Twilight of the Sultanate c8.s4.26

c8.s4.26

Rajasthan had the misfortune of being flanked by Malwa on the south-east and Gujarat on the south-west, and it was Hindu. Therefore, it was hard-pressed by both its neighbours during the first half of the fifteenth century. Gujarat was becoming the champion of Islam in the west, and many principalities of Rajputana, including Mewar, had many times to purchase peace from Gujarat. But Rajputana too was stirred by the spirit of revival on the decline of the Sultanate of Delhi. The leader of this revivalist urge was the Guhila principality of Mewar, with capital at Chittor. Early in the fourteenth century 'Alāuddīn Khaljī had attacked and occupied Chittor, but Hammīr, Rana of Sesoda who reoccupied it in 1321, soon became master of the whole of Mewar and assumed the title of Mahārānā.¹⁰⁷ Hammīr died full of years in 1364 "leaving a name still honoured in Mewar as one of the wisest and most gallant of her princes", but his death was followed by years of family feuds and political assassinations. At last in A.D. 1433 ascended to the throne Rana Kumbha, one of the most famous rulers of Rajasthan. He was a great warrior, a poet, musician, man of letters and a mighty builder to whom Mewar owes some of her finest monuments. He won many victories against neighbouring Rajput princes. He also held his own against the war-like rulers of Malwa and Gujarat. In 1455 he defeated the Malwa king and to commemorate his victory he erected at Chittor the famous *Jayasthambha* (Tower of Victory) also known as *Kīrtistambha* (Tower of Fame).¹⁰⁸ Out of the eighty-four fortresses built for the defence of Mewar, thirty-two were erected by Rana Kumbha. Kumbhalgarh, the fort so called after him, is a stupendous work. Curiously enough he was murdered by his son Udaya in the same year in which his arch-enemy Mahmūd Khaljī of Malwa died, 1469. This heinous crime disqualified Udaya Karan in the eyes of the nobles who acknowledged his younger brother Rai Mal as the ruler of Mewar. Rai Mal was a warlike prince and constantly harried the frontiers of Malwa now ruled by the slothful Ghayāsuddīn. But his reign was disturbed by the far-famed feuds of his three knightly sons—Sangrām Singh, Prithvirāj and Jai Mal. At length on Rai Mal's death his eldest son Sangrām Singh succeeded to the throne in 1509.