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The Sisodia
dynasty of Mewar, founded in the 6th century, was
highly respected for its fierce pride and the
passion with which its kings safeguarded their
independence and racial purity. The Sisodia dynasty
of Mewar is probably the oldest in the world,
tracing its origins directly back through
seventy-six generations. Bappa Rawal, the first of
the great Sisodia kings ascended the throne in AD
734 and shifted his capital to the hilltop fortress
of Chittorgarh. The strategic fort of Chittorgarh
was to remain the capital of the Sisodias for the
next 800 years.
The dynasty's most glorious period came in the 15th
and 16th centuries during the reigns of Rana Kumbha,
Rana Sanga and Maharana Pratap. Mewar made great
progress in the arts and culture, consolidated its
military strength and faced squarely up to the might
of the Mughals – refusing to accede or be wooed over
as most other Rajput rulers had done. Mewar was the
one royal house in Rajputana that neither buckled
down to the might of the Mughal Empire nor entered
into military or matrimonial alliances with the
Mughal Emperors. The valiant exploits of Maharana
Pratap and his defiant guerrilla war against Akbar
after the sacking of Chittorgarh in 1567, have
passed into folklore and continue to inspire young
Rajputs to this day.
Rana Amar Singh, who succeeded Maharana Pratap in
1597 finally contracted a peace treaty with Emperor
Jehangir in the early 17th century, but with one
condition - that neither he nor any of his
successors would personally appear in the Mughal
court. The peace that ensued the signing of this
treaty opened the way for a period of cultural
revival during which the Mewar School of Painting
blossomed and several beautiful palaces were
constructed in Udaipur. Before long, however,
incursions by the Marathas and internal bickering
led to a long period of turmoil till the Rana of
Udaipur signed a treaty with the British in 1818. |
