Udai Singh II
Udai Singh II (4 August 1522 – 28 February 1572)[3] was the Maharana of Mewar and the founder of the city of Udaipur[4] in the present-day Rajasthan state of India. He was the 12th ruler of the Mewar dynasty. He was the fourth son of Rana Sanga[5] and Rani Karnavati, a princess of Bundi.
| Udai Singh II | |
|---|---|
| Maharana | |
 Rana Udai Singh II | |
| Rana of Mewar | |
| Reign | 1540 – 28 February 1572 |
| Coronation | 1540, Kumbalgarh |
| Predecessor | Vanvir Singh |
| Successor | Pratap Singh I |
| Born | 4 August 1522 Chittor Fort, Rajasthan, Mewar |
| Died | 28 February 1572 (aged 49) Gogunda, Rajasthan, Mewar |
| Consort | Jaivanta Bai[1] |
| Spouse | 18 or 20 queens including:
Maharani Jaivanta Bai Sonigara (Chauhan) Rani Sajjabai Solankini Rani Dheer Bai Bhattiyani Rani Jaivantabai Madrechi (Rani Lalabai) Rani Lacchabai Balechi (Chouhan) Rani Veerbai Jhala Lakhabai Jhala[2] |
| Issue | 17 or 24 sons, including: Pratap Singh I Shakti Singh Vikramdev Singh Jagmal Singh Sagar Singh Rai Singh Shardul Singh [2] |
| Dynasty | Sisodia |
| Father | Rana Sanga |
| Mother | Maharani Karmavati Hada (Chauhan) daughter of Rao Nirbudh of Bundi. |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Sisodia Rajputs of Mewar II (1326–1884) | |
|---|---|
| Hammir Singh | (1326–1364) |
| Kshetra Singh | (1364–1382) |
| Lakha Singh | (1382–1421) |
| Mokal Singh | (1421–1433) |
| Rana Kumbha | (1433–1468) |
| Udai Singh I | (1468–1473) |
| Rana Raimal | (1473–1508) |
| Rana Sanga | (1508–1527) |
| Ratan Singh II | (1528–1531) |
| Vikramaditya Singh | (1531–1536) |
| Vanvir Singh | (1536–1540) |
| Udai Singh II | (1540–1572) |
| Pratap Singh I | (1572–1597) |
| Amar Singh I | (1597–1620) |
| Karan Singh II | (1620–1628) |
| Jagat Singh I | (1628–1652) |
| Raj Singh I | (1652–1680) |
| Jai Singh | (1680–1698) |
| Amar Singh II | (1698–1710) |
| Sangram Singh II | (1710–1734) |
| Jagat Singh II | (1734–1751) |
| Pratap Singh II | (1751–1754) |
| Raj Singh II | (1754–1762) |
| Ari Singh II | (1762–1772) |
| Hamir Singh II | (1772–1778) |
| Bhim Singh | (1778–1828) |
| Jawan Singh | (1828–1838) |
| Sardar Singh | (1828–1842) |
| Swarup Singh | (1842–1861) |
| Shambhu Singh | (1861–1874) |
| Sajjan Singh | (1874–1884) |
| Fateh Singh | (1884–1930) |
| Bhupal Singh | (1930—1955) |
| Bhagwant Singh | (1955-1971) |
| Arvind Singh | (1971) |
Early life, marriage, and parenthood
Udai Singh was born in Chittor in August 1522. After the death of his father, Rana Sanga,[6] Ratan Singh II was crowned King. Ratan Singh II was assassinated in 1531. He was succeeded by his brother Maharana Vikramaditya Singh. During the reign of Vikramaditya, when the Muzaffarid Sultan of Gujarat Bahadur Shah sacked Chittor in 1535, Udai Singh was sent to Bundi for safety.[5] In 1537, Banbir killed Vikramaditya and usurped the throne. He tried to kill Udai Singh also, but Udai's nurse Panna Dai sacrificed her own son Chandan to save him from his uncle Banbir and took him to Kumbhalgarh. She did not ask for anything in return either. She started living in Bundi and did not allow Udai Singh to come and meet her. He lived secretly in Kumbhalgarh for two years, disguised as a nephew of the governor Asha Shah Depura (Maheshwari).
In 1540, he was crowned in Kumbhalgarh by the nobles of Mewar. His eldest son Maharana Pratap from his first wife, Maharani Jaivantabai Songara (daughter of Akhey Raj Songara of Jalore), was born in the same year.[7] He had 24 sons. His second wife, Sajjabai Solankini gave birth to his son Shakti Singh, Sagar Singh and Vikram Dev. Dheerbai Bhattiyani was his favourite wife and was the mother of his son Jagmal Singh. His fourth wife was Rani Veerbai Jhaala.[8]
Reign
In 1544 Udai Singh surrendered Chittor to Sher Shah Suri on the terms that Sher Shah does not harm the people of Mewar.[9][10]
In 1557, he was defeated by Maldeo Rathore at the Battle of Harmada and lost Merta to him.[11][12]
In 1562, Udai gave refuge to Baz Bahadur. the last ruler of the Malwa Sultanate, whose kingdom had been annexed into the Mughal Empire.
In September 1567, his son Shakti Singh came to him from Dhaulpur and told him of Akbar's plan to capture Chittor.[13] According to Kaviraj Shyamaldas, Udai Singh called a council of war. The nobles advised him to take refuge along with the princes in the hills, leaving a garrison at Chittor. On 23 October 1567 Akbar formed his camp near Chittor. Udai Singh retired to Gogunda (which later became his temporary capital) leaving Chittor in the hands of his loyal chieftains Rao Jaimal and Patta. Akbar captured Chittor after a four-month-long siege on 23 February 1568; the siege culminated in a brutal sacking of the city, leaving Chittor's garrison and 25-40,000 civilians dead.[14][15] With Chittor lost to the Mughals, Udai would later shift his capital to Udaipur.
He died in 1572 in Gogunda. Before his death, Jagmal tried to seize the throne but the nobles of Mewar prevented Jagmal from succeeding and placed Maharana Pratap Singh on the throne on 1 March 1572.[7]
In popular culture
- In the 2008 romance drama film Jodhaa Akbar, Udai Singh II is supposedly portrayed by actor Surendra Pal.
- In the 2013 television serial, Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap, Udai Singh II was portrayed by Shakti Anand.
References
- Rana, Bhawan Singh (2004). Maharana Pratap. Diamond Pocket Books. pp. 28, 105. ISBN 9788128808258.
- Rana 2004, p. 17
- Congress, Indian History (1974). Proceedings - Indian History Congress, Volume 35. p. 142. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
- Ranawat, P. S. (2016). Wah!Udaipur Wah!!. ISBN 978-81-929881-1-5.
- Tod, James (1829, reprint 2002). Annals & Antiquities of Rajasthan, Vol.I, Rupa, New Delhi, ISBN 81-7167-366-X, p.240-52
- Mahajan V.D. (1991, reprint 2007) History of Medieval India, Part II, S. Chand, New Delhi, ISBN 81-219-0364-5, p.11
- Tod, James (1829, reprint 2002). Annals & Antiquities of Rajasthan, Vol.I, Rupa, New Delhi, ISBN 81-7167-366-X, p.252-64
- Rana 2004, p. 28
- History of Medieval India: From 1000 A.D. to 1707 A.D. By Radhey Shyam Chaurasia pg.181
- The Cambridge History of India pg.55
- Akbarnama II pg 72
- Jodhpur Khyat pg 76
- Rana 2004, p.31
- Richards, John F. (1995) [1993]. The Mughal empire. New Cambridge history of India. 5. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521566032. pg. 26
- Chandra, Satish (2001). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part I. Har-Anand Publications. ISBN 81-241-0522-7. p. 107.
External links
Udai Singh II Born: 4 August 1522 Died: 28 February 1572 | ||
| Preceded by Vikramaditya Singh |
Sisodia Rajput Ruler 1540–1572 |
Succeeded by Pratap Singh I |