Raj Singh I

Raj Singh I (24 September 1629 – 22 October 1680), was the Maharana of Mewar Kingdom (r. 1652–1680) and eldest son of Jagat Singh I by his wife, a princess of Marwar.[1] He fought against Mughal Empire and annexed many Mughal territories[2][3] He later participated in Rajput War (1679–1707) and defeated Mughals.

Raj Singh I
Maharana of Mewar
Raj Singh I
Maharana of Mewar
Reign1652–1680
PredecessorJagat Singh I
SuccessorJai Singh
Born(1629-09-24)24 September 1629
Died22 October 1680(1680-10-22) (aged 51)
IssueJai Singh
Rajadhiraj Bheem Singh (Banera)
Maharaja Bahadur Singh (Bhunas)
Regnal name
Raj Singh I
HouseSisodias of Mewar
FatherJagat Singh I
MotherPrincess of Marwar
ReligionHinduism

Early reign

During the Mughal war of Succession, all the Mughal Princes including Aurangzeb requested him to send contingents in their support but Maharana remained aloof. Raj Singh ignored repeated demands for assistance from Aurangzeb.[3] Instead he embarked on his own expeditions using pretence of a ceremonial "Tikadaur", traditionally taken in enemy land.

War against Mughals

The Maharana swooped down on various Mughal posts in May 1658. Levies were imposed on outposts and tracts like Mandal, Banera, Shahpura, Sawar, Jahazpur, Phulia etc. which were then under Mughal control, and some areas were annexed. He next attacked pargana of Malpura, Tonk, Chaksu, Lalsot and Sambhar. He plundered these areas and triumphantly returned with spoils to Udaipur.[2][3][4]

Raj Singh in 1659 attacked Dungarpur, Banswara and Devaliya who were originally under Mewar rule but later became independent states under Mughal suzerainty. These rulers accepted the suzerainty of Mewar.[4][2] Raj Singh also conducted raids of Malwa and Gujarat territories of Mughals. Prince Bhim Singh captured Idar and plundered the Mughal post's in Vadnagar, Vishalnagar and Ahmadabad.

Raj Singh protested against the Jizya tax levied by Aurangzeb.[5] Raj Singh opposed Aurangzeb multiple times, once to save the Kishangarh princess Charumati from the Mughals[6] and once by denouncing the Jizya tax levied by Aurangzeb. Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had once taunted Aurangzeb by telling him to ask the Rana of Mewar who is the head of the Hindus for Jizya if he had the guts instead of terrorising unarmed citizens [7]

Rajput War (1679–1707)

The Rana gave aid to Durgadas Rathore during the Rajput War (1679–1707) and fought many battles against Aurangzeb as he was a relative of Ajit Singh of Marwar, The conflict was started after the death of Jaswant Singh of Marwar due to Aurangzeb's attempt to interfere in the succession of Marwar. The resistance to Mughal interference was mainly started by the Rajput nobles under Durgadas Rathore and erupted into an all-out war between the Mughal empire and Rajputs of Marwar supported by Rana Raj Singh. It lasted for almost thirty years. The rebellion reached a climax after the death of Aurangzeb on 3 March 1707 and the capture of Jodhpur by the Rathores on 12 March 1707.[8]

Cultural activities

Rana Raj Singh is also known for giving protection to the Hindu priests and the Shrinathji idol of Mathura from Mughals; he placed it in Nathdwara.[4] The Maharana became a great administrator, able military commander and a patron of art, music and architecture during his lifetime.

Rajsamand Lake
Main article: Rajsamand Lake

He also built the famous Rajsamand Lake in 1676 at Kankroli where sea planes use to land prior to India's Independence. He commissioned the text of the Raj Prashasti, which was later inscribed on the pillars around the lake.[9] The lake built by Raj Singh is also known as Rajsamudra.[10]

The lake provided sufficient water to farmers thus increasing productivity and giving relief to famine-stricken areas. It is said that the quick-tempered Raj Singh was suggested to build a large pond or lake as a redress for killing his son, wife, a Brahmin and a Charan.[11]

Death and succession

Rana was eventually poisoned by his own men who were bribed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.[12] He was succeeded by his son Jai Singh.

References
  1. Mathur, Pushpa Rani. Costumes of the Rulers of Mewar: With Patterns and Construction Techniques. p. 23.
  2. Sharma, Gopinath. Rajasthan Ka Itihas. Agra. p. 278. ISBN 978-81-930093-9-0.
  3. Hooja, Rima (1 November 2006). A history of Rajasthan. Rupa & Co. p. 617. ISBN 9788129108906.
  4. Somani, Ram Vallabh (1976). History of Mewar. pp. 281–82.
  5. Somānī, R. (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. University of Michigan: India:Mateshwari Publications. pp. 283–284.
  6. Sharma, Gopi Nath (1954). Mewar & the Mughal rulers (1526-1707 A.D.). S.L. Agarwala. pp. 159–60.
  7. Maharana Raj Singh and His Times By Sri Ram Sharma
  8. John F. Richards. The New Cambridge History of India: The Mughal Empire (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993) p. 181-184
  9. Geetha Sunil Pillai (5 February 2018). "Raj Prashasti - India's longest stone etchings in Rajasthan cry for upkeep | Jaipur News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  10. Somani 1976, p. 295.
  11. Ojhā, Gaurīśaṅkara Hīrācanda (1999). Udayapura Rājya kā itihāsa (in Hindi). Rājasthānī Granthāgāra. ISBN 978-81-86103-19-7.
  12. Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 190. ISBN 978-93-80607-34-4.
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