New Delhi: In medieval India, the Rajputs were one of the strongest forces on the subcontinent. They were known for their valour and courage on the battlefield and their determination to uphold the codes of honour. In the annals of the Rajput rulers and warriors, the name Maharana Hammir Singh stands out for wresting present-day Rajasthan from the control of the Delhi Sultanate. He ruled over Mewar in the 14th century. Also, he defeated the Tughlaq dynasty and was the first of the Ranas to become Mewar’s king with the title of Maharana. He founded the Sisodia clan, which produced every subsequent Maharana of Mewar.
Maharana Hammir Singh and his ascension to power
Born to Ari Singh and Urmila, Hammir Singh was their only child and during his youth, Alauddin Khilji invaded Chittorgarh. The Rana of Chittorgarh, Lakshman Singh died along with his sons while fighting the invading army. It ended the ruling Rawal dynasty of Chittorgarh and Ajay Singh, Lakshman’s surviving son, was transferred out of Chittorgarh to preserve the bloodline. He reached Kelwara and contacted Hammir who defeated Munja Balecha of Godwar and impressed his uncle who chose him as his successor.
Hammir, after becoming the Rana of Sisoda, aimed to recover Chittor, but failed repeatedly. After tasting setbacks repeatedly, Hammir stopped the attacks and went on a pilgrimage to Dwarka. On the way, he met a mystic Charan lady Aai Birwadi who listened to Hammir’s tales of setbacks and promised her son Baruji Charan and his clan would join him in Mewar. Baruji, a rich horse dealer, indeed came with a large caravan of 500 horses and together, they launched an attack and gained Chittorgarh after Muhammad bin Tughlaq became the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.
Hammir evicted the Delhi Sultanate’s vassal from Mewar and later defeated Tughlaq in the Battle of Singoli. After the battle, he kept the Sultan as his captive but released him six months later after gaining Ranthambore, Ajmer and other regions as ransom along with 5 million rupees and 100 elephants from the Delhi Sultanate. Possibly, Tughlaq did not try to invade the region that comprises Rajasthan again, and the authority of Hammir made Mewar free from the Delhi Sultanate. Also, the Maharana reportedly repelled several Turkic invasions.
Maharana Hammir Singh evicted the Delhi Sultanate’s vassal from Mewar and later defeated Tughlaq in the Battle of Singoli. After the battle, he imprisoned the Sultan. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
