Ahmad Shah II's invasion of Mewar

Battles between Gujarat and Mewar From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ahmad Shah II's invasion of Mewar was a military conflict between the Kingdom of Mewar and the Islamic Sultanate of Gujarat. This invasion was an attempt to punish the Rana of Mewar Kumbha for defeating the Gujarati forces at Nagaur earlier.^[3] Initially, Gujarat's Sultan Qutub-ud-din Ahmad Shah II besieged Abu and defeated Rao of Sirohi and marched towards Kumbhalgarh. The attack caused by Gujarat was well responded by Mewaris and their Rana who defeated Gujarat's forces at Abu and later defeated the Sultan himself at Kumbhalgarh forcing him to return to Gujarat and to drop the plans to occupy Nagaur.^[4]

Date1443^[1] or 1456^[2]

Location

Mewar (Rajasthan, modern day India)

Result Mewar victory

Territorial
changes Sultanate of Gujarat failed to capture Nagaur, Abu and Kumbhalgarh.

Quick facts Gujarati Invasion of Mewar, Date ...

Gujarati Invasion of Mewar

Date	1443^[1] or 1456^[2]
Location	Mewar (Rajasthan, modern day India)
Result	Mewar victory
Territorial changes	Sultanate of Gujarat failed to capture Nagaur, Abu and Kumbhalgarh.

Belligerents

Kingdom of Mewar

Sultanate of Gujarat

Commanders and leaders

Rana Kumbha

Ahmad Shah II
Rai Ram Chadar
Malik Gadday
Immad-ul-Mulk

Background

The invasion of Timur the Lame has weakened the grip of the Delhi Sultanate over a large number of its subahs. One of them was Nagaur's ruler Firoz Khan who belonged to the family of Kings of Gujarat. He was originally the governor of the same province under the Sultans of Delhi. He had, however, thrown off! his allegiance to Delhi and become independent.^[5]

Firoz died in 1455 which started a succession struggle between his two sons Shams Khan and Mujhaid Khan. Initially, Shams succeeded his father but after a stiff resistance, he faced from his brother forced him to evacuate the throne and flee to Mewar for help which Rana of Mewar Kumbha agreed to give him on the condition that he would destroy the battlements of the fort of Nagaur.^[6] When he failed to fulfill the terms he was banished from Nagaur. He fled towards Gujarat where he gave his daughter as a wife to the Sultan of Gujarat in return the Sultan of Gujarat would wrest Nagaur from Rana Kumbha.^[7]^[8] Initially, Sultan Qutb-ud-Din, or Ahmad Shah II sent a large army under Rai Ram Chandar and Malik Gadday to take back Nagaur. The Maharana allowed the army to approach Nagaur when he came out, and after a severe engagement, inflicted a crushing defeat on the Gujarat army, nearly annihilating it to the last men. Only a few reached Ahmedabad to carry the news of the disaster to the Sultan.^[9]

Invasion of Gujarat

Humiliated by the defeats of his generals at the hands of Rana Kumbha. Sultan thereupon decided to take the field in person. The Maharana advanced to meet him and came to Mount Abu. Sultan too marched as the head of a large host and arrived near Mount Abu. He sent a part of his army to take the fort of Abu under his general Malik Shaaban Imad-ul-Mulk and self-marched against the fortress of Kumbhalgarh.^[10] Rana Kumbha who was aware of this plan came out of the fort and with a great slaughter, defeated Immad-ul-mulk and forced marched towards Kumbhalgarh.^[11] Sultan in the meantime attacked Sirohi who then was paying allegiance to Mewar. Raja of Sirohi came out of his fort and tried to give a battle to the Sultan but he was defeated. However, the Sultan abstained from taking Sirohi and marched to meet Rana Kumbha.^[12] He arrived at the foothill of the Kumbhalgarh fort where Immad-ul-mulk too joined him. Rana Kumbha who had reached before the Sultan, sallied out of the fortress and both sides met each other in the vicinity of Kumbhalgarh where the Sultan sustained heavy losses and returned to Gujarat completely defeated.^[13]^[14]

Aftermath

Sultan of Gujarat Ahmad Shah II who had now been defeated by Kumbha, along with the Sultans of Malwa and Nagaur, decided to make joint efforts against Rana in the treaty of Champaner where it was decided that the southern part of Mewar contiguous to Gujarat was to be attached to Gujarat; and Mewar proper, Ajmer and Ahirwara, to Malwa. Rana on the other side was able to strengthen his position in Rajasthan and Northern Madhya Pradesh by successfully defending and expanding his kingdom on the verge of his neighbouring Sultanates.^[15]^[16]

References

[1]
Mankekar, D.R (1976). Mewar Saga. Vikas Publishing House. pp. Page no 331 " in 1443, the sultan of Gujarat made another attempt to get the better of Kumbha, this time w'ith a two-prolonged operation: he sent one army to Abu under his commander-in-chief Malik Shaaban Imadul-Mulk, while the sultan himself led another against Kumbhalgarh.". ISBN 978-0-7069-0416-1.
[2]
Sarda, Har Bilas (1917). Maharana Kumbha: Sovereign Soldier Scholar. Ajmer, Scottish Mission Industries. pp. Page no- 57 "In S. 1513 (A.D. 1456) Kumbha, aware of this plan, came out, attacked and "defeated Imad-ul-Mulk with great slaughter, " and by forced marches reached Kumbhalgarh before the Sultan arrived there.".
[3]
Sarda, Har Bilas (1917). Maharana Kumbha: sovereign, soldier, scholar. University of California Libraries. Ajmer, Scottish Mission Industries co. pp. Page no - 56 "The Sultan thereupon espoused his cause and sent a large army under Rai Ram Chandar and Malik Gadday to take back Nagor. The Maharana allowed the army to approach Nagor when he came out, and after a severe engagement, inflicted a crushing defeat on the Gujrat army, annihilating it. Only remnants of it reached Ahmedabad, to carry the news of the disaster to the Sultan.".
[4]
Somani, Ram Vallabh (1976). History of Mewar: from earliest times to 1751 A.D. C.L. Ranka, Jaipur. p. 136.
[5]
Sarda, Har Bilas (1917). Maharana Kumbha: sovereign, soldier, scholar. Ajmer, Scottish Mission Industries co. pp. Page no-85 "The same year (A. D. 1455) Feroz Khan, Sultan of Nagor, died.1 He belonged to the family of the kings of Gujrat, and was originally Governor of the province of Nagor, under the Sultans of Delhi. He had, however, thrown of! his allegiance to Delhi and become independent.
[6]
Sarda, Har Bilas (1917). Maharana Kumbha: Sovereign, Soldier, Scholar. Ajmer, Scottish Mission Industries. pp. Page no-53 " On his death his younger son, Shams Khan, succeeded him, but his younger son, Mujahid Khan, deposed him and prepared to take his life. Shams Khan fled to Rana Kumbha for shelter 2and help. Kumbha, who had long designs on Nagor, gladly embraced this opportunity and carrying them out, agreed to place Shams Khan on the throne of Nagor on the condition that he acknowledged Kumbha's supremacy by demolishing part of the battlements of the fort of that place. ".
[7]
Mankekar, D.R (1976). Mewar Saga. Vikas Publishing House. pp. Page no- 31 "Subsequently, when the latter failed to implement the undertaking and even reinforced the fortifications of his fort, Kumbha marched once again to Nagore, drove out Shams Khan and annexed Nagore and confiscated frofn its treasury a large store of precious stones, jewels and other valuables.". ISBN 978-0-7069-0416-1.
[8]
Mankrekar, D.R (1976). Mewar Saga. Vikas Publishing House. pp. Page no-"Shams Khan fled to Ahmedabad and Sultan Kutbuddin of Gujarat, who married the former's daughter, espoused his cause.". ISBN 978-0-7069-0416-1.
[9]
Majumdar, R.C (1967). A History and Culture of Indian People (6th ed.). Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. pp. Page no 385 "The latter now sought help from Sultan Qutb-ud-dln of Gujarat and having offered his daughter in marriage to the Sultan, secured the services of a Gujarat army. Kumbha, however, inflicted a crushing defeat on the enemy and captured Nagaur. The incident is described in a contemporary inscription in the following language: “In complete disregard of the ruler of Gujarat Kumbha captured Nagor".
[10]
Mankekar, D.R (1976). Mewar Saga. Vikas Publishing House. pp. Page no 331 " in 1443, the sultan of Gujarat made another attempt to get the better of Kumbha, this time w'ith a two-prolonged operation: he sent one army to Abu under his commander-in-chief Malik Shaaban Imadul-Mulk, while the sultan himself led another against Kumbhalgarh.". ISBN 978-0-7069-0416-1.
[11]
Sarda, Har Bilas (1917). Maharana Kumbha: Sovereign Soldier Scholar. Ajmer, Scottish Mission Industries. pp. Page no- 57 "In S. 1513 (A.D. 1456) Kumbha, aware of this plan, came out, attacked and "defeated Imad-ul-Mulk with great slaughter, " and by forced marches reached Kumbhalgarh before the Sultan arrived there.".
[12]
Sarda, Har Bilas (1917). Maharana Kumbha: sovereign, soldier, scholar. Ajmer, Scottish Mission Industries co. pp. Page no 57 "Ferishta, however, states (Vol. IV, page 41) that the Raja of Sirohi, who was a relation of the Maharana met the Sultan in battle but was defeated, and that the Sultan then went away towards Kumbhalgarh.".
[13]
Somani, Ram Vallabh (1976). HIstory of Mewar: from Earliest Time to 1751 A.D. C.L. Ranka, Jaipu. pp. Page no -149 "he Sultan at this time came to Know about the defeat of his army sent against Abu, ‘Therefore, he gave orders to call Malik Shaban back, He also detached contingents to lay waste the territory of Godawar and to demolish the temples, When he came near Kumbhalgarh, Maharana Kumbha came out from the fort and attacked the Gujrat army, ‘The Sultan failed to conquer the fort, and was compelled to retreat, ".
[14]
Majumdar, R.C (1967). History and Culture of the Indian People, Volume 06, The Delhi Sultanate. Public Resource. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
[15]
Somani, Ram Vallabh (1976). History of Mewar: from Earlliest time to 1751 A.D. pp. Page no- 137 " As already stated, the Sultans of Malwa and Gujrat, the traditional enemies of Mewar, entered into an offensive alliance against Maharana Kumbha, It was agreed between them that Godawar and the south western Mewar, including Chittor, contiguous to Gujrat, were to be attached to Gujrat, while the central Mewar, Ajmer, Uparamal, Hadoti etc, to Malwa, They now decided to make simultaneous attacks.".
[16]
Sarda, Har Bilas (1917). Maharana Kumbha: sovereign, soldier, scholar. University of California Libraries. Ajmer, Scottish Mission Industries co.

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