Durgadas Rathore Rajya Sanghrakshak | |
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![]() Durgadas Rathore and Ajit Singh | |
Born | 13 August 1638 |
Died | 22 November 1718 80) | (aged
Allegiance | ![]() |
Durgadas Rathore (13 August 1638 – 22 November 1718) was the Rathore Rajput General of the Kingdom of Marwar. He is credited with having preserved the rule of the Rathore dynasty over Marwar (present-day Rajasthan), India, following the death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh in the 17th century.
In doing so he had to defy Aurangzeb, a Mughal emperor. He commanded the Rathore forces during the Rajput War (1679–1707) and played a major role in the Rajput Rebellion (1708–1710) and supported the Maratha ruler Sambhaji in the Siege of Janjira aganist the Siddis of Janjira. He was elected as the leader of the revolt along with Raja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. [1] He won a number of victories against the Mughals [2] and forced many Mughal officers to pay tribute to him in the form of chauth. [3]
Durgadas was the son of Askaran Rathore, a Rajput minister of Jaswant Singh, the ruler of Marwar. He was a distant relative of the royal family, being a descendant of Karana, a son of Rao Ranmal. [4]
Jaswant Singh was campaigning in Afghanistan when he died in December 1678, leaving no heir. Aurangzeb took the opportunity to intervene by imposing his direct rule over Marwar. Soon after Jaswant Singh's death two of his ranis (queens) each gave birth to male children. One of these sons died soon after his birth, leaving the other – Ajit Singh – as sole heir. [5]
Aurangzeb ordered the infant, Ajit Singh, to be brought to Delhi where he was kept in Noorgarh under house arrest. Durgadas Rathore and other nobles of Jodhpur made a daring attack on the Mughal contingent of Delhi and rescued Ajit Singh and the widowed ranis of Jaswant Singh. Aurangzeb ordered Tahir Beg and Inder Singh Rathore to capture Durgadas, but they both failed, resulting in a long struggle between Durgadas and Aurangzeb. Fatuhat-i-Alamgiri noted that "all the Rajput households of Marwar had made preparations to challenge the imperial writ". Durgdas thus had the support of the Rajput clans of Marwar. [6]
The infant Ajit Singh was taken to safety in Balunda, where the wife of one of the delegation kept the child for almost a year. Later, he was moved to the safety of the Aravalli Hills near Abu Sirohi, a remote town on the southern fringes of Marwar. There Ajit Singh grew up in anonymity. [7] Rana Raj Singh I also offered refuge to Ajit Singh after which he was hidden in Nandlai, a village in Mewar. [6]
Durgadas, as the leader of the revolt, led his forces against the Mughals and through guerrilla warfare he harassed several outposts and compelled the Mughal officers to pay tribute. [3] Durgadas also instigated both Muazzam and Akbar against their father, Aurangzeb. During the war, Durgadas took care of Aurangzeb's granddaughter, Saif-un-nissa, who was in his custody and later returned her to Aurangzeb. The grateful Mughal Emperor bestowed upon Durgadas high ranks and jagirs of Merta and Dhandhuka, however, according to Mirat-i-Alamgiri, Durgadas continued to plead for Ajit Singh's cause instead of being placated by Aurangzeb. [6] Ajit Singh and Durgadas took advantage of the disturbances following the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 to seize Jodhpur and eventually evict the occupying Mughal force. Ajit Singh was proclaimed Maharaja of Jodhpur. [7]
Durgadas was also one of the leaders of the Rajput Rebellion (1708–1710). In July 1708 he routed Saiyid Hussain Khan Barha at Kaladera and forced him to retreat to Narnaul. Durgadas was also instrumental in securing the Rajput victory at Sambhar. Ajit Singh started becoming jealous of the fame and popularity that Durgadas had acquired. Durgadas also started disliking Ajit for his character. Ajit Singh had murdered Mukund Das, who was a loyal noble of Marwar, and this caused Durgadas to drift away from Ajit. After the battle of Sambhar, Durgadas chose to pitch his camp away from Ajit to show his dissatisfaction. [8]
The victory of Ajit Singh was the culmination of Durgadas and other loyal courtiers who chose to remain loyal throughout the Rathore rebellion, however Durgadas was soon exiled by Ajit Singh and his name was erased from the Marwari chronicles after the Battle of Sambhar, in which Durgadas and Jai Singh II won a notable victory against the Mughals. [1] The Mughals, however, continued to woo Durgadas. The Mughal Emperor offered Durgadas the title of Rao and a rank of 4,000 in the Mughal court and official Mughal records continued to write about him till his death. Durgadas was also invited by the Maharana Amar Singh II of Mewar who gave him the jagirs of Rampura and Vijaypur. [6]
Durgadas left Jodhpur and lived in Mewar for some time and then left to Mahakaal at Ujjain. On 22 November 1718, on the banks of the Shipra at Ujjain, Durgadas died at the age of 81 years, [7]
A soul of honour, he kept the deserted daughter of Akbar free from every stain and provided her with every facility for Islamic religious training in the wilderness of Marwar. Fighting against terrible odds and a host of enemies on every side, with distrust and wavering among his own country-men, he kept the cause of his chieftain triumphant. Mughal gold could not seduce, Mughal arms could not daunt that constant heart. Almost alone among the Rathors he displayed the rare combination of the dash and reckless valour of a Rajput soldier with the tact, diplomacy and organizing power of a Mughal minister of State. No wonder that the Rathor bard should pray that every Rajput mother should have a son like Durgadas. [9]
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The Rathore dynasty or Rathor dynasty was an Indian dynasty belonging to the Rathore clan of Rajputs that has historically ruled over parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
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Described variously as the Rajput war, Rathore war of independence and Rathore rebellion, the conflict between Rajputs of Marwar and the Mughals 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 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 Mewar Rajputs. 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.
The battle of Dharmat was fought during the Mughal war of succession (1658–1659) by Aurangzeb against Jaswant Singh Rathore who was allied with the Mughal prince Dara Shikoh. The battle was fought on the open plain of Dharmat on the hot Summer day of 15 April 1658 in which Aurangzeb won a decisive victory due to advantage in artillery and tactics.
With the return of Durgadas to Marwar in 1686 and with the appearance of Ajit Singh in person to head the resistance, the Rathores gained a number of victories.
Under the able leadership of Durgadas, the Rathors ceaselessly carried on a guerrilla warfare and harassed the Mughal outposts so that the Mughal officers were compelled to pay chauth
On July 15, 1679 AD, Aurangzeb ordered that the infant Ajit Singh and entourage be shifted to Noorgarh, virtually as prisoners. At this Durgadas Rathore and a select band of Marwars warriors including Ranchordas Rathore and Raghunath Bhati took action. These Marwar loyalists contrived the daring rescue of the closely guarded infant Ajit singh and the widowed ranis of Jaswant Singh from imperial hands. Aurangzeb commanded Tahir Beg Khan and Inder Singh to capture the figitive party...both men were unsuccessful in this...thereafter began a long struggle against Emperor Aurangzeb by Durgadas and other loyal supporters...recorded in his contemporaneous Fatuhat-i-Alamgiri that all the Rajput households of Marwar had made preparations to challenge the imperial writ.....Durgadas did not flail in his loyalty. It was for this loyalty, as well as his personal valour and chivalrous deeds that Durgadas was to become part of popular lore during his lifetime....Ajit Singh was brought away from the territory of Sirohi to Nandlai, three miles north-west of Desuri in Mewar. Raj Singh's action enraged Aurangzeb.....Durga Das features in the official records of the Mughal court till c . AD 1716....Emperor Jahandar Shah gave him the title of ' Rao ' , and a mansab of 4,000...Marwar chronicles however do not mention Durgadas after the Rathore victory at Sambhar.
The Saiyid returned to Kaladera where he was again routed by Durgadas. He then fled to Narnaul....After the victory at Sambhar, Durgadas who had played an important part in the encounter...