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Rana Sanga: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Rana Sanga
Sangram Singh I, known to history as Rana Sanga, was born on the 12th of April 1482 into the Sisodia dynasty, yet his physical form would become a map of his relentless warfare. He lost an eye in a fierce struggle for the throne against his own brothers, Prithviraj and Jagmal, and later suffered a broken leg that left him crippled for life. By the time he ascended to the throne of Mewar on the 24th of May 1509, he had already accumulated more than eighty wounds across his body, a testament to a life spent in constant combat. This physical disfigurement did not diminish his stature; instead, it forged a legend of undaunted courage that would eventually unite nearly all Rajput chiefs under his banner. His empire stretched from the capital of Malwa in the south to the rivulet of Peela Khal near Agra in the northeast, and from the river Indus in the west to the borders of Haryana. He was the last independent Hindu sovereign to control such extensive boundaries in Northern India, ruling from Chittorgarh with a power that made the Sultan of Delhi tremble.
Reclaiming The Malwa
The year 1519 marked a turning point in the history of Central India when Rana Sanga intervened in a life and death struggle for the throne of Malwa. A rebellious minister named Medini Rai sought aid against Mahmud, the Sultan of Malwa, and Sanga promised to support him. The combined forces of the Sultanates of Gujarat and Malwa met the Sisodia army at Gagron, resulting in a decisive victory for the Rajputs. Following this triumph, Sanga captured eastern and northern Malwa, including the strategic city of Chanderi, which he made the capital for Medini Rai. He ordered the removal of the Jizya tax from Hindus in the region, a policy that had been imposed by previous Muslim rulers. This campaign re-established Rajput rule in Malwa for the first time since the fall of the Paramara dynasty in 1305 CE. The victory was not merely territorial; it was a psychological blow to the Sultanates, proving that the Rajputs could not only defend their lands but project power deep into the heart of the Deccan and Central India.
The Sultan Of Delhi Defeated
Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi, was reportedly stunned by the extent of Rajput aggression, which was unprecedented in the preceding three centuries. In 1517, Lodi marched against Mewar, meeting Sanga at Khatoli on the borders of Hadoti. The battle resulted in a serious reversal for the Lodi army, which fled the field, leaving a prince of the blood royal as a prisoner to grace the triumph of Chitor. Sanga lost an arm to a sword cut in this engagement, and an arrow made him lame for life, yet he continued to press his advantage. Lodi moved against Mewar again in 1518 and 1519, only to be humbled once more at the Battle of Dholpur. Sanga defeated Lodi repeatedly, eventually losing his entire land in present-day Rajasthan while his influence extended to the striking distance of Pilia Khar in Agra. A 16th-century text, the Parshvanath-Shravan-Sattavisi, records that Sanga further defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Ranthambore after the Siege of Mandsaur, reducing the Khanzadas of Mewat to submission and extending his sway over modern-day Haryana.
When was Rana Sanga born and what dynasty did he belong to?
Sangram Singh I, known as Rana Sana, was born on the 12th of April 1482 into the Sisodia dynasty. He ascended to the throne of Mewar on the 24th of May 1509 after accumulating more than eighty wounds across his body from constant combat.
What were the major battles fought by Rana Sanga against Ibrahim Lodi?
Rana Sanga defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the Battle of Khatoli in 1517 and the Battle of Dholpur in 1518 and 1519. He also defeated Lodi at Ranthambore after the Siege of Mandsaur, reducing the Khanzadas of Mewat to submission.
How did Rana Sanga die and when did his death occur?
Rana Sanga died in Kalpi in January 1528 or on the 20th of May 1528 after being poisoned by his own nobles. He had taken an oath to not return to Chittor until he had defeated Babur and conquered Delhi.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Khanwa for Rana Sanga?
The confrontation at Khanwa on the 16th of March 1526 ended in a Mughal victory due to their cannons, matchlocks, and other firearms. Rana Sanga was struck by an arrow in mid-battle and was removed from the battle by his brother-in-law Prithviraj Kachwaha of Amber and Prince Maldev Rathore in an unconscious state.
Did Rana Sanga send an invitation to Babur to invade India?
Babur claimed he dispatched emissaries to Chittor to obtain help, but no other contemporary writer mentions Sanga sending an ambassador to Kabul. Modern historians widely reject this claim as Babur deliberately gave wrong facts in his accounts.
The battles of Idar were three major conflicts fought in the principality of Idar between the armies of two princes, Bhar Mal and Rai Mal. Bhar Mal was supported by the Gujarat Sultanate under Muzaffar Shah II, while Rai Mal received support from the Rajputs under Rana Sanga. The primary objective for Sanga was to reinstate Rai Mal to his rightful throne and to weaken the growing power of the Gujarat Sultanate. In 1517, Rai Mal successfully defeated Muzaffar Shah II with Sanga's help and retake his kingdom. In 1520, Sanga invaded Gujarat with a powerful army of 40,000 Rajputs, supported by three vassals. Rao Ganga Rathore of Marwar joined him with a garrison of 8,000 Rajputs, while other allies included Rawal Udai Singh of Vagad and Rao Viram Deva of Merta. Sanga defeated the Muslim army of Nizam Khan and pursued them to Ahmedabad, calling off his invasion only 20 miles before the capital. He plundered the royal treasuries of Gujarat and destroyed several mosques, building temples over them. After a series of victories, Sanga successfully annexed Northern Gujarat and appointed one of his vassals to rule there, demonstrating his ability to project power far beyond the traditional borders of Mewar.
The Gunpowder Revolution
On the 21st of April 1526, the Timurid king Babur invaded India for the fifth time and defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat, executing him and founding the Mughal Empire. Sanga unified several Rajput clans for the first time since Prithviraj Chauhan, building an army of 100,000 Rajput soldiers and advancing to Agra. The Mughals captured Bayana fort, which was part of Sanga's empire, leading to a major clash in Bayana in February 1527 where Mughal forces led by Abdul Aziz were defeated by Rana Sanga. This defeat of the Mughals was the last of Rana Sanga's victories. Confronting a large Hindu army, Babur now incited religious propaganda against the Rajputs by declaring the battle a Jihad against the Kaffirs. He further sought divine favor by abjuring liquor, breaking wine vessels and pouring the wine down a well. The confrontation at Khanwa, 37 miles west of Agra on the 16th of March, ended in a Mughal victory due to their cannons, matchlocks, and other firearms. Sanga was struck by an arrow in mid-battle and was removed from the battle by his brother-in-law Prithviraj Kachwaha of Amber and Prince Maldev Rathore in an unconscious state. Babur ordered a tower of enemy skulls to be erected, a practice formulated by Timur, to terrorize opponents.
The Poisoned Oath
After being removed from the battlefield in an unconscious state, Sanga took an oath to not return to Chittor until he had defeated Babur and conquered Delhi. He stopped wearing a turban and used to wrap a cloth over his head, a sign of his determination to continue the fight. While he was preparing to wage another war against Babur, he was poisoned by his own nobles who did not want another conflict with Babur. He died in Kalpi in January 1528 or on the 20th of May 1528, and was succeeded by his son Ratan Singh II. The power vacuum left by Rana Sanga was filled by Rao Maldeo Rathore, who took over the role as the leading Rajput king and dominated the time period through his increased use of horsemen. After Sanga's defeat, his vassal Medini Rai was defeated by Babur at the Siege of Chanderi. Babur captured the capital of Rai kingdom Chanderi, and Medini was offered Shamsabad instead of Chanderi as it was historically important in conquering Malwa, but Rao refused the offer and chose to die fighting. The Rajput women and children committed self-immolation to save their honor from Babur's army.
The Diplomatic Enigma
Babur, the first Mughal Emperor, described Sanga as the greatest Indian ruler of that time, yet he also accused him of sending an invitation to invade India, a claim that has not been widely accepted by modern historians. Babur stated that he dispatched emissaries to Chittor to obtain help in creating a diversion on Ibrahim's southern frontier, but no other contemporary writer, such as Jirdu or Muslim historians, mentions Sanga sending an ambassador to Kabul. Close students of the Baburnama are aware how sometimes Babur deliberately gave wrong facts, such as stating he had 12,000 men when modern research shows he had a much larger number at the field of Panipat. The view that Sanga sent an envoy to Kabul goes against the Rajput and Hindu habit of sitting on the fence and waiting to see which side won before deciding a line of action. Unlike his usual practice, Babur here gives no details of his alliance, though he has elsewhere given the details of his agreements with Alam Khan Lodi and Dolat Khan Lodi. The Mughal historian Abd al-Qadir Badayuni called Sanga the bravest of all Rajputs along with Prithviraj Chauhan, also known as Rai Pithaura, highlighting the contrast between the historical record and the political narratives constructed by the victors.