-0890-6
    .
  38. ISBN 978-81-241-1064-5
    . In a battle in 1518 at Ghatoli, on the border of Harauti in southern Rajasthan, Ibrahim Lodi suffered a serious reverse, but Sanga was wounded and lamed for life.
  39. ^
    ISBN 978-81-291-0890-6
    .
  40. ISBN 978-81-241-1064-5
    . It seems that there were a series of skirmishes between Lodis and Sanga whose influence gradually extended to Pilar Khan, a river near Fatehpur Sikri in the region of Agra.
  41. ^ Erskine, William (1854). History of India vol.I. p. 480. Rana Sanga in the course of his wars with Delhi having given Sultan Ibrahim a great defeat at Dholpur, many of the neighboring Hindu chiefs, who till then had adhered to the King of Delhi, deserted him, Chanderi was one of the several important places that fell into the hands of the Rana, who bestowed it on the present occupant, Medini Rao.
  42. ^ Elliot, Henry Miers. History of India Vol. V. p. 19.
  43. ^ Somani, Ram Vallabh (1976). History of Mewar: from earliest times to 1751 A.D. C.L. Ranka, Jaipur. p. 166.
  44. ISBN 978-81-291-0890-6
    . Rana Sanga inflicted a defeat on Ibrahim Lodi when the latter attacked Ranthambore.
  45. ^ Bhatnagar, V. S. (1974). Life and Times of Sawai Jai Singh, 1688-1743. Impex India. p. 6.
  46. ISBN 978-81-241-1066-9
    .

Sources
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