Rao Surjan Singh

Rao Surjan Singh
Ruler of Bundi
Reign	1554–1584
Predecessor	Rao Surtan Singh
Successor	Rao Bhoj Singh
Born	1518 (1518)
Died	1585 (aged 66–67)
Spouse	Guhilotji (Ahadiji) Kanak Deiji of Banswara Rathorji (Champawatji) Badan Deiji of Ransigaon in Marwar Solankiniji Chaman Deiji
Issue	Durjan Sal (Duda) Bhoj Raj Rai Mal Pyar Deiji (married to Chandrasen Rathore of Marwar) Madan Deiji (marriage not known) Lal Deiji (marriage not known)
Names Rao Raja Surjan Singh Hada
House	Hada Chauhan
Father	Rao Arjun Singh
Mother	Guhilotji Jaiwat Deiji d.of Dasji Guhil
Military career
Allegiance	Kingdom of Mewar Mughal Empire
Branch	Army of Mewar Mughal army
Rank	Rao Mansabdar
Battles / wars	Battle of Ajmer (1556) Capture of Siswali Capture of Baraud Siege of Ranthambore (1568)

Rao Surjan Singh Hada was the Hada Chauhan Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Bundi, today in Rajasthan, India. He was crowned in the year 1554 by the Kingdom of Mewar after ousting his cousin, Rao Surtan Singh. ^[1]

Reign

Service under Mewar

Surjan Singh was the governor of Ranthambore under the suzerainty of the Kingdom of Mewar until 1568. ^[2] He recalled all the nobles of his state who left Bundi during the reign of Rao Surtan and raised a sufficient army to reclaim his lost territories, but soon he was called upon by Maharana Udai Singh II in Ajmer for military service and assistance against Haji Khan Pathan (possibly a Suri general). The Rajput army inflicted a defeat on the Afghan forces under Haji Khan Pathan. Then the Rao of Bundi turned his attention towards the lost territories and recaptured the Parganas of Siswali and Baraud from Kheechli Chauhan. ^[3]

Siege of Ranthambore

Main article: Siege of Ranthambore (1568)

After the siege of Ranthambore (1568), the Mughal emperor, Akbar accompanied by Man Singh I met with Surjan Singh for negotiations. The Rao demanded for some main conditions in the treaty between the Bundi Kingdom and Mughal Empire; Bundi would be exempted from paying Jizya tax; there would not be any matrimonial alliances between the two states; the Rao should not be sent on service beyond Attock. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

Succession

His son Duda Singh, allied with Maharana Pratap, was defeated by the Mughals after which he retreated or died and Surjan Singh's another son, Bhoj Singh ascended the throne of Bundi. ^[7]

References

1. Imperial Gazetteer of India, v.9, p.80
2. Imperial Gazetteer of India, v.9, p.80
3. Mathur, R. S. (1906). Relations Of Hadas With Mughal Emperors. Delhi, Deputy Publications. pp. 41/47.
4. The Cambridge Shorter History of India. CUP Archive. p. 351.
5. Sharma, Dr. Mathuralal (2025). HISTORY OF KOTA STATE (VOLUME-1). SGSH Publications. p. 57. ISBN   9789366314402.
6. Rao Surjan's conditions in front of Akbar
7. Akbarnama by Abu'l Fazl "One of the occurrences was the sending of an army to punish Daudā,* the son of Rai Sarjan, the ruler of Ranthambore. That evil-disposed one went off without leave to his native country of Būndī, and opened the hand of oppression."