1. This is the second-part of the thread-series on the great Maharana Kumbha.
The first part of the series described the initial half of Maharana Kumbha's reign 👇 This part will describe his encounters with Gujarat Sultan & tackling the united invasions.
2. 1456: Ahmad Shah Muzaffarid invaded #Mewar after being slighted by the earlier defeat at the hands of Maharana.
A detachment of his army was sent to capture Mount Abu from Kumbha, but was defeated decisively ⚔️. The main Muzaffarid army besieged Kumbhalgarh 🏰.
3. After the Muzaffarid Sultan lost the⚔️Battle of Gorwar with Mewar army, he suspended the campaign and returned to Ahmedabad.
Maharana used this interval of Muzaffarid retreat to recapture Sirohi & Nagaur from Gujarat Sultanate, as well as pillaging Malwa Sultan’s territory.
4. The Malwa Sultan, knowing of Muzzafarid retreat from Mewar, sent a *religiously motivated* alliance offer to Muzaffarids for attacking Mewar together. The alliance was formalized at Champaner.
5. 1457: As a result of this alliance, Gujarat & Malwa Sultans attacked Mewar simultaneously towards end of 1456 – Qutbuddin Muzaffarid from the west, and Mahmud Khalji from the south & east.
Maharana chose to fight Muzaffarids first.
6. Qutbuddin approached Kumbhalgarh via Mt Abu & Sirohi. He fought Maharana between Sirohi & Kumbhalgarh, but Maharana had to retreat to the hills near Kumbhalgarh.
There, a ⚔️battle took place again, in which Maharana defeated Qutbuddin. Qutbuddin retreated back to Gujarat.
7. 1458: Meanwhile, Mahmud Khalji had besieged Mandalgarh fort in Dec 1456. After holding out for 2 years, the fort fell to Mahmud in Nov 1458. Then Mahmud dispatched army units to plunder Magra, Bhilwara, & marched to capture Kesundi fort. It was captured.
8. However, in due course, Maharana repealed the combined invasion of Muzaffarids & Khaljis, as written in Prashasti of Keerti Stambha/Vijay Stambha in 1460.
1461: Malwa Sultan raided the outskirts of Mewar and marched to Kumbhalgarh. However, he returned to Malwa shortly after.
9. 1467: Mus|ims of Nagaur engaged in cow sl@ughter to hurt Hindu sentiments. On getting this news, Maharana Kumbha marched towards Nagaur with 50k army. After capturing the Nagaur fort, thousands of Mus|ims were ki|1ed.
10. Maharana took away the wealth, horses, elephants alongwith him.
The Hindu Blitzkrieg campaign was so swift, that the *drunk* Muzaffarid Sultan at Ahmedabad, whom the Nagaur’s Hakim had appealed for help, couldn’t help in time at all!
11. Shortly afterwards, Muzaffarids invaded Mewar and plundered till Sirohi. At the ⚔️ Battle of Sirohi, Maharana repealed him again, forcing Muzzafarid campaign to end prematurely.
Thus the Muzzafarids and Khaljis were subdued by Maharana Kumbha.
12. Other military accomplishments of this great Maharana include the capture of strong fort of Ranastambhapur (Ranthambore), as well as wresting away Toda from Mus|ims.
13. Maharana Kumbha strengthened the defences of Mewar to a huge extent, building as many as *32 forts* during his reign.
Due to his foresight, Mewar later held out against Mughals for long under Maharana Sanga, Maharana Pratap, and so on.
14. In the third part of thread-series, we will look at several cultural accomplishments in #Mewar during Maharana Kumbha's reign.
The thread series on the great Maharana continues 👇
2. ~1421: Maharana Kumbha was born to Maharana Mokal Singh & Sobhagya Devi.
1433: Kumbhakarna became Maharana at age of 13, after Mahipal Panwar assassinated young Maharana Mokal. Mahipal fled Mewar & took refuge with Malwa’s Sultan Mahmud Khalji aka Alauddin Mahmud Shah-I.
3. Rao Ranmal Rathore was the regent of Mewar during the initial phase of Kumbha’s rule. He destroyed the internal rebels.
1439: Maharana Kumbha told Sultan Mahmud Khalji to deport Mahipal Panwar to Mewar for exacting the revenge of the murd3r of Maharana’s father.
1508, May 4: Maharana Sanga ascended on Mewar throne.
~1512-13: Maharana Sanga attacked and captured territories of eastern Rajasthan from Sikandar Lodi’s Delhi Sultanate
3. 1515: Maharana Sanga was a proactive strategist. To expand Mewar's influence into Gujarat, he helped its deposed ruler, Rao Raimal, become ruler again.
Muzaffarid Gujarat Sultan, Muzaffar Shah II sent 2 armies to Idar. Both of them were defeated by Idar's army.
2. After Raja Martanda Varma's ascension to the Travancore throne in 1729, he adopted expansionist policies through the 1730s (interestingly enough, simultaneously as Bajirao Peshwa's policy vs Mughals in the north).
3. The expansion of Travancore into central Kerala threatened the monopoly of the Dutch in black pepper trade. Dutch commander Maten sought to warn Raja Martanda.
But, he received a warning in return, not to interfere in politics of Malabar & stay restricted to trade activities.
2. 1503 CE: Prithviraj Kachwaha ascended the throne of Amer. His reign was marked by stability and progress for the Jaipur kingdom.
3. During his reign, he cultivated marital alliances with many neighbouring Rajput states. This contributed to making Amber a major regional political player.
Even the sister of Maharana Sanga was married to Prithviraj Kachwaha, thereby uniting with Mewar under Hindu banner!
1. #Thread on Peshwa Madhavrao - the Glorious Ornament of Maratha Empire
He became Peshwa this day 260 years ago. This thread forms the 1st part of two-part series on Peshwa Madhavrao.
2. 1745, Feb 16: Peshwa Madhavrao was born.
1761, Jul 20: Madhavrao becomes Peshwa at age of 16, with Raghunathrao (paternal uncle) as co-regent with Gopikabai, Madhavrao’s mother
3. Although Nizam had been humbled at Battle of Udgir (1760), the Maratha setback at Panipat (1761) had emboldened Nizam to invade Pune in Dec 1761. Nizam's army was surrounded by Marathas near Pune, and forced to cede territory to Marathas worth 40 lakhs.
2. Hyder Ali didn’t spare even girls of 4-5 years old, who were purchased on account of beauty to train them in music, dance and to give pleasure.
3. 1763: Hyder Ali fought with Rani of Bednur, Rani Virammaji. When people of Bednur heard about his attack, they fled to jungle. Hyder systematically looted Bednur. His loot was estimated 12 mn sterling.