Maldeo Rathore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maldeo Rathore |
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| Rao of Marwar | |
Painting of Rao Maldeo Rathore
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| Rao of Marwar | |
| Tenure | 9 May 1532 – 7 November 1562 |
| Predecessor | Rao Ganga |
| Successor | Rao Chandrasen Rathore |
| Born | 5 December 1511 Jodhpur, Marwar |
| Died | 7 November 1562 (aged 50) Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Marwar |
| Consort | Rani Jhali Swarupdeji |
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| Issue among others |
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| Dynasty | Rathore |
| Father | Rao Ganga |
| Mother | Padma Kumari Deora Chauhan |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Rao Maldeo Rathore (born December 5, 1511 – died November 7, 1562) was a powerful king from the Rathore dynasty. He ruled the Kingdom of Marwar, which is now part of Rajasthan, India. Maldeo became king in 1531. He started with a small kingdom, but through many battles, he greatly expanded his lands. His kingdom grew to include parts of modern-day Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Sindh. He was known for not taking sides with the powerful Sur Empire or the Mughal Empire.
Many historical writers, like Nizammuddin and Ferishta, praised Maldeo. They called him one of the most powerful monarchs in India. He was a skilled warrior and a clever leader.
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Early Life and Rise to Power
Maldeo was born on December 5, 1511. He was the oldest son of Rao Ganga, the ruler of Marwar. His mother was Rani Padma Kumari, a princess from the Deora Chauhan kingdom. Even before he became king in 1531, Maldeo was known as a brave warrior. People remember him as one of Marwar's most important rulers.
Maldeo helped his father in many battles. When he was young, he defeated rebels in Sojat. He also beat Rao Veeram Dev of Merta in battle. In 1527, Maldeo led 4,000 soldiers to help Rana Sanga in the sieges of Bayana and Khanwa. He even carried the wounded Rana Sanga off the battlefield after a defeat. Later, he helped his father defeat rebels who attacked Jodhpur.
After showing his skills in these campaigns, Maldeo became very ambitious. Some historical accounts suggest he may have been involved in his father's death. This helped him become king.
Expanding the Marwar Kingdom
When Maldeo became king, Marwar controlled only two districts. He wanted to bring back the old power of the Rathore rulers. Maldeo attacked many smaller chiefs and brought their lands under his direct control. He defeated the Sindhals of Raipur and Bhadrajun, making these cities stronger.
In 1534, Maldeo attacked Nagaur and captured it. He also took Merta, Rian, and Ajmer. Smaller lords in Didwana and Pachpadra also accepted his rule. His attack on Jaisalmer was successful, bringing the Bhatti rulers under his control. In 1538, he took Siwana and Jalore, capturing Sultan Sikandar Khan. Maldeo also annexed Sanchore, Bhinmal, Radhanpur, and Nabhara in Gujarat. His kingdom stretched far to the west and southwest. He directly controlled about 40 districts.
In 1539, Maldeo took advantage of a war between the Mughals and the Sur Empire. He conquered Bayana, Tonk, and Toda. By taking back these lands from Afghan control, Maldeo brought back Hindu rule and ended the Jizya tax. His northern border was close to Delhi. Marwar became very strong under Maldeo. This was partly because he had many horses for his soldiers. He also continued his father's tradition of having a regular cavalry force called "Chindhars."
Historian Satish Chandra noted that Maldeo's kingdom covered almost all of western and eastern Rajasthan. His armies even reached the outskirts of Agra. Maldeo dreamed of creating a large empire. However, unlike other Rajput leaders, he did not have the support of all Rajput tribes. A kingdom based only in Rajasthan could not fully challenge the Mughal or Sur empires.
Key Events During Maldeo's Reign
Conflicts with Neighboring States
Maldeo was constantly involved in battles to expand and secure his kingdom.
War with Nagaur and Merta
In 1534, Maldeo took advantage of a siege on Merta to conquer Nagaur. He also fought Biram Dev of Merta, who had recently won Ajmer. Maldeo argued that Biram Dev could not hold Ajmer against Gujarat. When Biram refused to give it up, Maldeo sent his army and captured Ajmer.
Alliance with Jaisalmer
Maldeo expanded his lands westward and besieged Jaisalmer in 1537. The ruler, Rawal Lunkaran, had to make peace. He gave his daughter, Umade Bhattiyani, in marriage to Maldeo. This marriage helped Maldeo secure his western borders. It also allowed him to recruit many Bhati Rajputs from Jaisalmer into his army.
Conquest of Jalore
After his Jaisalmer campaign, Maldeo used his new Bhati soldiers. He conquered Ajmer with their help. Then, he turned to Jalore, which was ruled by Sultan Sikandar Khan. Maldeo successfully captured Jalore and took Sikandar prisoner. The Sultan later died in prison.
Maldeo and Humayun
Maldeo Rathore had an agreement with the Mughal emperor Humayun against Sher Shah Suri. But Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah in the battles of Chausa and Kannauj. Humayun lost most of his lands and asked Maldeo for help. Maldeo invited him to Marwar for safety.
Some Rajput stories say that Humayun's followers killed cows on their way to Marwar. This made the local Rajputs angry, as cows are sacred to Hindus. So, Humayun had to leave Marwar. However, Mughal sources say Maldeo betrayed Humayun. They claim Maldeo got a better deal from Sher Shah. Historian Satish Chandra says Maldeo invited Humayun but then saw how few followers Humayun had. Maldeo could have arrested Humayun but did not, as Humayun was an invited guest.
Maldeo and Udai Singh II
Maldeo took advantage of a civil war in Mewar. He invaded Mewar and set up military posts in many areas. During this time, some nobles from Mewar asked Maldeo for help against Banvir. Maldeo's army joined with the Sisodia nobles. They defeated Banvir and helped Udai Singh II become the ruler of Mewar. Maldeo continued to use the situation to set up more military posts in Mewar, Bundi, and Ranthambore. This led to a rivalry between Udai Singh II and Maldeo Rathore.
War with Bikaner
Bikaner was another Rathore kingdom north of Marwar. There had been bad feelings between Marwar and Bikaner for a long time. Maldeo used a small border dispute as a reason for war. In 1542, he fought Rao Jaitsi at the Battle of Sohaba. Rao Jaitsi was killed, and Maldeo took over the entire kingdom of Bikaner.
War with the Sur Empire
Maldeo's marriage alliance with Jaisalmer secured his western borders. However, some chiefs he had dispossessed, like those from Bikaner and Merta, allied with the Sur emperor, Sher Shah Suri. Sher Shah tricked Maldeo by sending fake letters. These letters made Maldeo believe his commanders were planning to betray him. So, Maldeo left his commanders to face the enemy alone.
Jaita and Kumpa, two of Maldeo's commanders, refused to retreat. They bravely fought Sher Shah's huge army of 80,000 men with only 4,000 to 12,000 soldiers. Afghan gunfire stopped the Rajput charge. The small Rathore army was eventually defeated by Afghan reinforcements. However, the Afghans also suffered heavy losses. After the Battle of Sammel, Sher Shah famously said, "I had given away the country of Delhi for a handful of millets." This quote shows how brave Jaita and Kumpa were.
After the battle, Sher Shah's generals took control of Jodhpur and Marwar. But Maldeo got his lost territories back in 1545, after Sher Shah Suri died.
War with Amer
Rao Maldeo defeated Bharmal, the ruler of Amer. He captured four districts from the Amer kingdom. To save himself, Bharmal asked Haji Khan Sur for help.
Battle of Harmoda
Haji Khan was a former slave of Sher Shah Suri. He became the lord of Ajmer and Nagaur after the Battle of Sammel. Maldeo attacked Haji to win back his lost lands. However, Mewar and Bikaner helped Haji, forcing Maldeo to retreat. Later, Haji and Udai Singh II had a falling out. Haji fled to Maldeo for safety. Together, their armies defeated Udai Singh in January 1557 at the Battle of Harmoda. After this battle, Maldeo captured the strong city of Merta. He also invaded Amber and forced the Kachwaha Raja to become a vassal of Marwar.
Mughal Invasions
Akbar became the Mughal emperor in 1556. Many Rajput chiefs who had problems with Maldeo joined Akbar. Akbar used this as a reason to attack Marwar. He sent several expeditions against Maldeo. The Mughals conquered Ajmer and Nagaur in 1557. Soon after, Akbar captured Jaitaran and Parbatsar. However, the Mughals could not capture the main parts of Marwar during Maldeo's lifetime. Before he died, Maldeo still held many important districts. These included Jodhpur, Sojat, Jaitaran, Phalodi, Siwana, Pokhran, Jalore, Sanchore, Merta, Barmer, Kotra, and parts of Jaisalmer. These territories were later captured by Akbar because of a fight for the throne among Maldeo's sons.
Death and Succession
Maldeo Rathore chose his younger son, Chandrasen Rathore, to be his successor. However, after Maldeo's death on November 7, 1562, a fight for the throne began among his sons.
