Rana Sanga

Maharana Sangram Singh राणा सांगा
The ruler of Mewar
Depiction of Maharana Sangram Singh.
Rana of Mewar
Reign	1508-1528 (20 years)
Predecessor	Rana Raimal
Successor	Ratan Singh II
Born	(1484-04-12)12 April 1484 Malwa, Rajasthan, India
Died	Kalpi, India
Spouse	Rani Karnavati
Issue	Bhoj Raj Ratan Singh II Vikramaditya Singh Udai Singh II
Full name Sangram Singh
House	Sisodia
Father	Rana Raimal
Religion	Hindu

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)
Maharana Pratap	(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)
Shambhu Singh	(1861–1874)
Sajjan Singh	(1874–1884)
Fateh Singh	(1884–1930)
Bhupal Singh	(1930–1947)

Maharana Sangram Singh (12 April 1484 – 17 March 1527) commonly known as Rana Sanga, was the Sisodiya Rajput ruler of Mewar, which was located within the geographic boundaries of present-day India's modern state of Rajasthan. He ruled between 1508 and 1527.

Rana Sanga succeeded his father, Rana Raimal, as king of Mewar in 1508. He fought against the Mughals in the Battle of Khanwa, which ended with Mughal victory, and died shortly thereafter on 17 March 1527.

He was married to Rani Karnavati who later committed Jauhar on 8 March 1535 A.D. inside Chittorgarh Fort. This was the second of the three Jauhars performed at Chittor. She was the mother of the next two Ranas, Rana Vikramaditya Singh and Udai Singh II, and grandmother of Maharana Pratap.

Succession to throne

Chittorgarh Fort, Chittor

Rana Sanga, a grandson of Kumbha, succeeded to the throne of Mewar after a prolonged power struggle against his brothers.

Conquest of Malwa

Main article: Battle of Gagron

Ibrahim Lodi, the Afghan king of Delhi sultanate.

After consolidating his position in Mewar, Sanga moved his army against the neighbouring kingdom of Malwa, which was suffering from internal dissension under the rule of Mehmod Khilji. Wary of the power of Medini Rai, his Rajput wazir, the politically weak Mehmod sought outside assistance from both Sultan Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi and Bahadur Shah of Gujarat; whereas Rai, on his part, requested Sanga to come to his aid. Thus began the prolonged war between Mewar against the Muslim sultans of North India in the Battle of Gagron.

Joined by Rajput rebels from within Malwa, Sanga's troops beat back invading armies from Delhi and defeated the Malwa army in a series of battles. Khilji was himself taken prisoner, only to be freed after leaving his sons as hostages in Mewar's capital, Chittor. Through these events, Malwa fell under Sanga’s control.

Idar Feud

Main article: Battles of Idar

Rana Sanga assisted Rai mal in his war against his brother Bhar mal who was supported by the Sultan of Gujarat Muzaffar Shah II. Rana Sanga successfully restored the throne of Idar to Rai Mal and pushed the Gujarat Sultanate out of Idar.

Victories over Ibrahim Lodi

Main article: Battle of Dholpur

Main article: Battle of Khatoli

After conquering Malwa, Sanga turned his attention towards north-eastern Rajasthan, which was then under the control Khilji's ally, Lodi. He invaded the region when a rebellion in Delhi had diverted Lodi's attention, gaining several victories and capturing some key strategic assets in the process, including the fort of Ranthambore. In retaliation, Lodi invaded Mewar after having put down the rebellion in Delhi.

Jain temple at Ranthambore fort.

Sanga counterattacked, fighting the ethnic Afghans under Lodi at Battle of Khatoli (Gwalior) in 1517-18. During this period Sanga lost his left arm and was crippled in one leg but gained land.

Lodi, reportedly stunned by this Rajput aggression (the extent of which was unprecedented in the preceding three centuries), once again moved against Mewar in 1518-19 but was humbled at Battle of Dholpur. Lodi fought Sanga repeatedly, only to be defeated each time, losing much of his land in present-day Rajasthan, while the boundaries of Sanga's military influence came to extend within striking distance of Agra.

Invasion of Gujarat

Main article: Rajput Invasion of Gujarat

Rana Sanga was insulted by the Governor of Idar and the Rana reacted to this by invading Gujarat and plundering the treasuries of the Gujarat Sultanate.

War Between Sanga and Babur

Main article: Battle of Khanwa

After his initial gains Rana Sanga became recognized within north India as a principal player in the power struggle to rule the northern territories of princely India. His objectives grew in scope – he planned to conquer the much sought after prize of the Muslim rulers of the time, Delhi, and bring the whole of India under his control.

He had crushed Gujarat and conquered Malwa and was now close to Agra. It was at this juncture that he heard that Babur had defeated and slain Ibrahim Lodi and was now master of the Delhi Sultanate.

Rana Sanga decided, in a miscalculation of Babur's strength and determination, to wage a war against the Mughal invader. As a first move, he coerced Afghan fugitive princes like Mehmud Lodi and Hasan Khan Mewati to join him. Then he ordered Babur to leave India. Initially he hoped to attain this by sending his vassal Sardar Silhadi of Raisen as his emissary. Silhadi who went to Babur’s camp was won over by Babur. Babur accepted that to rule North India he may have to engage in battle with Rana Sanga and hence had no desire for retreat. Babur and Silhadi hatched a plot. Silhadi, who held a large contingent of 30,000 men would join Babur’s camp at critical moment of battle and thus defeat Rana Sanga. Silhadi who went back to Chittor, told Rana that war is a must.

The Rajput forces of Rana Sanga, supplemented by the contingents of Hasan Khan Mewati and the Afghan, Mehmud Lodi and Raja Medini Rai of Alwar, met Babur’s army at Khanwa near Fatehpur Sikri in 1527. The battle, which lasted for not more than 10 hours, was bitterly contested and became an exceedingly brutal affair. At a critical moment of battle, the defection of Silhadi and his contingent caused a split in the Rajput forces. Rana Sanga while trying to rebuild his front was wounded and fell unconscious from his horse. The Rajput army thought their leader was dead and fled in disorder, thus allowing the Mughals to win the day.

Rana Sanga was whisked away to safety by the Rathore contingent from Marwar and once he became conscious he learnt of the defeat. But Rana Sanga, unwilling to admit defeat, set out once more to rebuild his military and renew war with Babur. He vowed not to set foot in Chittor till Babur was defeated by him. In 1528, he once more set out to fight Babur at Chanderi to help Medini Rai who was attacked by Babur. On 30th January, 1528, Rana Sanga died in Chittor, apparently poisoned by his own chiefs who held his plans of renewing the fight with Babur to be suicidal It is suggested that had it not been for the cannon of Babur, Rana Sanga might have achieved victory. Pradeep Barua notes that Babur's cannon put an end to outdated trends in Indian warfare.

References

Rana Sanga Sisodia Rajput Clan Born: 12 April 1484 Died: 17 March 1527
Preceded by Rana Raimal	Sisodia Rajput Ruler 1508–1527	Succeeded by Vikramaditya Singh