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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Rana Sanga
Why in the News?
A recent statement by an MP in Parliament labelling Rajput ruler Rana Sanga a “traitor,” has sparked controversy over his role in inviting Babur to invade India.
Who was Rana Sanga?
- Rana Sanga, also known as Maharana Sangram Singh, was a Rajput king who ruled the kingdom of Mewar in present-day Rajasthan from 1509 to 1527.
- He expanded his kingdom significantly, conquering parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, and Sindh.
- He formed a powerful Rajput confederacy and led a massive army of 80,000 warhorses and 500 elephants.
- He was known for his military campaigns against the Lodi dynasty of Delhi, the Sultanates of Malwa and Gujarat, and even the Mughals.
- His most notable victories include the Battle of Gagron against Sultan Mahmud Khilji of Malwa and the Battle of Dholpur in 1519 against Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi.
- Battle with Babur:
- Rana Sanga eventually came into conflict with Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire.
- The two fought in the Battle of Khanwa in 1527, where Babur’s forces defeated Sanga’s Rajput army.
- This marked the end of Rajput resistance to the Mughals in Northern India.
- Legacy:
- Despite his defeat at Khanwa, he is remembered as a hero of Rajput resistance and is considered one of the last independent Hindu rulers in Northern India before the rise of Mughal dominance.
Recent Controversy:
- The remarks were made amid growing debates about Medieval Indian history, particularly surrounding Aurangzeb and the role of various historical figures in Indian politics.
- Historians are divided on whether Rana Sanga explicitly invited Babur to invade India.
- Babur’s memoirs, the Baburnama, mention that Rana Sanga offered assistance against Ibrahim Lodi.
- Yet, historians like Satish Chandra propose that Rana Sanga might have viewed Babur as a means to weaken the Lodi Sultanate, possibly underestimating Babur’s intentions to establish his own rule in India.
- Some argue that Rana Sanga might have seen Babur as a useful ally against Ibrahim Lodi, while others believe his role was exaggerated by Babur in his memoir, the Baburnama.
| [UPSC 2023] With reference to the Mughal Empire, which one of the following statements is NOT correct?
(a) Mughal officials who were in charge of land revenue were known as Karoris. (b) The term ‘Jagirdar’ was used for the holders of revenue assignments. (c) The office of ‘Mir Bakshi’ was related to the imperial household. (d) The Rajput chiefs were integrated into the Mughal nobility. |
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