Rathore dynasty House of Marwar | |
---|---|
Parent house | Gahadavala dynasty |
Country | Jodhpur State |
Founded | 1226 |
Founder | Rao Siha |
Current head | Gaj Singh |
Final ruler | Hanwant Singh |
Titles | Raja of Marwar Raja of Jodhpur |
The Rathore or Rathor is an Indian Rajput dynasty belonging to the clan that has historically ruled over parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. [1] [2] [3] [lower-alpha 1]
Jodha, Vadhel, Jaitawat, Kumpawat, Champawat, Mertiya, Bikawat, Udawat, Karamsot etc. are the branches or subclans of Rathore Rajputs. [5]
This article discusses the "Kanaujiya" Rathores of Marwar and lineages, thereof; Norman Ziegler had noted of 12 other similar branches ("shakhas") of Rathores — Sur, Shir, Kapaliya, Kherada, Abhepura, Jevamt, Vagula, Karaha, Parakra, Ahrao, Jalkheda, and Camdel. [6] Scholarship about those branches are scarce to non-existent. [6]
A section of historians argue for a Rashtrakuta origin. [7] [8] Branches of Rashtrakutas had migrated to Western Rajasthan as early as late tenth century; multiple inscriptions of "Rathauras" have been located in and around Marwar dating from tenth to thirteenth century; the Rathores may have emerged from one of the Rashtrakuta branches. [7]
Muhnot Nainsi, employed by the Rathores of Marwar, chronicled Nainsi ri Khyat, a bardic genealogical history of the Rajputs in western Rajasthan c. 1660; one of the oldest extant historical records of the region, the Khyata collated information from existing oral literature, genealogies and administrative sources in a chronological fashion. [4] [ page needed ] [7] [9] [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] Nainsi had noted of the Rathores to have originated from Kannauj before migrating to Marwar. [4]
These bardic claims of descent have been since deemed to be largely ahistorical by Ziegler. [7] [lower-alpha 4] Ziegler notes the theme of migrations to be common across Rajput genealogies; a construct, borrowed from literary cannon of other regions. [7] Later genealogies of Rathores went as far as to derive origin from Gods of the Hindu pantheon — Indra, Narayana et al. [4] [lower-alpha 5]
The first Rathore chieftain was Siho Setramot, grandson of the last Gahadavala king Jayachandra. [4] [lower-alpha 6] Setramot abdicated the throne of Kanauj to become an ascetic but got embroiled in a royal rivalry and eventually married the daughter of a Gujarati ruler, who birthed him three sons. [4] [7] Asthan, the eldest, was raised at Paltan after Siho's death (at Kanauj) and he went on to establish the first Rathore polity in Pali (and few adjoining villages), after winning over the local Brahmins by defeating an oppressive king named Kanha Mer. [4] Other contemporary sources claim the same descent and construct slightly variable narratives about migration from Kanauj: Setramot fled the Ghurid Sultanate to Marwar and established the first Rathore polity. [8] [7] [11] The Bithoor inscription provides the date of Siho's death in 1273 CE and calls him the son of Set Kunwar; however, it does not claim any Gaharwal origin. [lower-alpha 7]
Under Asthan's regime, and that of his successor-rulers, the Rathore territories significantly expanded courtesy confrontations and diplomatic negotiations with other pastoral groups; the primary base shifted multiple times. [4] [lower-alpha 8] Marital alliances with any warrior-group operating out of Thar were especially favored and they were welcome to be inducted in the Rathore fold. [4] [lower-alpha 9] Multiple new Rathore branches seem to have split out in these spans. [10] [lower-alpha 10]
The precise accuracy of events which allegedly occurred across these spans is questionable and may not be relied upon except for a generic reconstruction.
Chunda, who was ninth in descent from Asthan, married a Pratihara princess and was gifted the territory of Mandore as a dowry by the Pratihara clan. In return Chunda promised to defend Mandore against the Tughlaq Empire. [12] Mandore thus became the new capital of the Rathore clan, c. 1400. [4] [ page needed ] This prompted a significant sociopolitical shift: the hitherto nomadic lifestyle frequented with cattle raids etc. would gradually give way to landed aristocracy. [4] [lower-alpha 11] His son Ranmal was assassinated in 1438; Marwar was annexed by Sisodias whilst other parts were captured by Delhi Sultanate. [4] [lower-alpha 12]
In 1453, Rao Jodha regained Marwar, and expanded his territories by entering into multiple alliances with fellow Rajputs; the Jodha line was established with his consecration of a new capital at Jodhpur. Rao Jodha was successful in annexing several territories from the Delhi Sultanate, due to which the Rathores of Marwar became the most powerful kingdom in Rajputana during his reign. [13] Among his sons, Rao Bika found a new state in Bikaner in 1465; he and his successors would go on to expand territories therefrom, adopting similar tactics. [4] This Bikawat branch became the new bearer of Rathore legacy, even bringing Gahdavala-time emblems and heirlooms from Marwar. [4] Another of Jodha's sons Rao Varsingh found a new state at Merto in 1462, establishing the Mertiyo branch. [4] [14]
Rao Maldeo's regime (1532-1562) harbored another significant shift from clannish rule to monarchy; Malde forced his distant relatives, who conquered new territories, to submit to him or else be deprived of gains. [4] Bikaner was raided, too. [4] Large palaces were constructed and fortifications were committed to, in what signaled the effective end of pastoral lifestyle. [4] By mid-sixteenth century, the Rathors had a firm hold over entire Rajasthan. [4]
All these while, multiple matrimonial and military alliances with local Islamic kingdoms; the Delhi Sultanate have been noted; Hindu-Muslim relations were largely fraternal. [6] [lower-alpha 13]
The situations deteriorated once Akbar was ordained as the Mughal Emperor, and rao Maldeo died. His son rao Chandrasen Rathore defended his kingdom for nearly two decades against relentless attacks from the Mughal Empire. [4] The Jodhawat Rathores lost much of their territory rapidly and were effectively subsumed. [4] The Bikawat Rathores entered into friendly relations with the Mughals, led their armies, and were extensively patronaged to the extent of being allowed to control the Jodhpur Fort. [4] In 1583, Uday Singh finally accepted Mughal suzerainty and in return, was granted part of a Pargana in Jodhpur; this would enable the Jodhawat Rathores to become all-weather allies of the Mughals though punctuated with discords. [4]
This span of cohabitation led to the introduction of strict endogamy into Rathore folds and hypergamy with Mughals. [4] It was also under the Mughals, that bardic genealogies were crafted to present themselves as worthy appointees of the Mughals and distinguish themselves from other "once-fraternal" communities, thereby staking a claim to power irrespective of temporal situations. [4] [7] [9] Also, by this time, the nomadic memories were better suppressed and the Rathores had themselves rebranded as the elite "protectors" of local cattle-rearers; in a couple of centuries, figures from early Rathore polity would be deified. [4]
Many scions of the Rathore clan were able to establish their own kingdoms during the Mughal reign. Barbara Ramusack notes how a 23-year-old Ratan Singh Rathore, who was from a younger branch of the Jodhpur ruling family, was able to rise in rank by fighting against a mad elephant in Delhi. Shah Jahan was so impressed by his valour that he enlisted Ratan Singh in his army. Ratan Singh was able to rise to a rank of 3,000, received the Mahi-Maratib and Jagirs in Malwa, where he founded his own kingdom in Ratlam. The dynasty started by Ratan Singh would further breakaway and form the kingdoms of Sailana and Sitamau. [15]
During Aurangzeb's reign major rebellions would break out resulting in a 30 year war between the Mughals and the Rathores. The rebellion would continue until Bahadur Shah I's reign. Durgadas Rathore played an instrumental role in protecting the Rathore dynasty of Jodhpur during this war. [16] [17]
The Rathore ruler of Jodhpur Man Singh, initially refused to form treaties with the British. However in 1805-1806 he approached the British for military advice and paid the British to protect his state against the predatory actions of the Marathas and Pindaris. By 1816 the British changed this treaty and expelled all foreign influence in Jodhpur, they also started arbitrating in state matters. By 1818 the alliance was cemented and in 1832 the Rajputana agency was formed. [4] Man Singh was not always cordial with the British during this time, in 1829 Man Singh gave shelter to Mudhoji II Bhonsle and antagonized the British. Mudhoji was zealously protected by Man Singh and lived his remaining life in Jodhpur till his death in 1840. [18] Man Singh was finally caught with evidence, when his spy Dhumdas was arrested by the British. Man Singh was using ascetics as spies and messengers. The letters proved that Man Singh was part of an "anti-British cabal" which included Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab, Dost Muhammad, King of Afghanistan and the Russians. In September 1839 the British sent an army and captured Jodhpur. Man Singh chose to relinquish his throne and became an ascetic to avoid war. The exiled maharaja of Jodhpur died on 5 September 1843 due to poor health. [19] The 1857 rebellion sparked uprisings amongst several Rajput chieftains of the Rathore clan in Jodhpur State. Prominent amongst them was Kushal Singh of Auwa. After several failed attempts by the British, the rebellion was quelled by the British army under the command of Brigadier Holmes. [20]
During the 20th century the lower castes in India tried to uplift their social standing by adopting surnames of other castes. The Rajput clan name "Rathore" was adopted as a surname by the Teli community in 1931, who started calling themselves Rathore Vaishyas for caste upliftment. [21] During the same period of British Raj, the Banjaras began styling themselves as Chauhan and Rathor Rajputs. [22]
The various cadet branches of the Rathore clan gradually spread to encompass all of Marwar and later founded states in Central India and Gujarat. The Marwar Royal family is considered the head house of Rathores. At the time of India's independence in 1947, the princely states ruled by various branches of the Rathore clan included: [23] [1]
Rao Bika Rathore, was a scion of the Rathore clan of Rajputs and the founder of the city of Bikaner and Bikaner State in present-day state of Rajasthan in India. He was the fifth son of Rao Jodha, founder of the city of Jodhpur. During his reign he controlled an area of 40,000 square miles, which included 3,000 villages.
Mehrangarh is a historic fort located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. It stands on a hilltop, rising about 122 m (400 ft) above the surrounding plains, and the complex spans 1,200 acres. It was initially built around 1459 by the Rajput ruler of Rathore clan Rao Jodha, though most of the existing structure is from the 17th century built by his successors. The fort has seven gates, which includes main entrance Jai Pol, built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over the Jaipur and Bikaner armies in 1806. The Fattehpol, commemorates victory of Maharaja Ajit Singh over the Mughals.
Marwar is a region of western Rajasthan state in North Western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. The word 'maru' is Sanskrit for desert. In Rajasthani languages, "wad" means a protected area. English translation of the word 'marwar' is the region protected by desert.
Mandore is a suburb Historical town located 9 km north of Jodhpur city, in the Indian state of Rajasthan.
Durgadas Rathore was the Rathore Rajput General of the Kingdom of Marwar. He is credited with having preserved the rule of the Rathore dynasty over Marwar, 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) which became one of the main reason of decline of Mughal Empire. He was elected as the leader of the revolt along with Raja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. He won a number of victories against the Mughals and forced many Mughal officers to pay tribute to him in the form of chauth.
Rao Maldeo Rathore was a king of the Rathore dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Marwar in present day state of Rajasthan. Maldeo ascended the throne in 1531 CE, inheriting a small ancestral principality of Rathore's but after a long period of military actions against his neighbours, Maldeo swept significant territories which included parts of present day Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Sindh. He refused to ally with either the Sur Empire or the Mughal Empire.
Rao Jodha was the 15th Rajput chief of Rathore clan who ruled the Kingdom of Marwar in the present-day state of Rajasthan. He was the fifth son of Rao Ranmal. He is known for his illustrious military career and for founding the city of Jodhpur in 1459, which subsequently became the new capital of Marwar after Mandore.
Raja Jaswant Singh I was the Rathore Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Marwar in the western part of Rajputana modern day Rajasthan .He was a distinguished man of letters and author of noted literary works like "Siddhant-Bodh", "Anand Vilas" and "Bhasha-Bhushan".
The region of Bikaner, stretching across north-western state of Rajasthan in India, was earlier known as Jangladesh. It included the present-day districts of Bikaner, Churu, Ganganagar, and Hanumangarh. It is bounded on the south by Marwar and Jaisalmer regions, on the east by Ajmer-Merwara region.
Rao Amar Singh was the eldest son and heir-apparent of Raja Gaj Singh I of the Rathore Kingdom of Marwar in seventeenth-century Rajputana.
Kingdom of Marwar, also known as the Jodhpur State under the British, was a kingdom in the Marwar region from 1243 to 1818 and a princely state under British rule from 1818 to 1947. It was established in Pali by Rao Siha, possibly a migrant Gahadavala noble, in 1243. His successors continued to struggle against regional powers for domination and 9 out of 15 rulers till 1438 died in combat. In 1395, its capital was changed to Mandore by Rao Chunda of Mandore and to Jodhpur in 1459 by Rao Jodha.
Muhnot Nainsi (1610–1670) was a medieval historian and Dewan of Rathore ruler Jaswant Singh of Marwar. He is known for his studies of the region now encompassed by the state of Rajasthan in India. He was son of Jaimal Muhnot, who was Senior Office holder under reign of Sur Singh and Gaj Singh Early in his professional career, Nainsi was appointed successively as the hakim of various parganas in Marwar. The extensive, first-hand knowledge he collected of the region informed his later writings. In 1658, he was appointed dewan of Marwar, in which position he served until 1666. The literary works he is most known for are Marwar Ra Pargana Ri Vigat and Nainsi Ri Khyat.
Maharao Chatra Sal or Shatru Sal Ji was one of the most prominent Hada Chauhan rulers of the Kingdom of Bundi. He built the temple of Keshavrao at Kishorai-Patan and Chatra Mahal in the upper storey of Taragarh Fort,Bundi.
Manavati Bai, also spelled Manvati Bai,, better known by her title, Jagat Gosain, was the second wife and the empress consort of the fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir and the mother of his successor, Shah Jahan.
Rao Satal (1489–1492) was a late 15th-century Rathore Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Marwar. He was the second son of Rao Jodha and elder brother of Rao Bika of Bikaner who while their father was alive laid the foundation of a seprate territory for his descendants.Rao Satal is considered as one of the greatest martyrs of his race,as he's remembered for having sacrificed his own life to keep the honour of his subjects.
Rao Suja/Sooja (1492–1515) was the early 16th century Rathore Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Marwar. He was the younger son of Rao Jodha, brother of Rao Satal. After his brother's untimely death he amongst his other brothers succeeded to the throne. Upon his death ,there was a short struggle for the throne between his grandsons Biram Singh and Rao Ganga, which the latter won.
Rao Ganga was the Rathore Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Marwar. Rao Ganga ascended to the throne in the year 1515 through the support from his kinsmen and nobles. During his reign, the Rathores consolidated and expanded their rule in eastern Marwar.
Rao Ranmal, also called Ran Mal or Ridmal, was the Rathore ruler of Marwar. A notable expansionist and skilled warrior, Ranmal is also noteworthy for having twice served as regent of the kingdom of Mewar under two different kings.
After the mid-16th century, many Rajput rulers formed close ties with the Mughal emperors and served them in various capacities. It was because of the Rajputs that Mughals were not able to conquer whole India. The vassals had their daughters and sisters married to the Mughal emperors and their princes. The successors of the Mughal emperor Akbar, the mothers of his son Jahangir and grandson Shah Jahan were Rajputs. The Sisodia Rajput family of Mewar made it an honor not to enter into matrimonial relations with the Mughals, and thus stood in contrast to all other Rajput clans. After this time, the marital relations between the Rajputs and the Mughals declined somewhat. Akbar's relations with the Rajputs began when he returned in 1561 from a visit by the Chisti Sufi Shaikh of Sikri, west of Agra. Then many Rajput princesses married Mughal emperor Akbar.
He was the head of the Rathore clan of Rajputs, a clan which besides Jodhpur had ruled over Bikaner, Kishengarh, Idar, Jhabhua, Sitamau, Sailana, Alirajpur and Ratlam, all States important enough to merit gun salutes in the British system of protocol. These nine Rathore States collectively brought to India territory not less than 60,000 square miles in area.
Ascetics from all over India who flocked to Maan Singh drawn by tales of his generosity. It is save to assume, and the worried British certainly did, that many of these fakirs were spies and messengers. Most interesting of this traffic in subterfuge are letters to and from Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the lion of Punjab. The Sikh had a healthy respect for the Rathore as his letters reveal....Part of a bigger larger anti-British cabal....King of Afghanistan and the Russians....Jodhpur's master-spy Dhumdas, however was arrested in 1838...Ranjit Singh died in 1839. In September of the same year....the company's force marched on and occupied Jodhpur....Maan Singh left Mehrangarh, donned the garb of a mendicant and renounced material life. Weak and ill, he died on 5 September 1843