List of Ranas of Mewar

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House of Mewar
Sisodia
Coat of arms of Udaipur State.png
Parent house Guhila dynasty
Country Kingdom of Mewar
Founded1325 - 1326
Founder Hammir Singh
Current head Mahendra Singh Mewar/Arvind Singh Mewar(head is disputed)
Final ruler Bhagwant Singh of Mewar(titular)
Style(s) Maharana , Rana
Cadet branches

The Sisodia clan of Mewar, also called the "House of Mewar", is a Rajput clan that ruled the Kingdom of Mewar, later called the Udaipur State under the British Raj. [1] The dynasty traces its ancestry back to Rahapa, a son of the Guhila king Ranasimha. Hammir Singh, a scion of this branch family of the Guhilas, re-established the Kingdom of Mewar after defeating the Tughluq sultans of Delhi. [2] [3]

Contents

Map of the Mewar Region Map rajasthan mewar.png
Map of the Mewar Region

List of Maharanas

PictureName of MaharanaReignNotes
Hammir Singh 1326–1364He attacked Khiljis in 1326 and re-took Chittor from them which the family has lost to Khijis in 1303. Defeated Muhammad-bin-Tughluq in Singoli taking the sultan himself a prisoner of war.

Captured Ajmer, Ranthambor, Nagaur and Sopor. [4]

Kshetra Singh 1364–1382Hammir's son, He increased the Mewar control over Madalgarh and Bundi and completely annexed Ajmer.

He also defeated Amin Shah of Malwa at the Battle of Bakrole and inflicted heavy casualties. He passed away in 1405 after reasserting the control of Mewar on a very large area. [5]

Lakha Singh 1382–1421Khsetra's son, though he suffered multiple initial setbacks against Zafar Khan of Gujarat, he quickly regrouped and re established full control over all the territories.

He rebuilt temples and shrines which had been destroyed by Allaudin Khilji. [6]

Rana Mokal Singh.jpg Mokal Singh 1421-1433Lakha's son - he defeated the Sultan of Nagaur, Gujarat. Later the Sultan of Gujarat invaded Mewar and during this invasion, he was assassinated allegedly by his uncles. [7]
Kumbha of Mewar.jpg Rana Kumbha 1433–1468Mokal's son, his first important achievement was attacking and killing his father's assassins. His further accomplishments included absolute defeat of the Sultans of Nagaur, Gujarat and Malwa. Under his able leadership, Mewar became the strongest kingdom in North India. He built multiple strong forts in Mewar. [8]
Udai Singh I 1468–1473Kumbha' son, he is infamous for having assassinated his own father.

His treachery did not last long and he was defeated by his brother in just five years. [9]

Rana Raimal 1473–1508Son of Kumbha, following the moral of the Bhagvad Geeta, he re-established Dharma - righteousness and showed that every Adharmi (non righteous person) - even if he was a brother - deserved the strictest of punishments. He defeated and killed his brother who had assassinated one of the most noble of Ranas - Rana Kumbha. He retained control over Mewar despite many attempts by the Sultan of Malwa. [10] [11]
Depiction of king Rana Sanga.jpg Rana Sanga 1508–1527Raimal's son, true to his name Rana Sangram Singh - shortened to Rana Sanga carried forth his father's legacy and once again summarily defeating the Sultan of Gujarat, Malwa and Delhi.

Under his rule, Mewar reached its pinnacle in power and prosperity. After a long term of over 25 years, he was accidentally struck in the eye during Babur's invasion and eventually lost when his army thought he had been killed. [12] [13]

Ratan Singh II 1528–1531Sanga's son, defeated and killed by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. [14]
Vikramaditya Singh 1531–1536Sanga's son, assassinated by his cousin Vanvir Singh. [15]
Vanvir Singh 1536–1540Usurper of the throne, defeated and expelled by his cousin Udai Singh II. [16]
Rana-udai-singh-ii.jpg Udai Singh II 1540–1572Sanga's son, Defeated Vanvir.

Fought against Mughals and was defeated in Siege of Chittorgarh. [17] [18]

RajaRaviVarma MaharanaPratap.jpg Maharana Pratap 1572–1597Udai's son, Notable for his military resistance against the Mughals. [19]
Raja Ravi Varma, Maharana Amar Singh - I.jpg Amar Singh I 1597–1620Pratap's son, Notable for his struggle against Mughals and eventual treaty with the Mughals in 1615. [20]
Karan Singh.jpg Karan Singh II 1620–1628Amar's son, Maintained good relations with Mughals, Built Temples, forts and strengthened existing ones. [21]
Jagat Singh I.jpg Jagat Singh I 1628–1652Karan's son, Attempted to restore fort of Chittor but Shah Jahan blocked his attempt.
Painting of Maharana Raj Singh - I (1652 - 80).jpg Raj Singh I 1652–1680Jagat's son, Fought against Mughals many times. Regained territory and increased the wealth of the kingdom.

Fought against Aurangzeb. Eventually poisoned by Aurangzeb's loyalists. [22] [23] [24]

Raja Ravi Varma, Maharana Jai Singh.jpg Jai Singh 1680–1698Raj's son, Struggled to regain captured parts of Mewar from Mughals. [25]
Maharana Amar Singh II.jpg Amar Singh II 1698–1710Jai's son, Invaded neighboring territories, Formed an alliance against the Mughals with Jaipur and Marwar.

Capitalized over a weak Mughal empire. [26]

Maharana Sangram Singh Riding a Prize Stallion.jpg Sangram Singh II 1710–1734Amar's son, Defeated Ranabaaz Khan at the Battle of Bandanwara.

Reestablished relations with a weak Mughal Emperor.

Maharana Jagat Singh II.jpg Jagat Singh II 1734–1751Sangram's son, started paying chauth to the Marathas.

Heavily invested in placing Sawai Madho Singh on the throne of Jaipur, eventually bankrupting Mewar.

Brooklyn Museum - Maharaja Pratap Singh II of Mewar Hunting Boar.jpg Pratap Singh II 1751–1754
Equestrian portrait of Maharana Raj Singh II.jpg Raj Singh II 1754–1762Pratap's son, Paid heavy tribute to Maratha's, financially devastating Mewar.
Mewar Maharana Ari Singh.jpg Ari Singh II 1762–1772Raj's son - Under him, Maratha's raided Mewar multiple times for not paying tribute.
Hamir Singh II 1772–1778Ari's son, Underaged when became Rana and died.
Bhim Singh of Mewar.jpg Bhim Singh 1778–1828Hamir's brother, Under him, Mewar was repeatedly raided by Pindaris, Marwar and Jaipur fought for his daughter Krishna Kumari.

Accepted sub ordinance of East India Company.

Maharana Jawan Singh.jpg Jawan Singh 1828–1838Bhim's son, Abused alcohol, not interested in ruling Mewar. Mewar racked up a lot of debt under his rule.
Sardar Singh 1838–1842
Portrait of Sarup Singh with attendants (after William Carpenter). Udaipur, 1851, City Palace Museum, Udaipur. (cropped).jpg Swarup Singh 1842-1861Ruler during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
Maharana Shambhu Singh throwing a javelin, By Tara, Mewar 1866.jpg Shambhu Singh 1861–1874Focused on education and social reforms.
Maharana Sajjan Singh.jpg Sajjan Singh 1874–1884
Maharana Fateh Singh of Udaipur.jpg Fateh Singh 1884–1930
Maharana Bhupal Singh.jpg Bhupal Singh 1930–1948Signed the Instrument of Accession to India, dissolving his kingdom into the Dominion of India.
Titular Maharanas
Bhupal Singh 1948–1955
Maharana of Udaipur Bhagwat Singh at Lake Palace on Lake Pichola in India.jpg Bhagwat Singh 1955–1984Lost the Privy Purse in 1971, and was derecognised under the 26th Amendment of the Constitution of India.
MS-Mewar.jpg Mahendra Singh (titular monarch without official recognition)1984–present

See also

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References

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Bibliography