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Twilight of the Sultanate c15.s2: Ibrāhīm and Rana Sāngā

Twilight of the Sultanate c15.s2

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Ibrāhīm and Rana Sāngā

c15.s2.1

We have already referred to the strength and influence of Rana Sāngā of Mewar in an earlier context. Supreme as he was in the whole of Rajasthan, Sāngā had also extended his influence in the decaying State of Malwa by taking up the cause of Medinī Rai. But the Lodīs had also been casting longing looks on the territories of this neighbouring State. They had already occupied Chanderi and Narwar and had missed the acquisition of Ranthambhor by a narrow margin. Thus both the Lodīs and the Sisodiyās had their eyes on Malwa and a conflict between them was inevitable.

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Ibrāhīm had inherited the animosity of Rana Sāngā from his father Sikandar Lodī. To do away with the dominance of Medinī Rai in Malwa, its ruler Mahmūd Khaljī II had sought help from the king of Gujarat and his nobles Behjat Khan and Muhāfiz Khan from Sikandar Lodī of Delhi to fight the forces of Sangrām Singh whom Medinī Rai had invited to come to his rescue. In the end the king of Gujarat was defeated, the forces of Delhi were compelled to retire, and Medinī Raī was reinstated.⁷⁹ That is how conflict between Mewar and Delhi had started. After the death of Sikandar Lodī the Sultanate was faced with a serious civil war between Ibrāhīm and his brother Jalāluddīn. Rana Sāngā could not fail to take advantage of the situation and started his encroachments upon the territory of the Sultanate.⁸⁰ Ibrāhīm immediately marched against the Raja, fought a hotly contested engagement at Khatoli near Gwalior,⁸¹ but had to beat a retreat. The Rajputs had scored a victory and had captured Ghayāsuddīn, a prince of the Lodī royal family, but Rana Sāngā had been crippled in this engagement. He had lost his left arm by a sword cut and an arrow had made him lame for life.

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⁷⁹ Ferishta, II, 263-65; T.A., III, 383-395.

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⁸⁰ Har Bilās Sārdā, *Rana Sāngā*, 56.

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⁸¹ Khatoli was included in the Sarkar of Gwalior in the time of Akbar. *Aīn.*, II, 187. For details of the war see Ojha, *Rajputānā Kā Itihās*, II, 663 and Sārdā, *op. cit.*, 56.

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The Rana was in a rage after this battle. Ibrāhīm was also keen on getting back the Lodī prince who, it was reported, had been set up by the Rana as a rival candidate for the Delhi throne.⁸² So the next year (1518-19), the Sultan renewed hostilities against Sangrām Singh. Miān Mākhan, Husain Khan, Miān M'ārūf and Husain Khan Farmūlī were sent at the head of a mighty force towards Rajputana.⁸³ Near Dholpur the Rana's army was contacted. From the very beginning the Rajputs had the upper hand in many stray battles. The Lodī officers were not united in opinion and action. Miān Mākhan was comparatively young, and Husain and M'ārūf had felt aggrieved at their supersession.⁸⁴ The climax was reached when Miān Husain Farmūlī, fearing arrest at the hands of Miān Mākhan, deserted to the side of the Rana.⁸⁵ This defection made the Rana's task easy and he inflicted a crushing defeat on the royal forces. According to 'Abdulla, Miān Husain even led the Rana's forces in pursuing Miān Mākhan as far as Bayana.⁸⁶ On learning of this disaster, Ibrāhīm started for the scene of action.⁸⁷ The presence of the Sultan in the camp raised the morale of his men and also encouraged Miān Husain to rejoin him. His decision was also the direct result of the slights he had experienced at the Rāna's court.⁸⁸ A few indecisive battles between the rival forces, put a stop to the war. This finds corroboration in Tod who gives Barkole and Gattoli as the sites of the battles. He adds that after the last battle Bayana became the northern boundary of Mewar, which had Sinde river to the east and touched Malwa on the south.⁸⁹ When after some time the Sultan ordered the murder of Chanderi's governor, Miān Husain Farmūli, the Rana occupied this southernmost outpost of the Lodī Kingdom also.⁹⁰

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⁸² W.M., 63 (a).

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⁸³ Ojha, *op. cit.*, II, 663-64.

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⁸⁴ T.D., 116.

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⁸⁵ W.M., 59 (a).

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⁸⁶ T.S.A., 82-3; W.M., 61 (a), 65 (a). In the narrative of this campaign all the chroniclers are incoherent and confused. Also E and D, V, 20 n.

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⁸⁷ T.D., 118; Tod., *op. cit*, II, 349-50.

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⁸⁸ Rizqulla relates many incidents of Miān Husain's slights. One such is that once many Hindu and Muslim officers were sitting in the Rana's camp. Ghyāsuddīn, the Sultan's brother who had deserted, was also there. Presently the exultant cry of "Ram, Ram" arose from the side of the Hindus and the Muslims also joined in the refrain. It greatly hurt Miān Husain's feelings as a Muslim. W.M., 63 (a). Another is that one day Miān Husain sent a message to the Rana through Miān Tah expressing a wish to see him. Tah saw many people including Ghayāsuddīn busy conversing in Rana Sāngā's tent, but he was told that the time was not suitable and that the Rana had retired for rest. At this Husain felt greatly humiliated. W.M., 63 (b).

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⁸⁹ Tod, II, 349; W.M., 61 (b).

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⁹⁰ B.N. (B), II, 593; W.M., 64 (a). Also Ojha, II, 666 and Erskine, *Babur and Humayun*, I, 480.

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Sultan Ibrāhīm lost in this war both materially and in reputation. Colonel Tod credits Rana Sāngā with winning eighteen pitched battles against the kings of Delhi and Malwa. The battles mentioned above were a few of these, and they undoubtedly affected the Sultan's position and prestige. Internally too his government was weakened by his constant friction with the nobles.

Cites (1)