Ranthambhore: Nine Centuries, 944 AD – 1857 ADv.1.1 March 21, 2005 This article is by way of a collection of notes published to encourage scholars to join with us. If you do send notes, kindly be sure to source them, as this is a serious project! Sources include: ·
http://www.centraladventure.com/ranthambhorefort.html
- we used this for the outline pending proper research. ·
RC Majumdar volumes on the Delhi Sultanate and the
Mughul Empire. 944 Built by a Rajput Chauhan king
near today’s town of Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. The surrounding hills provide strong outer defenses for the
fort, and its situation on a plateau that precipitously rises 700 feet above
the plain make it for the next six centuries one of the strongest forts in
India. ? Chauhan kingdom of Sapadalaksha and Nadol vanish. In
medieval India, Ranthambhore is an important Kingdom in the eyes of the
Sultans of Delhi because it guards the passage to Central India. Muslim
invasions bring major political changes in North India.
RANTHAMBHOREhttp://www.travellady.com/Issues/December03/Ranthambore.htm
Caveat It
is most important for readers to keep in mind that we are still sorting out
the salient historical facts about the kings who ruled Ranthambhore. As this
is the first attempt to base history around the fort, it is not a trifling
matter to keep track of who did what and when. Moreover, there is often
disagreement between sources on major details. We are using R.C. Mazumdar’s History
and Culture of the Indian People as the preliminary basis for our
compilation. If you send us material, you must source it or we will be unable
to use your contribution. 1140 [approximately]
???? His name in the history of the Chauhans is well known for
defeating the successors of Mahmud Ghaznavi and occupying the whole of Delhi,
Bundelkhand and a part of Punjab. He was murdered by his son Jagdeva. Jagdeva
was murdered by his younger brother Vigraharaja IV. He is said to have ruled
in the middle of the 12th century. 1153 Vigraharaja IV is said to be a brave and
powerful ruler, who fights many battles against both the Muslims and the
Hindus rulers. He brings the territories of Delhi and Jhansi, Punjab,
Rajputana and Western UP under his rule. He resists the advance of the
Muslims in India. He is a good administrator too, besides being a patron of
art and literature and also promotes education. 1163 Political instability befalls the dynasty after
Vigraharaja IV. He is succeeded by his son Apara Gangeya who is killed
by his own cousin Prithvi Raj II. 1168 Prithviraj II is followed by Vigraharaja’s
uncle, Somadeva who in turn was succeeded by Rai Pithora most commonly
known as Prithvi Raj Chauhan III. He was one of the most celebrated 1179 Prithviraj Chauhan III succeeds his
father. [Some sources say this happened in 1177. He rules Rajasthan
and Punjab from two capitals, Pithoragadh (Delhi) and Ajmer. The Turk
Muhammad of Ghur conquers Lahore and Sindh and reaches the border of
Rajasthan. Prithviraj Chauhan defeats Ghuri in the first battle of Tarain
(1191AD). Ghuri returns next year, defeats and captures Prithviraj. 1193 [circa] Prithviraj Chauhan III has earlier banished from court Govindaraja, of the Chauhans of Ajmer. Incomplete historical record makes him a grandson of Prithviraj III; Majumdar says this is impossible because of the dates, and suggests we regard Govindaraja only as a descendent of Prithviraj III.
At the time of Prithviraj III’s death, Govindaraja is established at Ranthambhore.
When the Muslims overrun Ajmer after Prithviraj’s death at Second Tarain, Govindaraja shelters Prithviraj’s younger brother Hariraja.
???? On Govindaraja’s death, his son Balhana takes over and rules Ranthambhore as a vassal of the Sultanate at Delhi.
1215 Balhana throws off the Sultanate’s yoke around this time and rules independently.
???? Prahlada, son of Balhana rules at Ranthambhore.
1226 Viranarayana, son
of Prahlada, is ruling at Ranthambhore when Sultan Iltutmish invites
him to Delhi. The Sultan has designs on the fort: he has Prahlada killed and
seizes the fort. [R.C. Majumdar doubts this story because in the books the Sultan of Delhi is given as Jalaluddin, whereas Iltutmish was ruling. Majumdar cautions we should only assume that Ranthambhore came under Iltutmish’s control at this time.] Vaghata,
a son of Balhana and uncle of Viranarayana now takes claim to Ranthambhore as
its hereditary ruler.
1236 On the death of Iltutmish, Ranthambhore is
invested and Raziya Sultan, Iltutmish’s heir, sends her general
Qutabuddin Hasan Ghori to its rescue. The general manages to get the garrison
out, but cannot hold the fort. He destroys as much as he can as he pulls back
to Delhi.
1248 Balban makes his first unsuccessful
attack against Ranthambhore.
1253 Balban unsuccessfully attacks
Ranthambhore a second time.
1259 Jaitrasimha, son of Vagbhata, is the Chauhan king of Ranthambhore when
he is defeated in this year by Sultan Nasiruddin.
1283 Hamirdeva [also called Hammir] succeeds Jaitrasingh at Ranthambhore in 1283 A.D. He rules over two districts in Rajasthan, but expands his kingdom by raids into Malwa and Gujarat. He recovers Ranthambhore and also defeats the ruler of Chittor.
1290 Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji besieges
Ranthambhore, but when he recognizes how much blood would have to be shed for
the fort, this overly kind-hearted king lifts the siege in the early spring
of 1291. [R.C. Majumdar.]
1298 Hamirdeva,
the Rajput king of Ranthambhore, stops paying tribute to Delhi and gives
refuge to Muhammad Shah, a rebel against Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of
Delhi. Allauddin's general Ulugh Khan [Balban] sends an envoy to the fort
demanding the death of Muhammed Shah but Hamirdeva declines saying he cannot
harm anyone who has sought shelter with him. [R.C. Majumdar.]
RANTHAMBHOREhttp://www.4to40.com/discoverindia/places/index.asp?article=discoverindia_places_mewat
1301 Allaudin Khilji attacks Ranthambore both
orders the fort to be besieged from all sides. Aside from the need to capture
the rebel Muhammed Shah, Allaudin also has strategic objectives in mind: the
fort is one of the strongest in India, and a gateway to the west, south and
east.
When
he sees no progress at the siege, Allauddin Khilji himself marches to
Ranthambhore. In spite of all the strategies adopted by him the fort
withstands. However soon the fort starts feeling the pinch of the siege.
Famine in the fort is acute. Hamirdeva sends his minister Ranmal as an envoy
to Alauddin to negotiate terms.
At
this stage treachery raises its heads in the form of Hamirdeva’s generals –
Ratipal and Ranmal. Alauddin Khilji entices Ratipal by promising him the
Kingdom of Ranthambhore if he helps him in capturing the fort. We do not know
at this time what promises are mde to Ranmal. Facing certain defeat, Hamirdeva for the fight to death.
Thousand of ladies in the fort performed “Jauhar” by jumping into fire and
the men rush out of the fort to fight unto death. The Delhi Sultan finally
occupies Ranthambhore in July.
For
helping him to gain Ranthambhore, Alauddin executes the treasonous Rajputs on
the sound principle that a traitor once can be traitor twice. Khilji
makes one of his generals in charge of the area and returns to Delhi. A
Chauhan feudatory of Alauudin Khilji rules Ranthambhore.
1326 or thereabouts: [R.C. Majumdar.] Rana Hammir of
Mewar [1314-1378] begins expanding his kingdom, taking advantage of the
instability that has fallen on the Khilji empire after Alauddin’s death in
1316. He titles himself Maharana of Mewar. He
captures the fort, sending the Chauhan feudatory fleeing for help to Muhammad
Bin Tuglaq, who is now the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.
[We
are still researching what happens next; meanwhile see below.]
1340 Around this time, Rana Hammir regains the kingdom
of Mewar, implying that somewhere after 1326 he lost it. Presumably the loss
and regaining of his kingdom involves Ranthambhore.
1450? Rana Khumba [1433-1468, also called
Khumbakarna] captures the fort in the mid 15th century and later
hands it to his son. After his son’s
death, the Hada Rajputs of Bundi take over Ranthambhore once again.
1496 or thereabouts: Ranthambhore has again fallen at
some point earlier to the Delhi Sultanate. Sikander Lodhi’s governor at
Ranthambhore, around this time, is Daulat Khan.
Tuglaq
attacks Ranthambhore but is defeated and captured by Maharana Hammir. Tuglaq
gains his release by paying an enormous ransom, which includes ceding
Ranthambhore to its new occupier.
1528 The fort passes to the child Prince Vikramjeet
on the death of his father, the legendary Maharana Sangha of Mewar.
The Maharana had promised the fort to the son of his junior wife Karmavati.
She has two sons by Ratna Singh, Vikramjeet and Uday Singh. As they have yet
to reach the age of majority, her brother Surya Mal of the Hada clan becomes
guardian.
But
when Ratna Singh, Maharana Sangha’s son and heir [ruled 1528-31] tries
to assert his authority over his half-brothers and step mother, Karmavati
pledges her loyalty to Babur and her stepson is stymied.
In
1531, Vikramjeet assumes the throne of Mewar on the death of his half-brother
Ratna Singh.
1532 Around this time, Bahadur Shah of Gujarat
captures Ranthambhore as part of his expansion north into Rajasthan. He can
expand because in the early years of Mughul rule in India, after the fall of
the Lodhis, most of India is in disarray. Bahadur Shah goes on to invest and
sack Chittor in 1535.
1535 Humanyun captures Ranthambhore as part of
his counter-offensive against Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. The offensive also
sees the great fort of Chittor back under a Delhi king, and Humanyun
continues into Gujarat, reclaiming this territory for Delhi.
1558 Akbar invests Ranthambhore, but has
to raise the siege because of trouble with Bairam Khan.
1569 February 8. Akbar returns to the siege, pitching
his tent nearby, no intention of leaving till he has possession. The defender
is Rai Surjan, the Hada clan chief of
Bundi. He holds the fort as a vassal of Chittor. Rai Surjan is much
influenced by Akbar’s recent and ruthless sack of Chittor, during which the
Mughul emperor ordered all civilian males to be executed.
So on March 21 he surrenders the fort keys to the
Emperor, and Mihtar Khan becomes
Akbar’s commander at fabled Ranthambhore. TO BE CONTINUED
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