Raj Singh I

Maharana of Mewar from 1652–1680

Raj Singh I

Maharana of Mewar

Raj Singh I

Maharana of Mewar

Reign

10 April 1652–22 October 1680

Predecessor

Jagat Singh I

Successor

Jai Singh

Born

(1629-09-24)24 September 1629

Died

22 October 1680(1680-10-22) (aged 51)

Spouse

Hadiji Khuman Kanwarji of Bundi

Rathorji Anand Kanwarji of Idar

Parmarji Ramras Kanwarji of Bijolia in Mewar

Chauhanji Jag Kanwarji of Bedla in Mewar

Rathorji Har Kanwarji of Chavand in Mewar

Jhaliji Roop Kanwarji of Lakhtar in Gujarat

Solankiniji Aas Kanwarji of Veerpur Lunawada in Gujarat

Chauhanji Kirat Kanwarji of Kotharia in Mewar

Rathorji Charumat Kanwarji of Kishangarh

Bhatiyaniji Chandra Kanwarji of Jaisalmer

Issue

Jai Singh

Bhim Singh

Bahadur Singh

Gaj Singh

Sardar Singh

Indra Singh

Surat Singh

Surtan Singh

Ajab Kanwarji m.to Maharaja Bhao Singh Ju Devji of Rewa

Regnal name
Raj Singh I

House

Sisodias of Mewar

Father

Jagat Singh I

Mother

Mertaniji Karam Kanwarji d.of Rao Raj Singhji from Merta

Religion

Hinduism

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

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

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.^[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

^ Mathur, Pushpa Rani. Costumes of the Rulers of Mewar: With Patterns and Construction Techniques. p. 23.
^ ^a ^b ^c Sharma, Gopinath. Rajasthan Ka Itihas. Agra. p. 278. ISBN 978-81-930093-9-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hooja, Rima (1 November 2006). A history of Rajasthan. Rupa & Co. p. 617. ISBN 9788129108906. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c Somani, Ram Vallabh (1976). History of Mewar. pp. 281–82.
^ Somānī, R. (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. University of Michigan: India:Mateshwari Publications. pp. 283–284.
^ Sharma, Gopi Nath (1954). Mewar & the Mughal rulers (1526-1707 A.D.). S.L. Agarwala. pp. 159–60. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
^ Maharana Raj Singh and His Times By Sri Ram Sharma
^ John F. Richards. The New Cambridge History of India: The Mughal Empire (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993) p. 181-184
^ 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. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
^ Somani 1976, p. 295.
^ Ojhā, Gaurīśaṅkara Hīrācanda (1999). Udayapura Rājya kā itihāsa (in Hindi). Rājasthānī Granthāgāra. ISBN 978-81-86103-19-7. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
^ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 190. ISBN 978-93-80607-34-4.