Siege of Chittorgarh
Encyclopedia
Siege of Chittor, Siege of Chittorgarh, In October 1567, well equipped Mughal forces of approximately 5000 men led by Akbar surrounded and besieged 8000 Hindu
Rajput
s in Chittorgarh Fort
and within a few months Akbar's ranks expanded to over 50,000 men and possibly more than 60,000 troops during the ending phases of the siege.
The Rajput
began to emerge as a dominant power after the defeat of the Lodi dynasty, the Rajput
s were utterly opposed to the rise of the Mughal Empire
and they often supported Akbars fellow Muslim
rivals including Baz Bahadur
causing much tension in the region. Akbar set out on a series of campaign against the Rajputs, but in the year 1567 he fought many battles including the Battle of Thanesar
, and realized that the Rajput
owned Chittorgarh Fort
must be eliminated mainly because it was used as a bastion for those who opposed him.
Rajput
s and the Mughal Empire
, Akbar began to realize the importance of and utilize the Rajput
blades known as the Kitar alongside the Mughal Talwar
s in battle. Akbar began to believe that War elephant
s were the keys to military success and that that a single "Armored Elephant" was equal to 500 Sowar
s. Akbar also noted that elephants have the ability to move through the densest of forests clearing through woods and paving way for both the Mughal Sepoy
s, Sowar
s and Cannon
s. Akbar personally owned 5000 well trained elephants and recorded the use of almost 40,000 across his Mughal Empire
. Akbar's war elephants were also trained to wrestle other elephants, attack Sowar
s and crumble entire Sepoy
ranks. He is also known to have replaced pairs of elephant tusk
s with a pair of double-curved Tusk Swords. War elephants were also utilized to carry out executions and crush the bodies of all those who fought against the Mughal Emperor.
. On 23 October 1567, Akbar arrived and setup encampments he raised green
flags of the Mughal Empire
, according to Hindu
accounts he also brought large Islam
ic banners and emblems (Islamic flags were commonly used by the Mughal army). The next day Akbar unleashed his powerful cannon
s, but within a few days of the siege it was evident that his mortar
s needed higher elevation. Akbar then ordered his men to build the Mohur Margi (Mohur Hill, also known as: Coin
Hill).
After an arduous siege Akbar ordered his men and augmented them to lift baskets of earth during both day and night, in-order to create a hill right in-front of the fort by which the Mughal Cannon
s could be placed, when the hill was completed Akbar placed his cannon
s and mortar
s near its tip, but cannons were too slow to breach the thick stone walls of Chittorgarh Fort
.
The Mughal Emperor Akbar believed that the only way to achieve victory and break the deadlock was to blow a hole underneath Chittorgarh Fort
. Akbar then organized his sapper
s to dig two tunnels and to plant two separate mines under the heavy stone walls of the fortress of Chittor. More than 5000 Mughals then dug their way through a secret tunnel that neared the gates of Chittorgarh Fort
, but one of the mines exploded prematurely during a military assault killing about a hundred Mughal Sowar
s.
As the siege continued thousands more Mughals had gathered and in this grave situation, Akbar had prayed for help for achieving victory and vowed to visit the tomb of the Sufi Khwaja at Ajmer
if he was victorious. As the bombardment and the continuous assaults on Chittorgarh Fort
continued, during one particular assault it is believed that a shot from Akbar's own Matchlock
wounded or killed the commander of the already demoralized Hindu
Rajput
s. It was only when almost all the Rajput
women including the prominent Rani Padmini, committed Jauhar
(self immolation of women) did Akbar realize that the final assault and total victory was within grasp.
The fortress of Chittor finally fell on February 1568 after a siege of four months when it stormed by the Mughal forces. Akbar himself ordered 2 "armored Elephants" and 250 Sowar
s to enter two narrow breaches on the northern wall of Chittorgarh Fort
. Instead of defending the fort the Rajput
inside the fort ran towards the Mughal forces with their Kitar's and were killed, Akbar then ordered the victorious Mughal forces to massacre of 30,000 inhabitants of Chittorgarh Fort
.
Akbar then ordered the heads of his enemies to be displayed upon towers erected throughout the region, in order to demonstrate his authority.
resistance against the Mughal Empire
began to breakdown many Rajput
commanders surrendered their forts and founded large Jaghir
s under Mughal patronage. The last efforts made by the Rajput
to eliminate the Mughal Emperor Akbar ended in a devastating rout during the Battle of Haldighati
in the year 1576.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s in Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres by road south of Bhilwara...
and within a few months Akbar's ranks expanded to over 50,000 men and possibly more than 60,000 troops during the ending phases of the siege.
The Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
began to emerge as a dominant power after the defeat of the Lodi dynasty, the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s were utterly opposed to the rise of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
and they often supported Akbars fellow Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
rivals including Baz Bahadur
Baz Bahadur
Miyan Bayezid Baz Bahadur was the last sultan of Malwa, who reigned from 1555 to 1562. He succeeded his father, Shuja'at Khan. He is known for his romantic liaison with Roopmati, a singer of Rajput birth....
causing much tension in the region. Akbar set out on a series of campaign against the Rajputs, but in the year 1567 he fought many battles including the Battle of Thanesar
Battle of Thanesar
Battle of Thanesar, was fought during the summer in the year 1567, near Thanesar on the banks of the Sarsawati Ghaggar River in the state of Haryana...
, and realized that the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
owned Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres by road south of Bhilwara...
must be eliminated mainly because it was used as a bastion for those who opposed him.
Technology
Akbar was known in his own time as a military genius. Due to the constant state of war between the HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s and the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, Akbar began to realize the importance of and utilize the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
blades known as the Kitar alongside the Mughal Talwar
Talwar
The talwar is a type of curved sword or sabre from India and modern-day Pakistan...
s in battle. Akbar began to believe that War elephant
War elephant
A war elephant was an elephant trained and guided by humans for combat. Their main use was to charge the enemy, trampling them and breaking their ranks. A division of war elephants is known as elephantry....
s were the keys to military success and that that a single "Armored Elephant" was equal to 500 Sowar
Sowar
Sowar , meaning 'The one who rides' in Persian, was originally a rank during the Mughal period. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-soldier belonging to the cavalry troops of the native armies of British India and the feudal states...
s. Akbar also noted that elephants have the ability to move through the densest of forests clearing through woods and paving way for both the Mughal Sepoy
Sepoy
A sepoy was formerly the designation given to an Indian soldier in the service of a European power. In the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army it remains in use for the rank of private soldier.-Etymology and Historical usage:...
s, Sowar
Sowar
Sowar , meaning 'The one who rides' in Persian, was originally a rank during the Mughal period. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-soldier belonging to the cavalry troops of the native armies of British India and the feudal states...
s and Cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s. Akbar personally owned 5000 well trained elephants and recorded the use of almost 40,000 across his Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
. Akbar's war elephants were also trained to wrestle other elephants, attack Sowar
Sowar
Sowar , meaning 'The one who rides' in Persian, was originally a rank during the Mughal period. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-soldier belonging to the cavalry troops of the native armies of British India and the feudal states...
s and crumble entire Sepoy
Sepoy
A sepoy was formerly the designation given to an Indian soldier in the service of a European power. In the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army it remains in use for the rank of private soldier.-Etymology and Historical usage:...
ranks. He is also known to have replaced pairs of elephant tusk
Tusk
Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth, usually but not always in pairs, that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canines, as with warthogs, wild boar, and walruses, or, in the case of elephants and narwhals, elongated incisors...
s with a pair of double-curved Tusk Swords. War elephants were also utilized to carry out executions and crush the bodies of all those who fought against the Mughal Emperor.
The Siege
The Siege of Chittorgarh began when Akbar and his personal elite Mughal force of 5,000 surrounded a 6mile territory around Chittorgarh FortChittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres by road south of Bhilwara...
. On 23 October 1567, Akbar arrived and setup encampments he raised green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
flags of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, according to Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
accounts he also brought large Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic banners and emblems (Islamic flags were commonly used by the Mughal army). The next day Akbar unleashed his powerful cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s, but within a few days of the siege it was evident that his mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
s needed higher elevation. Akbar then ordered his men to build the Mohur Margi (Mohur Hill, also known as: Coin
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
Hill).
After an arduous siege Akbar ordered his men and augmented them to lift baskets of earth during both day and night, in-order to create a hill right in-front of the fort by which the Mughal Cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s could be placed, when the hill was completed Akbar placed his cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s and mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
s near its tip, but cannons were too slow to breach the thick stone walls of Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres by road south of Bhilwara...
.
The Mughal Emperor Akbar believed that the only way to achieve victory and break the deadlock was to blow a hole underneath Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres by road south of Bhilwara...
. Akbar then organized his sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
s to dig two tunnels and to plant two separate mines under the heavy stone walls of the fortress of Chittor. More than 5000 Mughals then dug their way through a secret tunnel that neared the gates of Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres by road south of Bhilwara...
, but one of the mines exploded prematurely during a military assault killing about a hundred Mughal Sowar
Sowar
Sowar , meaning 'The one who rides' in Persian, was originally a rank during the Mughal period. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-soldier belonging to the cavalry troops of the native armies of British India and the feudal states...
s.
As the siege continued thousands more Mughals had gathered and in this grave situation, Akbar had prayed for help for achieving victory and vowed to visit the tomb of the Sufi Khwaja at Ajmer
Ajmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
if he was victorious. As the bombardment and the continuous assaults on Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres by road south of Bhilwara...
continued, during one particular assault it is believed that a shot from Akbar's own Matchlock
Matchlock
The matchlock was the first mechanism, or "lock" invented to facilitate the firing of a hand-held firearm. This design removed the need to lower by hand a lit match into the weapon's flash pan and made it possible to have both hands free to keep a firm grip on the weapon at the moment of firing,...
wounded or killed the commander of the already demoralized Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s. It was only when almost all the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
women including the prominent Rani Padmini, committed Jauhar
Jauhar
Jauhar and Saka refer to the ancient Indian tradition of honorary self immolation of women and subsequent march of men to the battle field to end their life with respect. It was followed by the Rajput clans in order to avoid capture and dishonour at the hands of their enemies...
(self immolation of women) did Akbar realize that the final assault and total victory was within grasp.
The Sack of Chittorgarh
Sowar
Sowar , meaning 'The one who rides' in Persian, was originally a rank during the Mughal period. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-soldier belonging to the cavalry troops of the native armies of British India and the feudal states...
s to enter two narrow breaches on the northern wall of Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres by road south of Bhilwara...
. Instead of defending the fort the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
inside the fort ran towards the Mughal forces with their Kitar's and were killed, Akbar then ordered the victorious Mughal forces to massacre of 30,000 inhabitants of Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres by road south of Bhilwara...
.
Akbar then ordered the heads of his enemies to be displayed upon towers erected throughout the region, in order to demonstrate his authority.
Aftermath
The RajputRajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
resistance against the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
began to breakdown many Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
commanders surrendered their forts and founded large Jaghir
Jaghir
A jaghir was a governance bestowed on Indian regional governors by their emperors. The jaghir composed of a smaller district within the empire, and was managed by the regional governor, or Jaghirdar....
s under Mughal patronage. The last efforts made by the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
to eliminate the Mughal Emperor Akbar ended in a devastating rout during the Battle of Haldighati
Battle of Haldighati
The Battle of Haldighati was fought between the Mughal Empire and the forces of Rajput kingdom Mewar on 18 June 1576 at Haldighati Pass which lies 44 km north of Udaipur in Rajasthan, India....
in the year 1576.