Pratap Singh I (18 May 1540 – 19 January 1597), popularly known as Maharana Pratap (IPA: [məɦaːˈɾaːɳaː pɾəˈtaːp] ⓘ), was king of the Kingdom of Mewar, in north-western India in the present-day state of Rajasthan, from 1572 until his death in 1597. He is notable for leading the Rajput resistance against the expansionist policy of the Mughal Emperor Akbar including the battle of Haldighati.
Early life and accession
Maharana Pratap was born to Udai Singh II of Mewar and Jaiwanta Bai in 1540, the year in which Udai Singh ascended to the throne after defeating Vanvir Singh.[5][6][7] His younger brothers were Shakti Singh, Vikram Singh and Jagmal Singh. Pratap also had two stepsisters: Chand Kanwar and Man Kanwar. His chief consort was Ajabde Bai Punwar of Bijolia.[8] Their eldest son was Amar Singh I.[9] He belonged to the royal family of Mewar.[10] After the death of Udai Singh in 1572, Rani Dheer Bai Bhatiyani wanted her son Jagmal to succeed him[11] but senior courtiers preferred Pratap, as the eldest son, to be their king. The desire of the nobles prevailed and Pratap ascended the throne as Maharana Pratap, the 54th ruler of Mewar in the line of the Sisodia Rajputs.[12] He was crowned in Gogunda on the auspicious day of Holi. Jagmal swore revenge and left for Ajmer, to join the armies of Emperor Akbar who later gave him a portion of Sirohi.[13]
Ancestry
Ancestors of Maharana Pratap9. Rana Raimal4. Rana Sanga10. Ratan Jhali2. Udai Singh II11. Rao Nirbudh5. Karnavati Hada12. Rani Bundi Sa1. Pratap Singh I6. Akheraj Chauhan3. Jaiwanta Bai7. Jharna Bai
Initial conflict with the MughalsBackground
Akbar initially favored diplomacy over direct conflict in his dealings with Maharana Pratap. Although Jagmal, Pratap's rival, sought Akbar’s support and had been named successor by his father, the emperor refrained from military intervention—largely due to ongoing unrest in Gujarat. Instead, Akbar dispatched several emissaries to negotiate with Pratap, including Jalal Khan, Man Singh, Raja Bhagwant das, and Todar Mal. However, all these attempts ended in failure. Pratap consistently resisted submission, either by making ambiguous promises or by declining to meet the envoys altogether. Rajput sources claim that Pratap even insulted Man Singh by avoiding a feast held in his honor, an account many modern historians consider exaggerated. The breakdown of negotiations likely stemmed from Akbar’s demands—such as personal attendance at the Mughal court, payment of tribute, political allegiance, or a matrimonial alliance—all of which were unacceptable to Pratap. By late 1573 A.D., it had become evident that a peaceful resolution was unlikely, and a military confrontation appeared inevitable.[14][15][16][17]
Some scholars suggest that a key but often overlooked point of contention between Akbar and Maharana Pratap was an elephant named Ram Prasad. Historical sources such as ʽAbd al-Qadir Badayuni and Abul Fazl mention that Akbar had repeatedly requested this elephant from the Rana, but Pratap refused to surrender it. The elephant was eventually captured by the Mughal army during the Battle of Haldighati and brought to Akbar. Badauni even describes Ram Prasad as a subject of dispute. This incident has been interpreted by some historians as further evidence of Pratap’s unwillingness to submit to Mughal authority, casting doubt on claims that he ever sent his son Amar Singh or any proposal to Akbar’s court, as suggested by Abu'l-Fazl.[18]
The conflicts between Pratap Singh and Akbar led to the Battle of Haldighati.[19][20]
According to Indian Journal of Secularism, in his campaign to extend his empire, Akbar presented Rana Pratap with the rank of Panj Hazari (commander of an army of 5,000). Rana Pratap refused, demanding instead the rank of Dah Hazari (commander of an army of 10,000).leading to battle of haldighati.[21][dubious – discuss][self-published source?]
Battle of Haldighati
Main article: Battle of Haldighati
The Siege of Chittorgarh in 1567-1568 had led to the loss of the fertile eastern belt of Mewar to the Mughals. However, the rest of the wooded and hilly kingdom in the Aravalli range was still under the control of Maharana Pratap. Mughal Emperor Akbar was intent on securing a stable route to Gujarat through Mewar; when Pratap Singh was crowned king (Maharana) in 1572, Akbar sent a number of envoys, including one by Raja Man Singh I of Amber, entreating him to become a vassal like many other rulers in Rajputana. When Pratap refused to personally submit to Akbar and several attempts to diplomatically settle the issue failed, war became inevitable.[22][23]
The forces of Pratap Singh and Mughal and Rajput general Man Singh met on 18 June 1576 beyond a narrow mountain pass at Haldighati near Gogunda, modern day Rajsamand in Rajasthan. This came to be known as the battle of Haldighati. Pratap Singh fielded a force of around 3000 cavalry and 400 Bhil archers. Man Singh commanded an army numbering around 10,000 men.[24][25][26] After a fierce battle lasting more than three hours, Pratap found himself wounded and the day lost. He managed to retreat to the hills and lived to fight another day.[27] The Mughals were victorious and inflicted significant casualties among the forces of Mewar but failed to capture Maharana Pratap.[24][25][26]
Rana Pratap was able to escape due to selfless devotion of chief of Jhala who drew upon himself the attack of armies by declaring himself to be Rana.[28]
Haldighati was a futile victory for the Mughals, as they were unable to kill or capture Pratap, or any of his close family members in Udaipur.[29] While the sources also claim that Pratap was able to make a successful escape, Man Singh managed to conquer Gogunda within a week after Haldighati then ended his campaign. Subsequently, Akbar himself led a sustained campaign against the Rana in September 1576, and soon, Gogunda, Udaipur, and Kumbhalgarh were all under Mughal control.[29]
