Rajput States of Medieval India
Medieval History › Regional Kingdoms · Topic 3.5
After the Chauhans fell, new Rajput states grew in Rajasthan: Mewar under Rana Kumbha and Rana Sanga, Marwar with Jodhpur founded in 1465, and Amber. Mewar resisted Akbar under Rana Pratap, while Marwar and Amber became Mughal allies, until Aurangzeb's handling of the Marwar succession in 1679 broke the old alliance.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Regional Kingdoms
At a Glance
- Main states Mewar, Marwar, Amber, Bikaner, Jaisalmer
- Mewar greats Kumbha (1433 to 1468), Sanga (from 1508), Pratap (1572 to 1597)
- Marwar founded Jodhpur in 1465
- Settlement Mewar and Jahangir in 1613
- Breach Marwar crisis of 1679 under Aurangzeb
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: Regional Kingdoms
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fifth topic of the category on regional kingdoms. The previous topic covered the Sikh kingdom, and this topic turns to the Rajput states whose political relations with Delhi ran from the Sultanate to the Mughals. The next topic covers the Rajaram State builders Churaman, Badan Singh, Suraj Mal…">Jat kingdom of Bharatpur. Previous topic: The Sikh Kingdom and Rise of Sikh Political Power Under Ranjit Singh.
How Did the Rajput States Rise After the Chauhans?
In short: after Alauddin Khalji’s conquest of Ranthambhor ended the power of the Chauhans, new states arose, with Mewar the strongest, and later Rajput rulers dealt with Delhi through alliance or resistance.
Marwar, with its capital at Jodhpur founded in 1465, and the Muslim principality of Nagaur were among the new states. Ajmer changed hands several times. Mewar’s early history is obscure, and Bapa Rawal of the Guhilot clan is held to be its virtual founder. The Guhilas ruled from Chittor until Ratan Singh, whom Alauddin ousted, and then the Sisodias took Chittor. Rao Lakha and Mokal made Mewar the strongest state in Rajasthan.
What Did Rana Kumbha and Rana Sanga Achieve?
| Ruler | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Rana Kumbha (1433 to 1468) | Fought Gujarat and Malwa for most of his reign; held Kumbhalgarh against sieges; built the Victory Tower (Kirti Stambha) at Chittor; scholar-author; dug lakes; Marwar became independent under Rao Jodha |
| Uda | Murdered Kumbha and was soon ousted |
| Rana Sanga (from 1508) | Defeated Mahmud II of Malwa in 1517 and took him to Chittor; held eastern Malwa including Chanderi; beat Ibrahim Lodi at Khatoli; perhaps invited Babur hoping he would destroy the Lodis |
Mewar’s fight with Gujarat and Malwa was complicated by the Nagaur Khan’s appeal to Gujarat and by Malwa’s support for Kumbha’s rivals. Kumbha held most of his conquests against two powerful states, which was no small achievement. The Lodi invasion under Ibrahim failed at Khatoli. Sanga’s rise alarmed Delhi, and the struggle for Malwa has been called the cockpit of the fight for mastery of north India, until Babur’s arrival.
How Did the Rajputs Deal with the Mughals?
Under Akbar most leading Rajput rulers accepted his suzerainty after the conquest of Chittor. Bhara Mal of Amber came to court in 1562 and married his daughter Harkha Bai to Akbar, and his son Bhagwant Das and grandson Man Singh rose to the ranks of 5000 and 7000. Akbar gave Hindu wives full religious freedom and honoured their kin in the nobility. Jaisalmer and Bikaner also married into the family. Maldeo of Marwar had earlier married a daughter to the sultan of Gujarat and another to a Sur ruler, but Akbar’s way of treating these marriages differed.
Mewar alone refused. Rana Pratap succeeded in 1572, received several embassies, including those of Man Singh, Bhagwant Das and Todar Mal, and at one time seemed ready for a compromise, but he would not give personal homage and the Mughals wished to keep Chittor. At Haldighati in 1576 a Mughal force under Man Singh fought the Rana, whose van included Hakim Khan Sur’s Afghans and some Bhils, so the battle was not a Hindu-Muslim contest. The Rana escaped and then used guerrilla warfare. Mughal pressure eased after 1579, no expedition was sent after 1585, and Pratap recovered Kumbhalgarh and nearby areas but not Chittor, built Chavand as capital and died in 1597.
How Was Mewar Settled and Marwar Lost?
In 1613 Jahangir, after repeated campaigns against Amar Singh, sent Prince Khurram into the hills of Mewar. Depopulation and ruin of farming wore the Rana down, and his son Karan Singh was received in court with honour. Jahangir did not insist on personal homage, gave Karan a 5000 rank with 1500 horsemen, and returned all Mewar territory including Chittor, whose fort could not be repaired. Shah Jahan kept the Rajput alliance but made no more marriages with the leading houses.
In 1678 Jaswant Singh of Marwar died without a living son. Aurangzeb took Marwar under Mughal rule, as was the tradition in disputed successions, and then gave the tika to Inder Singh for a fee of thirty-six lakhs. Posthumous sons were born to Jaswant Singh’s ranis, and the Rathor sardars under Durgadas took one, Ajit Singh, to Jodhpur and crowned him. Aurangzeb marched against them and called Ajit Singh a pretender. Rana Raj Singh of Mewar joined Marwar, and the Mughals attacked Mewar in November 1679. Prince Akbar’s revolt in 1681 with Durgadas failed. A treaty with Rana Jagat Singh left both sides dissatisfied, and Ajit Singh was recognised as ruler only in 1698, though the Mughals held Jodhpur. The breach weakened the Mughal alliance with the Rajputs, though Hada and Kachhwaha contingents kept serving.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Recurrent theme Rajput-Mughal relations appear repeatedly in the exam
- Contrast Mewar’s resistance versus Amber’s alliance
- Aurangzeb A common Mains question on the Rajput breach
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Jat kingdom of Bharatpur, which rose in the same area in the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Next topic: Jat Kingdom of Bharatpur.
Key People and Terms
- Rana Kumbha Builder of Kirti Stambha
- Rana Sanga Defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Khatoli
- Rana Pratap Fought at Haldighati
- Durgadas Rathor leader who saved Ajit Singh
- Bhara Mal Amber ruler who allied with Akbar
- Khalisa Land under direct Mughal administration
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Jodhpur founded in 1465 by Rao Jodha.
- Haldighati: 1576; Pratap died 1597.
- Mewar settled with Jahangir in 1613.
- Jaswant Singh died in 1678; Marwar war began.
- Ajit Singh recognised in 1698.
Do Not Confuse With
- Rana Kumbha and Rana Sanga Fifteenth-century builder versus the early sixteenth-century rival of Babur
- Haldighati and Khanwa 1576 Rana Pratap versus 1527 Rana Sanga
- Marwar and Mewar Jodhpur versus Udaipur
Memory Hook
Kumbha builds, Sanga fights, Pratap bows to none, Jahangir settles, Aurangzeb breaks.
Mains Angle
Questions on the Rajputs ask about alliance and resistance. These points add depth.
- Alliance Akbar’s inclusion of Rajputs in the nobility
- Resistance Mewar’s long defiance
- Breach Aurangzeb’s handling of Marwar
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Compare the responses of Mewar, Amber and Marwar to the Mughal empire from Akbar to Aurangzeb.”
How to Answer
- Amber Bhara Mal and Man Singh.
- Mewar Pratap, Haldighati and 1613.
- Marwar Maldeo, Jaswant Singh and 1679.
- Effect Strength and loss of the alliance.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Who built the Victory Tower at Chittor?
Rana Kumbha of Mewar, who ruled from 1433 to 1468, built the Victory Tower (Kirti Stambha) at Chittor. He was also a learned author, a builder of lakes and palaces, and a ruler who faced Gujarat and Malwa for most of his reign.
What happened at Haldighati?
At Haldighati in 1576 a Mughal army under Man Singh fought Rana Pratap, whose van included Afghans under Hakim Khan Sur. The Rana escaped after a Mughal recovery, so it was not a Hindu-Muslim battle, and Pratap afterwards used guerrilla warfare until his death in 1597.
How did Jahangir settle the Mewar conflict?
In 1613 Jahangir pressed Mewar with a large army under Prince Khurram until Rana Amar Singh's son Karan Singh was received at court. Mewar got back all territory including Chittor, whose fort could not be repaired, and the Rana was spared personal homage.
Why did Aurangzeb quarrel with Marwar?
After Jaswant Singh died in 1678 without a living son, Aurangzeb took Marwar under Mughal rule and gave the title to Inder Singh. The Rathor sardars under Durgadas crowned the posthumous son Ajit Singh, and the clash drew Mewar in and weakened the alliance with the Rajputs.
What was the Rajput role in Akbar's nobility?
Rajput rulers entered Mughal service as nobles, with Bhara Mal of Amber, his son Bhagwant Das and grandson Man Singh rising to high ranks. Akbar gave them religious freedom and an honoured place, which cemented an alliance that lasted for generations.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The battle of Haldighati was fought in 1576.
Man Singh led the Mughal force against Rana Pratap.
2 Jodhpur was founded by Rana Kumbha.
Rao Jodha founded it in 1465.
3 Rana Sanga defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Khatoli.
He also held eastern Malwa.
4 Jahangir restored Chittor to Mewar in 1613 without allowing its fort to be repaired.
The Rana's son Karan Singh got a rank of 5000.
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