Indian Antiquary Vol 55

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 21

JANUARY, 1926 )
IDAR AND MAHARANA HAMMIRA OF MEWAR
IDAR AND MAHARANA HAMMIRA OF MEWAR.
By RAM RATAN HALDER. HAMMIRA was a famous raler of Mewar and was the first to assume the title of Maharana. He succeeded to the throne shortly after s. 1382 (A.D. 1325). That is to say, the exact date of his accession is not settled. In the bardic chronicles and Tod's Rajasthan, the date is given as s. 1357 (A.D. 1301). This seems, however, to be questionable, as from an inscription 1 dated s. 1358 (A.D. 1301), found at Chitor, it is clear that the ruler of Chitor in that year was Rawal Samarasimha. After Samarasimha came Ratnasimba for one year. In s. 1360 (A.D. 1303) 'Alâu'ddin Khilji took Chitor from Rawal Ratnasimha, and handed it over to Prince Khigr Khân, who held it for about nine years, from A.D. 1303 to 1312. It was then given by 'Alau'ddîn to the Sonagard chief Maladeva, who held it for seven years.3 Ferishta does not mention the name of Maladeva, but simply says: "the King ordered Prince Khirr Khan to evacuate it (Chitor) and to make it over to the nephew of the Raja." 4 It is possible that after the death of Maladeva, Hammira took the fort from the former's son, Jaisa (Jaitsi), while Delhi was ruled by Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq, who ascended the throne in s. 1382 (A.D. 1325). Hence, it may be fairly asserted that Hammîra came to his throne of Chitor shortly after that date. Such an assertion is supported by a Persian inscription in Naksh characters, found in the fort at Chitor and described in the Annual Report of the Rajputând Museum, Ajmer, 1921-22, which praises the Tughlaq Shah [Ghiyâsu'ddîn Tughlag). who ruled from A.D. 1320 to 1325. It, consequently, belongs to that period, and from its text, it appears that Chitor was, directly or indirectly, under the rule of the Pathân rulers of Delhi till about s. 1382 (A.D. 1325).
Before he came to the throne of Mewar, Maharana Hammira was Rånå of Sesoda, and thus belonged to the Råna (junior) branch of the Sesoda family, the rulers of which were feudatories of the Rawal (senior) branch of Mewar. In s. 1360 (A.D. 1303) his father Arisimha was killed in the disastrous battle of Chitor, fought between 'Alau'ddin Khilji and R&wal Ratnasimha of Chitor. His grandfather, Lakshmaṇasimha, was also killed in the same battle, together with seven of his sons.6 Ajaisimha, the youngest son of Lakshmanasimha, was the only one who survived and returned home, safe though wounded, and succeeded his father as Rånå of Sesodd.
After the death of his uncle, Ajaisimha, Hammîra became the Rânâ of the Sesodd'estate, and aimed at conquering the fort of Chitor, his ancestral capital, and the surrounding country. He began by desolating the whole province of Mewar. It is said that Måladeva Chauhan, then ruler of Chitor, in the hope of creating friendly relations with him, married his daughter to him, oeding parts of Mewer as dowry-Mewar with Chitor having, since the time of 'Alau'ddin Khilji, been in the possession of the Chauhans (Sonagaras), who ruled as his tributary. But Hammira was not satisfied and continued his efforts, which, at last, were crowned with success, and he made himself independent master of the throne of Chitor with the title of Mahårán. Since then, his descendants have ruled Mewar to the present day.
Shortly after he became Mahârâņa, Chitor was attacked by Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq of Delhi. Of this affair Tod, Rajasthan, Vol. I, pp. 318-19, writes as follows: "Maldeo himself carried the accounts of his loss to the Khilji king® [Tughlaq ]Mahmûd (Muhammad), who had succeeded 'Alå ('Alau'ddin). He [Hammira) marched to meet Mahmud, who was 1 w llar 1446 Ar y fotot ........... PETUST
Tier [8 ] UT frared || Rajputand Museum Report, 1920-21. · Briggs, Ferishta, Vol. I., pp. 363, 380.
• Muhnot Nansy, pp. 44-45. • Briggs, Ferish ta, Vol. I, p. 363. 6 Supplementary Notes to Tod's Rajasthan, by R. B. Pandit Gourishankar H. Ojha, p. 324.
6 Col. Tod is mistaken here. There was no king named Mahmud in the Khilji dynasty after 'Alau'ddin.