Rajput War (1679–1707)

Rajput war
Date	1679–1707
Location	Rajputana
Result	Rathore Victory Aurangzeb was unable to gain any lasting success.; Thousands of lives sacrificed.; A vast amount of Mughal treasury was spent on the campign.; Mughal officers were compelled to pay tribute to Durgadas.; Aurangzebs grand-daughter was released by the Rathors.; Aurangzeb accepted Ajit Singh as the Raja of Marwar.; Ajit Singh captures Jodhpur and the surrounding areas after the death of Aurangzeb.;
Belligerents
Kingdom of Marwar; Supported By; Kingdom of Mewar	Mughal Empire
Commanders and leaders
Ajit Singh; Durgadas Rathore; Raj Singh I	Aurangzeb

Described variously as the "Rajput war" by Jadunath Sarkar, "Rathore war of independence" by V.S Bhargava and "Rathore rebellion" by Dr. M. Athar Ali.^[2] This conflict started after the death of Jaswant Singh of Marwar due to Aurangzeb's attempt to interfere in the succession of Marwar. The resistance to Mughal interference was started by the Rajput nobles under Durgadas Rathore and erupted into an all-out war between the Mughal empire and Rajputs of Marwar supported by Mewar Rajputs. It lasted for almost thirty years. The rebellion reached a climax after the death of Aurangzeb on 3 March 1707 and the capture of Jodhpur by the Rathores on 12 March 1707.^[3]

Background[]

Jaswant Singh died at Jamrud on November 1678, after his death the Mughal Emperor declared Jodhpur a crown land and placed his officers to control all affairs. The Rathors were not able to retaliate as they were dismayed by their kings death.^[1] He also called Jaswant Singh's family to the capital Delhi, on the way Jaswant Singh's two widows gave birth to two sons, of which one died after birth. The surviving child was named Ajit Singh.^[3]^[2]

Rajput war[]

On 23 July 1679 Aurangzeb made attempts to divide Marwar into two Rathore principalities, one held by Inder Singh Rathore and other by Ajit Singh. Aurangzeb also proposed that Ajit Singh should be raised as a muslim and offered Jodhpur in return.^[1] The Jodhpur nobles led by Durgadas opposed this decision, upon which Aurangzeb tried to imprison the infant prince Ajit Singh. An armed detachment under the magistrate of Delhi was sent to capture the prince and queens. Durgadas refused to comply and fired upon the Mughals with Muskets, leading to a conflict. After an exchange of fire, the Rajputs charged at the Mughals with lances and paved a way for the prince and the queens to escape. The Mughals followed the entourage but were slowed down by the small detachments of Rajputs who fought rearguard action and sacrificed themselves, allowing Durgadas and the others to successfully escape from Delhi and reach Jodhpur.^[4]^[5] Ajit Singh was soon crowned and great rejoicing took place in Marwar. Aurangzeb during this time realised that Inder Singh was too unpopular to be of any use and set him aside. He also declared Ajit Singh an imposter and rallied his army from all ends of his empire.^[5] Aurangzeb personally led an army to Jodhpur and forced the Rathores under Durgadas to seek refuge in Mewar. Rana Raj Singh was opposed to Mughal interference in Rajput politics and also detested the Mughals for annexing Mewar's southern and western lands. Aurangzeb was quick to retaliate and invaded Mewar, he was initially successful and forced the Rana to retreat into the hills. However the war soon became a stale-mate. The Mughals failed to capture the hilly tract of Mewar and they suffered against the guerrilla style of war that the Rajputs had now started. The Rajputs also attacked Aurangzeb's son Akbar and took all of the Mughal supplies, reducing them to starvation, Akbar wrote to Aurangzeb saying that his army "stood motionless through fear".^[1] Aurangzeb punished Akbar by replacing him with Azam. Akbar felt insulted and struck a deal with Durgadas to overthrow his father. The Rajputs with the army of Akbar now marched towards Aurangzeb (January 1681), who was at Ajmer. Aurangzeb felt helpless as he had lost his best men and could not summon any reinforcements as they were all stationed elsewhere. However Akbar delayed his attack and this allowed Aurangzeb to sow dissension amongst Akbar and the Rajputs by writing false letters and framing his son for deceit, most of the Rajputs apart from Durgadas abandoned Akbar and left his camp. Akbar was soon forced to abandon everything and flee to the Deccan with Durgadas. During this time Ajit Singh was hidden in Sirohi, while the war was continued by different captains of Marwar.^[5] After the death of Rana Raj Singh, Aurangzeb was able to sue for peace with Mewar, upon which the new Rana was forced to give away some land and promise not to help Ajit Singh. However the war with the Rathores continued. In 1686 Durgadas returned and won several victories against the Mughals, prompting Shujaat Khan, the Mughal governor of Gujarat and Jodhpur to lead an intensive campaign against the Rathors.^[5] However under the able command of Durgadas the Rajputs made continuous attacks on the Mughal officers and forced them to pay tribute in the form of chauth.^[1] During the same year Aurangzeb's grand-daughter, who was in the custody of the Rathors, was returned to him as goodwill. This improved the relations between the Mughals and the Rathors, as Aurangzeb was now ready to recognise Ajit Singh as the Raja of Marwar, but refused to give Jodhpur to him. Ajit Singh tried to capture Jodhpur in 1701 and 1706 but failed in his attempts. Rana Jai Singh of Mewar also remained rebellious during this time and refused to send his horsemen as expected of his rank. Hostilities thus continued until Aurangzeb's death, after which Jodhpur was captured by the Rathores.^[2]^[5]

Aftermath[]

Jodhpur was captured by Ajit Singh on 12 March 1707, when he defeated the Imperial Qiledar and either killed or pushed the Mughals out of Marwar. The Mughal succession war gave Ajit Singh enough time to prepare an army and capture Sojat, Pali and Merta. However Bahadur Shah I would soon become the emperor and invade Marwar again, resulting in the Rajput Rebellion 1708-1710.^[2]

R.C. Majumdar has written that:^[1]

The Rajput wars of Aurangzeb produced disastrous consequences for his Empire. Thousands of lives were sacrificed and enormous sums were wasted on the desert land without any lasting success to the emperor.

References[]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Majumdar, R.C. (2020). an advanced hostory of Rajasthan. Trinity Press. pp. 494–497. The Rathors thrown into confusion and dismay by the death of their chief, failed to present any united national resistance........ Jodhpur was offered to Ajit on condition of his turning a Muslim. This extraordinary proposal hurt the feelings of the Rathors.....Rajputs carried on a guerrilla warfare and fell on the Mughal outposts with so much courage that "the command of the outposts went a-begging, captain after captain declining the dangerous honour and offering excuses." The Rajputs surprised the Mughal army under Prince Akbar in May 1680 and carried off its provisions. Reduced to starvation the Mughal army stood "motionless through fear", as Prince Akbar complained........Under the able leadership of Durgadas, the Rathors ceaselessly carried on a guerrilla warfare and harassed the Mughal outposts so that the Mughal officers were compelled to pay chauth; according to historian Jadunath Sarkar, the date of the attack was May 14, 1680 (History of Aurangzib: Northern India, 1658-1681 (M.C. Sarkar & Sons, 1920) p. 408)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. pp. 595–610. ISBN 9788129115010. With Aurangzeb's death in 1707, the first phase of Rathore resistance against the Mughals ended. Ajit Singh wrested the fort and city of Jodhpur from the imperial qiledar on March 12, 1707, after killing or dispersing the imperial garrison. Thereafter, while the sons of Aurangzeb were involved in a struggle for the imperial throne Ajit Singh succeeded in extending his sway over Sojat, Pali and Merta.
^ ^a ^b Sarkar, Jadunath (1994). A History of Jaipur. Orient Longman. pp. 148–149. ISBN 9788125003335.
^ Richards, John F. (1995). The Mughal Empire (Reprinted ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 180–181. ISBN 978-0-52156-603-2.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Chandra, Satish (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II. Har Anand Publications. pp. 306–312. ISBN 9788124110669. With the return of Durgadas to Marwar in 1686 and with the appearance of Ajit Singh in person to head the resistance, the Rathors gained a number of victories.

[RC-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Majumdar, R.C. (2020). an advanced hostory of Rajasthan. Trinity Press. pp. 494–497. The Rathors thrown into confusion and dismay by the death of their chief, failed to present any united national resistance........ Jodhpur was offered to Ajit on condition of his turning a Muslim. This extraordinary proposal hurt the feelings of the Rathors.....Rajputs carried on a guerrilla warfare and fell on the Mughal outposts with so much courage that "the command of the outposts went a-begging, captain after captain declining the dangerous honour and offering excuses." The Rajputs surprised the Mughal army under Prince Akbar in May 1680 and carried off its provisions. Reduced to starvation the Mughal army stood "motionless through fear", as Prince Akbar complained........Under the able leadership of Durgadas, the Rathors ceaselessly carried on a guerrilla warfare and harassed the Mughal outposts so that the Mughal officers were compelled to pay chauth; according to historian Jadunath Sarkar, the date of the attack was May 14, 1680 (History of Aurangzib: Northern India, 1658-1681 (M.C. Sarkar & Sons, 1920) p. 408)

[GH-2] Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. pp. 595–610. ISBN 9788129115010. With Aurangzeb's death in 1707, the first phase of Rathore resistance against the Mughals ended. Ajit Singh wrested the fort and city of Jodhpur from the imperial qiledar on March 12, 1707, after killing or dispersing the imperial garrison. Thereafter, while the sons of Aurangzeb were involved in a struggle for the imperial throne Ajit Singh succeeded in extending his sway over Sojat, Pali and Merta.

[JP-3] Sarkar, Jadunath (1994). A History of Jaipur. Orient Longman. pp. 148–149. ISBN 9788125003335.

[richards-4] Richards, John F. (1995). The Mughal Empire (Reprinted ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 180–181. ISBN 978-0-52156-603-2.

[SC-5] Chandra, Satish (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II. Har Anand Publications. pp. 306–312. ISBN 9788124110669. With the return of Durgadas to Marwar in 1686 and with the appearance of Ajit Singh in person to head the resistance, the Rathors gained a number of victories.

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