महाराणा सांगा: द हिन्दूपत (हरविलास सारदा - मेवाड़ साम्राज्य एवं खानवा महायुद्ध इतिहास)

Maharana Sāngā.
bined, the Sultanate would have ceased to
exist.
When Sāngā came to the throne, the
Sultanate of Gujarāt was at the meridian of
its power and prosperity. Mahmud Shah
Begara's reign was drawing to a close, and it
was with his son, Muzaffar Shah II, who
reigned till A.D. 1526, that Sāngā had to
wage wars. It was through Idar that Sāngā
came into collision with the Sultan of Gujarāt.
Idar, as stated above, is a small Rāthor
Rajput principality situated on the borders of
Gujarāt. Its ruler, Rao Bhan, died, leaving
two sons, Suraj Mal and Bhim. Suraj Mal
succeeded to the throne but died after a reign
of 18 months, leaving a minor son Rai Mal,
who became Rao of Idar. He was, however,
deposed by Bhim,¹ who usurped the throne.
Rai Mal fled to Chitor for shelter. Bhim
dying a few days after this, his son Bhar
Mal, became Rao of Idar. Rai Mal on
growing up to manhood claimed his patri-
mony, and with the assistance of Maharana
¹A. K. Forbes' Ras Mala, p. 290 (1878 edition).
53

Maharana Sāngā.
Sāngā, ¹ about A.D. 1514, regained Idar,
expelling Bhar Mal, who appealed for help
to Sultan Muzaffar ² of Gujarāt. The
Sultan at the time was on the borders
of Malwa watching developments in that
country. When the envoys of Bhar Mal
reached Muzaffar, he sent Nizam-ul-mulk
with an army to reinstate Bhar Mal on the
gadi of Idar. The Mirat-i-sikandari says
that "in A.D. 1517, Rai Mal fought with
the Gujarāt armies and was sometimes defeat-
ed and sometimes victorious."³ Ferishta
says that Rai Mal was defeated and that he
retired to the hilly tract of Bijanagar.⁴
Nizam-ul-mulk after reinstating Bhar Mal
on the gadi of Idar, went in pursuit of Rai
Mal. Rai Mal issued from the hills and
attacked the Gujarāt army. In the battle that
took place, Nizam-ul-mulk was severely
defeated⁵ and his best officers and soldiers
¹ Bayley's Gujarāt, p. 252. Briggs's Ferishta, Vol.
IV., p. 83.
² Briggs's Ferishta, Vol. IV., p. 83. Ras Mala,
p. 293.
³ Bayley's Gujarāt, p. 253.
⁴ Ferishta, Vol. IV., p. 83.
Ferishta, Vol. IV., p. 83 ; also Ras Mala, p. 294.
54

Maharana Sāngā.
were slain. The Sultan thereupon recalled
Nizam-ul-mulk to Ahmadabad.
In A.D. 1517, Rai Mal, assisted by the
Maharana¹ re-entered the Idar territory.
The Sultan of Gujarāt sent his general Zahir-
ul-mulk, with a large army against him.
Zahir-ul-mulk was, however, attacked by Rai
Mal and defeated with great slaughter.²
Zahir-ul-mulk was killed at the head of his
cavalry and the Sultan’s army fled to Guja-
rāt. The Sultan now sent Nasrat-ul-mulk,
but he too failed to achieve any success
against Rai Mal, who continued to ravage
the country.
¹ K. Shyamaldas’ Vir Vinod and Briggs’ Ferishta,
p. 83.
² A. K. Forbes’ Ras Mala, p. 294.
55

CHAPTER VI.
WAR WITH SULTAN IBRAHIM LODI.
ON the death of Sultan Sikander Lodi
in A.D. 1517, his son Ibrahim succeeded
him. He was engaged in putting down the
revolts of his nobles, when news of Sāngā's
encroachments reached him. He prepared
an army and marched against Mewar. The
Maharana advanced to meet him and the
two armies met near the village of Khatoli on
the borders of Haravati (Haraoti). The Delhi
army could not stand the onslaught of the
Rajputs, and after a fight lasting two pahars
(5 hours), it gave way and fled, followed by
the Sultan himself, leaving a Lodi prince
prisoner in the hands of Sāngā. The prince
was released after a few days on payment of
a ransom.- In this battle, the Maharana lost
his left arm by a sword cut, and an arrow
made him lame for life.
¹ Duff's Chronology of India, p. 271.
56

Maharana Sāngā.
An incident which occurred about this
time illustrates the Hindu ideal of kingship.
That ideal was not that of dominating the
will of the people, and of ruling the country
as of inalienable personal right. The ideal
was that the king was the chief executive
officer of the people, that he was to
subordinate personal comfort, ambition and
activity to their general welfare, to look
upon administration as a duty rather than a
right, and to resign the position as soon
as the qualification necessary for rendering
service was lost.
It was after long treatment that the Maha-
rana's wounds received in the battle against
Ibrahim were healed and the Maharana
restored to health. In order to celebrate the
occasion, the Maharana invited the friendly
kings to a Darbar, where the entire vassal-
age and nobility of Mewar assembled to do
homage to their sovereign, and tender their
congratulations to him on his recovery.
When the nobles and the chieftains of Mewar
and the chiefs and kings of neighbouring
States had assembled, the Maharana entered
57

Maharana Sāngā.
the grand assembly in due form. He was
duly greeted on his entry into the Darbar.
But contrary to the usual practice of
raising both hands only up to the chest,
as is the established custom of the kings
of Mewar, the Maharana raised his right
hand up to the head and bowed to those
present. The whole assembly was filled
with astonishment, which was increased
when, on the nobles taking their accustomed
seats, the Maharana instead of occupying
the royal throne, took his seat on the
floor, like other nobles. Whispers filled the
hall, some going so far as to suggest that
long illness had affected the mind of the
Maharana. At last Rawat Ratan Singh of
Salumbar, with due respect, enquired of
the Maharana the reason of his returning
their greetings in an unusual manner and of
taking his seat below the throne, and thus
acting against the established usages of the
crown. On this, the Maharana got up, and
raising his voice so as to make it audible to
those sitting in the furthest corners of the
hall declared that it was an ancient and
well-established rule in India that when
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Maharana Sanga.
an idol was injured and a part of it
knocked off, it ceased to be a fit object of
worship, and another one was installed in its
place. Similarly, the royal throne being
a place of worship for the people, its
occupant should also be a person who is
entire and who is able to render full service
to the State; that he had lost one arm and
the full use of a leg, in addition to an eye,
and was therefore, in his own opinion, no
longer fit to occupy the throne to which all
did homage. He consequently requested the
whole assembly to elect as their sovereign
one whom they considered a fit person to
fill that exalted position, and to bestow
upon him (Sāngā) suitable maintenance, so
that he might continue, like other sāmants
(warrior nobles) to serve the State for the
rest of his life.
On hearing this, the assembled kings
and chiefs submitted that the heroic Maha-
rana had received injuries on a field of
battle, where he had, by heroism and valour,
defeated the enemy and won victory for
Mewar, and that he had, therefore, not lost
59

Maharana Sāngā.
anything, but had become adorned with
laurels, and was, in consequence, the fittest
person to enhance the glory of that exalted
throne. 'Thereupon Raja Viramdeva of Merta
and other chiefs got up, and taking Sāngā by
the hand placed him on the unoccupied throne.
The resources of Ibrahim were so crip-
pled by this war with Sāngā that he could
not renew the contest for some time. How-
ever, he carefully nursed his desire to be
revenged on Maharana Sāngā for the disast-
rous defeat inflicted by the latter at Khatoli.
And when the rebellion of Islam Khan,
which had assumed serious proportions, was
suppressed, the Sultan began to prepare
an army to attack Mewar. The foremost
generals of the kingdom, Mian Husain
Khan Zar Bakhsh, Mian Khan Khānān
Farmuli and Mian Māruf "who were the
chief commanders in the army of Sultan
Sikander" and "were the bravest men
of the age and could have instructed
even Rustam in the art of war"¹ led
this expedition, with Mian Makhan as
¹ Elliot's History of India, Vol. V., p. 16.
60

Maharana Sāngā.
commander-in-chief. When this army reached
the Maharana’s territory the Maharana
advanced with his Rajputs. As the two
armies came in sight of each other near
Dholpur,¹ Mian Makhan made dispositions
for the battle. Said Khan Furat and Haji
Khan with 7,000 horsemen, were placed on
the right ; and Daulat Khan, Allahdad Khan
and Yusuf Khan commanded the centre.
The Sultan’s army was fully prepared to
give the Maharana a warm reception. The
Rajputs, with their accustomed valour,
advanced and fell on the Sultan’s army, and
in a short time put the enemy to flight.
“Many brave and worthy men were made
martyrs and the others were scattered.”²
This battle took place about A.D. 1518.
The Rajputs pursued the fleeing rem-
nants of the Sultan’s army up to Byana.³
¹ Erskine’s History of India, Vol. I., p. 480.
² Tarikhi Salatini Afghana in Elliot’s History
of India, Vol. V., p. 19.
³ Tarikhi Daudi. The Tarikhi Salatini
Afghana says that before the battle, Mian Husein
Khan separated from the Sultan’s army with a
thousand horsemen and joined the Rana, but that
he himself did not take part in the battle, though
61

Maharana Sāngā.
By this victory all that part of Malwa
which had been usurped by Muhammad Shah
(Sahib Khan), younger brother of Sultan
Mahmud Khilji II of Mandu, during his
rebellion against his brother, and had subse-
quently been taken possession of by Sultan
Sikander Lodi, father of Sultan Ibrahim,
now fell into the hands of the Maharana.
Chanderi was one of the many places
which fell into the hands of the Maha-
rana,¹ who bestowed it on Medni Rai.
his elephants were visible, and that after the
battle he sent a message reproaching Mian Maruf,
saying : "It is a hundred pities that 30,000 horse-
men should have been defeated by so few Hindus"
(Elliot's History of India, Vol. V, page 19). It further
states that while the Maharana's army was rejoicing
and amusing itself after the victory, Mian Husein,
now joined by Mian Maruf, prefidiously fell upon
it and routed it. The Tarikhi Daudi and Wakiat
Mushtaki, however, make no mention of this treache-
rous attack, which in view of the fact that
these men had only a small following of their own,
can hardly be believed to have taken place. The
fact that the Maharana obtained as a result of the
war a large part of Malwa and tracts up to Byana,
belies this second attack. And the fact that Sultan
Ibrahim Lodi had Mian Husein assassinated shortly
after at Chanderi and gave rewards to the assassins,
further negatives the attack.
¹ Erskine's History of India, Vol. I, page 480.
62

CHAPTER VII.
CAPTURE OF MALWA AND SULTAN
MAHMUD KHILJI II.
IN Malwa, developments were taking place
which soon brought about the downfall
of the Pathan monarchy of that country.
Though Sultan Mahmud Khilji II was
on the throne, the real power was in
the hands of a clique of Mussalman
nobles who wished to keep Mahmud a
puppet in their hands. Their domineering¹
conduct towards the king made him fear
for his life, and when they began openly to
defy him, he fled from Mandu. This was
the signal for an open revolt. The nobles
headed by Mahafiz Khan, placed the crown
on the head of his brother prince, Sahib
Khan, and proclaimed him Sultan of
Malwa. Raja Medni Rai, a powerful Rajput
chieftain of Malwa, came to the Sultan's
¹ Brigg's Ferishta, Vol. IV, p. 246.
63

Maharana Sāngā.
assistance. He was followed by others.
The king owed his life and his throne
to the fidelity and chivalry of Medni
Rai, who now became the Sultan's com-
mander-in-chief. When Sultan Mahmud
marched towards the capital, he was opposed
by the rebel forces, headed by Prince Sahib
Khan. “The fate of the action,” says
Ferishta, “was eventually decided¹ by the
gallant conduct of Medni Rai and the
Rajput infantry, who preserved a compact
phalanx, and with spears and daggers broke
the enemy.” Medni Rai is said to have
raised a force of forty thousand Rajputs²
to help the Sultan. The Sultan regained
his kingdom with the assistance of
Medni Rai, who now became Prime
Minister of Malwa. He not only reduced
the rebel nobles to submission but estab-
lished the authority of the king through-
out the kingdom. Some of these dis-
affected persons, jealous of his increasing
power and prestige, and resenting the

¹ Brigg’s Ferishta, Vol. IV, page 248.
² Bayley’s Gujarāt, page 247, footnote.
64

Maharana Sāngā.
restraint, the subordinate position to which
they had now been reduced, imposed on
them, began to intrigue against Medni
Rai, and appealed to Sultan Sikander Lodi
of Delhi and Sultan Muzaffar Shah II
of Gujarāt for help, representing to them
that Malwa had been dominated by the
Hindus, and that the Sultan was such
only in name. Bohjat Khan, the governor
of Chanderi, revolted and invited Sahib
Khan, the rebel brother of Sultan Mahmud
II, to Chanderi to head the rebellion. On
reaching Chanderi, Sahib Khan was met
by Bohjat Khan and Mansur Khan, an-
other rebel noble of Malwa, and was
crowned King of Malwa, under the title
of Sultan Muhammad, Bohjat Khan
becoming his minister. In response to
the rebels' appeal, Sultan Sikander Lodi
sent a force of 12,000 cavalry,¹ under
the command of Imadul Mulk and Sayeed
Khan, to help Sahib Khan to the throne
of Malwa. Sultan Muzaffar Shah of
Gujarāt also started to help the rebels.
¹ Brigg's Ferishta, Vol. IV, page 253.
65

Maharana Sāngā.
Sikander Khan, governor of Bhilsa, joined
the rebellion¹ and began to plunder the
country.
With consummate ability, Raja Medni
Rai overcame all opposition, vanquished
the combination of the Sultans of Gujarāt
and Delhi and extricated Malwa from
the difficulties that thus surrounded it.
Directing Malik Lado to oppose Sikander of
Bhilsa, Medni Rai marched, accompanied
by Sultan Mahmud, against the forces
of Gujarāt, which had arrived not very far
from Mandu. Muzaffar Shah was attacked
and defeated with great slaughter, and
fled to Ahmadabad.² The Sultan of Gujarāt
being thus disposed of, Medni Rai advanced
to attack the Chanderi confederates. His
diplomacy no less than his generalship
eventually defeated the designs of the
rebels. "Hearing of the advance of
the Malwa troops, Sultan Sikander Lodi,
unable to spare more troops at the time,
¹ Brigg's Ferishta, Vol IV, page 254.
² Brigg's Ferishta, Vol. IV, page 254.
66

Maharana Sāngā.
ordered his contingent to fall back on Delhi.
Prince Sahib Khan's forces, under Muhafiz
Khan and Khwaja Jahan, marched by
a circuitous route to invest Mandu.
Medni Rai sent a large force of Rajputs
to oppose it. A battle took place near
Nalchā, in which Muhafiz Khan was killed
and the rebels were completely defeated."¹
Bhojat Khan and Sahib Khan now sued
for peace, which was granted. Raisen,
Bhilsa and Dhamoni were given to
Sahib Khan for maintenance. To relieve
his immediate wants, a sum of ten lakhs
of tunkas² was sent to the prince, which,
however, was embezzled by Bohjat Khan.
This occasioned an open quarrel between
the prince and his minister, and Bohjat
Khan was forced to flee to the Delhi
Court. Prince Sahib Khan dying soon
after, his minor son was taken away
to Delhi by Sultan Sikander Lodi, who
sent his officers to take up the adminis-
¹ Brigg's Ferishta, Vol. IV, page 256.
² Brigg's Ferishta, Vol. IV, page 256. The
Muntakhabul Tawarikh says that 11 lakhs were sent.
67

Maharana Sāngā.
tration of the province of Chanderi¹ under
the Delhi Government. Medni Rai thus
vanquished the enemies of Sultan Mahmud
Khilji and secured for him undisputed
supremacy in Malwa.²
The disappointed and defeated nobles now
began to sow distrust in the mind of Sultan
Mahmud himself and to poison his mind
against Medni Rai. They succeeded so far as
to persuade that weak and incapable ruler to
embark on the assassination of his benefactor
and chief support to his throne. The Sultan
made the attempt but failed to achieve
his object. Medni Rai escaped wounded
to his residence. The army called upon
Medni Rai to depose the king, but Medni
Rai not only forgave Sultan Mahmud
¹ Erskine's History of India, Vol. I, page 480.
² Mr. Erskine says: “Medni Rai was a
very distinguished personage in his time. He had
been the means of placing and confirming the
reigning king, Sultan Mahmud Khilji, on the throne
of Mandu; and supported by his Rajputs, had
defeated various pretenders to the crown, in bloody
battles.”—History of India, Vol. I, page 480.
68

Maharana Sāngā.
but offered to continue to serve him.¹
The weak Sultan, however, left Mandu²
and fled towards Gujarāt. With the help
of a Rajput named Kishna, he reached
the village of Bhakorah, on the frontiers
of Gujarāt, where the Gujarāt governor
of Dohud received him hospitably and
reported the matter to Sultan Muzaffar
Shah at Ahmadabad. The latter sent
Mahmud "the white canopy and the
scarlet pavilion," signs of royalty, and
a considerable body of troops. In a few
days, Sultan Muzaffar himself followed
with his army to reinstate Mahmud on
his throne. Medni Rai expressed his
sorrow at the folly of Mahmud in
thus compromising the honour³ of Malwa,
¹ Brigg's Ferishta, Vol., IV, page 259.
² Ibid, page 259. Ferishta calls the Sultan
"a fool in the cabinet."
³ The Mirati Sikandari says that though
Mahmud fled, Medni Rai made no difference what-
ever in the expenses of Mahmud's harem. Provisions
and clothes, perfumes and money were supplied
as before, and eunuchs attended to it as usual.
Medni Rai declared in open Durbar that he had done
nothing disloyal, and that they should write to the
Sultan to return and assume care of the country and
appoint another Vazier.—Bayley's Gujarāt, pp. 262-263.
69

Maharana Sāngā.
but finding that Mahmud was incorri-
gible, he left a garrison in Mandu for the
defence of the fort and himself went
to Chitor to appeal to the Maharana
for aid. The Maharana only promised
to march to his frontiers and await
developments and to see that no harm
was done to Medni Rai. He reached
Sarangpur, but hearing that Mandu had
fallen and that Mahmud had again assumed
government he returned with Medni Rai
to Chitor, as there was nothing further
to be done. He, however, bestowed on
Medni Rai the pargannahs of Gagrone,
Chanderi and some others. Medni Rai's
son, Bhimraj,¹ took up his residence at
Gagrone. Sultan Muzaffar Shah also
returned to Gujarāt, leaving a strong force
under Asaf Khan in Malwa to support
Mahmud Khilji.
Sultan Mahmud was a prince not
only weak and incapable but devoid of
¹ Mehta Nainsi in his Chronicles, says that
Maharana Sāngā had conquered Chanderi from Baghela
Mukand of Bardhwa.
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Maharana Sāngā.
common sense, political foresight and
judgment. Encouraged by the presence of
troops left for his protection by the
Sultan of Gujarāt, he determined to
invade the territory of Medni Rai, and
in S. 1575 (H. 925 = A. D. 1519) marched
against Gagrone. As Medni Rai held
this district along with others as a fief
from Maharana Sāngā, the latter resolved
to punish Sultan Mahmud for this
temerity : for, while the latter’s conduct
towards Medui Rai gave evidence of his
ungratefulness and want of sense, this
attack on Gagrone showed that he was
incapable of appreciating the forbearance
and restraint of the Maharana, and was
quite unmindful of the rights of peaceful
neighbours. Maharana Sāngā advanced
with a large army from Chitor reinforced
by the Rathors of Merta under Rao
Viramdeva, and met Sultan Mahmud
Khilji, accompanied by the Gujarāt auxilia-
ries under Asaf Khan. The Sultan’s forces
fought bravely but could not withstand
the furious onslaught of the Rajputs and
sustained a complete defeat. Most of
71

Maharana Sāngā.
his officers were killed and the army was
nearly annihilated. Asaf Khan's son was
killed, and Asaf Khan himself sought safety
in flight. Sultan Mahmud was taken
prisoner, wounded and bleeding. The
noble Maharana had him removed with
care to his own camp, where his wounds
were carefully dressed and properly treated.
He was then removed to Chitor, where
he remained a prisoner for three months.
Every comfort was provided for him, and
when his wounds were healed up and
he was restored to health, the high-souled
Maharana, with a magnanimity unique in
the annals of warfare, not only set him
free¹ but restored his dominions to him,
and sent him to Mandu with a strong
Rajput escort.
The Maharana used to treat Sultan
Mahmud with great courtesy and friendship,
so far at times as to make him sit on a
¹ A poet says :—
राहां पकड़ छोड़बो सांगा थारे हांसां खेल हमीरह‌रा.
"Sāngā, descendant of Hammir, to capture and set
free kings is a joke and play for thee.
72