Maldev Rathore

Maldev Rathore (5 December 1511 – 7 November 1562) was an Indian ruler of Marwar, which was later known as Jodhpur (in the present day Rajasthan state of India). He was a scion of the Rathore clan. His father was Ganga Rathore and his mother was Queen Padmavati of Sirohi. Maldev fought in the Battle of Khanwa as a young prince, the defeat at Khanwa greatly weakened all the Rajput kingdoms in India, but Marwar under Maldev's capable rule turned into a powerful Rajput Kingdom that resisted foreign rule and challenged them for northern supremacy. Maldev refused to ally with either the Sur Empire or the Mughal Empire after Humayun regained control of north India in 1555. This policy was continued by his son and successor Chandrasen Rathore.[2]

Maldev Rathore
Painting of Maldev Rathore
Ruler of Marwar
Reign9 May 1532 – 7 November 1562
PredecessorRao Ganga
SuccessorChandrasen
Born5 December 1511[1]
Jodhpur, India
Died7 November 1562(1562-11-07) (aged 50)
Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, India
Spouseseveral wives including Umade Bhattiyani
Issue15 sons and 23 daughters including
Chandrasen
Udai Singh
Ramchandra
DynastyRathore
FatherRao Ganga
MotherPadma Kumari
ReligionHinduism

The Persian historian Firishta calls him as the "most Potent Ruler of Hindustan".[3]

Nizamuddin Ahmad in Tabaqat-i-Akbari calls Maldev as the "greatest of the rajas of Hind".[4]

According to Abul Fazl- Maldev was the most powerful ruler of the region "both in rank and position and for the number of servants and the extent of his territories."[5]

Family

Maldev was born on 5 December 1511 as the eldest son of Rao Ganga, the Rathore ruler of Marwar. His mother, rani Padma Kumari, was a princess from the Deora Chauhan kingdom of Sirohi. By the time he ascended the throne in 1532, Maldev already enjoyed the reputation of being an intrepid warrior. Traditional and popular accounts list him amongst the most important rulers that Marwar has known.[6]

Early years

Maldev had supported his father in several campaigns. At an early age he defeated the rebels of Sojat and humbled Rao Veeram Dev of Merta by defeating him in battle. In 1517 he led the Marwar army against Sultan Muzaffar Shah of Gujarat and helped Rana Sanga to install Rao Raimal as the Ruler of Idar. Maldev later led a 4,000 strong army and helped the Rana in the siege of Bayana on February 1527 and a month later at Khanwa. He personally led the charge on the left wing of the Mughal army and after the Rajput confederacy's defeat, he carried the wounded and unconsious Rana out of the battlefield. In 1529 the Rathore rebel Shekha and Khanzada Daulat Khan of Nagaur attacked Jodhpur, however Rao Ganga and Maldev defeated this army and killed Shekha.[7]

Expansion

The rulers of Marwar once held sway over nine Rathore chieftains, however by the time Maldev acceded to the throne, he ruled only two districts.[8] Maldev thus attacked these nine chieftains and changed Marwars stance of overlordship to absolute control. Maldev also defeated the Sindhals of Raipur and Bhadrajun and fortified the two cities. In 1534 Maldev attacked Nagaur and forced Daulat Khan to flee to Ajmer. Maldev soon attacked Merta, Rian and Ajmer and captured them. The petty lords of Didwana and Pachpadra also acknowledged Maldevs suzerainty. His attack on Jaisalmer was also successful and it brought the Bhatti rulers under his sway. In 1538 Maldev attacked Jalore and captured Sultan Sikandar Khan. The Sultan was imprisoned and died after a short period in captivity. Maldev after capturing Jalore attacked and annexed Sanchore, Bhinmal, Radhanpur and Nabhara (In Gujarat). Maldevs western territory at this time extended upto Sindh-Cholistan in the west and parts of Gujarat in the south-west. He had direct control over 40 districts in and around present day Rajasthan. In 1539 Maldev took advantage of the war between the Mughals and the Sur Empire to conquer Bayana, Tonk and Toda.[7]

By regaining territories from Afghan occupation, Maldev Rathore restored Hindu rule in the area and abolished the Jizya tax there.[9] His northern boundary at Jhajjar was only about fifty kilometers from Delhi.[10]

According to Satish Chandra, "Maldev's kingdom comprised of almost the whole of western and eastern Rajasthan including Sambhal and Narnaul (In Haryana). His armies could be seen as far as the outskirts of Agra. Chandra also says that, Maldev had the mirage of reviving the 8th century Rashtrakuta empire. But unlike Prithviraj Chauhan and Rana Sanga Maldev did not have the support of the Rajput tribes and politically no empire based in Rajasthan alone could challenge or defeat an empire that stretched from Punjab to the Upper Ganga valley." This was pointing towards Maldev's hope of competing with the Mughal and Sur empires.[11]

War with Mewar

Maldev took advantage of the Mewari civil war and invaded Mewar. He established a garrison at Jaunpur (in Mewar) and annexed the lands of Sambhar, Kalsi, Fatehpur, Rewasa, Chota-Udaipur, Chatsu, Lawan and Malwarana. It was during this time that the Sisodia nobles asked Maldev to aid them against Banbir. The combined Rathor-Sisodia army defeated Banbir and secured the throne for Udai Singh II. Maldev continued to take advantage of the war and used the situation to form military posts in Mewar, Bundi and Ranthambore. This led to a bitter rivalry between Udai Singh II and Maldev Rathore.[7][12][13]

Maldev and Humayun

Maldev Rathore had made an alliance with the Mughal emperor Humayun against Sher Shah Suri. But shortly after Humayun was defeated in the battles of Chausa and Kannauj by the Afghan emperor. Humayun upon losing most of his territories turned to Maldev for help and was called to Marwar for refuge by the Rao. According to Rajput sources, Mughals killed several cows on the way to Marwar, this made the local Rajputs hostile towards Humayun as cows were sacred to the Hindus. Humayun was thus forced to flee from Marwar. The Mughal sources however blame Maldev for betrayal and say that Maldev breached the alliance because he was given more favourable terms by Sher Shah.[14] according to Satish Chandra - "Maldeo invited him, but seeing the small size of his following, set his face against him" Chandra also says that Maldeo could have arrested Humayun but he refrained as he was an invited guest.[15]

War with Jaisalmer

Maldeo Rathore was expanding his territories westward and besieged Jaisalmer in 1537. Rawal Lunkaran was forced to sue for peace by giving Maldeo his daughter Umade Bhattiyani in marriage to him.[16].Through this alliance Maldev was able to secure his western borders and employ a large number of Bhati rajputs from Jaisalmer.[17]

War with Bikaner

Bikaner was a Rathore kingdom situated towards the north of Marwar. Relations between Marwar and Bikaner had been bitter since the time of Bikaners foundation by Rao Bika. Rao Maldev used a minor border dispute as a pretext for war and fought a battle with Rao Jaitsi in 1542 at the battle of Sohaba, Rao Jaitsi was killed in battle and Rao Maldev took advantage of this situation to annex the entire kingdom of Bikaner.[18]

War with the Sur Empire

A Marital alliance with Jaisalmer secured Marwars western borders but Maldev was fiercely opposed by the dispossessed chiefs of Bikaner and Merta who made an alliance with the Afghan chief of Delhi against Marwar.[19] According to The Cambridge History of India – "Shershah invaded Marwar with an army of 80,000 horsemen but he still hesitated to attack the Rathore army of 50,000 horsemen". He thus forged letters and deceived Maldev into abandoning his commanders to their fate. Jaita and Kumpa, the two commanders of Maldev refused to retreat and gave battle to Afghans near. With a small force of 10,000 they vigorously attacked Sher Shah's centre and created confusion in his army. Soon overwhelming numbers and Afghan gunfire halted the Rajput charge. According to Satish Chandra - Sher Shahs oft quoted remark " I had given away the country of Delhi for a handful of millets" is a tribute to the gallantry of Jaita and Kumpa and the willingness of the Rajputs to face death even in the face of impossible odds.[20] After this Battle of Sammel, Khawas Khan Marwat and Isa Khan Niyazi took possession of Jodhpur and occupied the territory of Marwar from Ajmer to Mount Abu in 1544. However Maldev reoccupied his lost territories in 1545.[21][22]

War with Amer

Rao Maldev defeated Bharmal and captured four districts of the Amer kingdom. Bharmal in order to save himself sought help from Haji Khan Sur.[23]

Battle of Harmoda

Haji Khan was a slave of Sher Shah Suri and became the lord of Ajmer and Nagaur after the Battle of Sammel. Maldev who was on a resurgence to win back his lost territories attacked Haji, however the States of Mewar and Bikaner came to Haji's aid and forced Maldev to retreat. The relations between Haji and Udai Singh II deteriorated quickly, according to one account it was due to the demand of a dancegirl by Udai Singh in return for his help against Maldev. Udai Singh threatened Haji for war upon which he fled to the refuge of Maldev and together their armies defeated Udai Singh on January 1557 in the Battle of Harmoda. Maldev captured the fortified city of Merta after the battle.[24] Maldev further invaded Amber and forced the Kachwaha Raja to become a feudatory of Marwar.[25]

Mughal Invasions

Akbar succeeded Humayun in 1556, he soon became the most powerful Ruler in India and formulated an imperial policy. Many Rajput chiefs mustered around him with their grievances against the Rathor Chief of Jodhpur. Akbar used this as a casus belli against Maldev and sent several expeditions against Marwar. The Mughals conquered Ajmer and Nagaur in 1557 and soon after Akbar captured Jaitaran and Parbatsar. However the Mughals failed to capture the core territories of Marwar. Maldev before his death held the districts of Jodhpur, Sojat, Jaitaran, Phalodi, Siwana, Pokhran, Jalore, Sanchore, Merta, Barmer, Kotra and some parts of Jaisalmer. These territories were later captured by Akbar due to the succession war between Maldevs sons.[26][27]

Death and succession

Maldev Rathore had named his third son Chandrasen Rathore as his successor but after Maldev's death on 7 November 1562, a fratricidal contest began for the throne of Marwar.[28][29]

Notes
  1. Studies, University of Rajasthan Centre for Rajasthan (1999). History and culture of Rajasthan: from earliest times up to 1956 A.D. Centre for Rajasthan Studies, University of Rajasthan. p. 162.
  2. Bose, Melia Belli (2015). Royal Umbrellas of Stone: Memory, Politics, and Public Identity in Rajput Funerary Art. BRILL. p. 150. ISBN 978-9-00430-056-9.
  3. Somerset Playne, R. V. Solomon, J. W. Bond, Arnold Wright (2006). "Indian states: a biographical, historical, and administrative survey", Delhi: Asian Educational Services, p. 196
  4. A History of Jaipur: C. 1503–1938, By Jadunath Sarkar, p. 34
  5. Abuk Fazl, Akbarnama ed. Agha Ahmad Ali, Asiatic society of Bengal, 3 vols reprint, 1977, vol II, pp. 160, 197
  6. Hooja, Rima (2006). A history of Rajasthan. 518: Rupa & Co.CS1 maint: location (link)
  7. History of Rajasthan by Rima Hooja Section:The State of Marwar/Jodhpur, pg 520-522 ISBN 9788129108906
  8. Rajasthan District Gazetteer vol. 22, p. 22
  9. Bose, Melia Belli (2015). Royal Umbrellas of Stone: Memory, Politics, and Public Identity in Rajput Funerary Art. BRILL. p. 150. ISBN 978-9-00430-056-9.
  10. Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2006). The Mughul Empire, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, pp. 81–2
  11. Medieval India (1526–1748) Part two. by Satish Chandra. p. 79
  12. The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society (Bangalore, India)., Volume 62. p. 24
  13. The History and Culture of the Indian People, Volume 7. p. 332
  14. Babur and Humayun: Modern Learning Organisation By Aditya Gupta p. 58
  15. Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II By Satish Chandra pg.68, 80
  16. Kothiyal, Tanuja (2016). Nomadic Narratives: A History of Mobility and Identity in the Great Indian Desert. Cambridge University Press. pp. 85, 87. ISBN 9781107080317.
  17. Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II By Satish Chandra
  18. Rajasthan p. 70 by Dharmpal
  19. Rajasthan Directory & Who's Who p. 15
  20. Chandra, Satish (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II. Har-Anand Publications. p. 80. ISBN 978-81-241-1066-9.
  21. Mahajan, V.D. (1991, reprint 2007). History of Medieval India, Part II, New Delhi: S. Chand, ISBN 81-219-0364-5, p.43
  22. The Cambridge History of India pp. 54–55
  23. Sarkar, Jadunath (1994). A History of Jaipur: C. 1503–1938. p. 34. ISBN 9788125003335.
  24. Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan, Section:The State of Mewar, AD 1500- AD 1600. Rupa & Company. pp. 462, 530. ISBN 9788129108906. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  25. Arms & Armour at the Jaipur court by Robert Elgood p.10 — "the small kingdom of Amber was a feudatory of Marwar until the sixteenth century".
  26. Kothiyal, Tanuja (2016). Nomadic Narratives: A History of Mobility and Identity in the Great Indian. Cambridgr University Press. p. 78. ISBN 9781107080317. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  27. G.R. Parihar,Marwar and the Marathas: 1724–1843 A.D. p. xiii
  28. Akbarnama, II, p. 358
  29. Sarkar, J.N. (1984, reprint 1994). A History of Jaipur, New Delhi: Orient Longman, ISBN 81-250-0333-9, p. 41

References
Preceded by
Rao Ganga		 Rulers of Marwar (Jodhpur)
The Rathore Dynasty
9 May 1532 – 7 November 1562		 Succeeded by
Rao Chandra Sen
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