The battle of Dewair was fought in 1582 between the forces of Mewar led by Maharana Pratap and the Mughal forces led by Mughal commander Bahlol Khan and ex-commander Sultan Khan. It was started when Mewari forces attacked the Mughal outpost of Dewair, after hours of fierce fighting Mewari forces were able to push the Mughals back and went on to score a decisive victory. 36 Mughals outposts surrendered to Maharana Pratap after the battle. Maharana Pratap reclaimed all the land lost to Akbar after the battle of Haldighati. and in Seige Of Chittorgarh[1][2]
Battle of Dewair | |||||||
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Part of Mughal–Rajput Wars | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Mewar | Mughal Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Maharana Pratap Kunwar Amar Singh | Serim Sultan Khan | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
20000 Infantry 5000 Cavalry | 15000 Infantry |
Background
After the battle of Haldhighati, Gogunda then the capital of Maharana Pratap was annexed by the Mughals then the following year Kumbhalgarh was annexed too forcing Maharana to take Shelter in the hills of Aravallis. There Maharana lived for more than 5 years with his followers and fought with the Mughals[3]. He dispatched two of his commanders Bahama Shah and Tarachand to loot and annex Malwa. There they looted Mughal caravans freely and amass as much money as they could they also captured mandu and chanderi. They were able to generate 2.5 million in local currency and 20,000 gold coins. Now Pratap had the army and resources to fight the war and he chose Dewair[4].[5]
Strength
Since very patchy details of this war are available to us, the estimates for Pratap’s army vary from as high as 25,000 men on foot and 5,000 on the cavalry to as little as a total army of 5,000. But given the money Pratap had in 1582, and the support of most of the nobles of Mewar along with supporting kingdoms, it can be said without doubt that this army exceeded 10,000 on the side of Mewar
Serima Sultan Khan the incharcge of Dewair had prior intelligence about Pratap’s impending attack and he summoned more troops from fourteen neighbouring Mughal thanas. Shyamdas writes in his Veer Vinod that the usual number of troops in each Mughal thana was approximately 1,000. Thus, it can be safely assumed that at least 15,000 Mughal troops were involved in the Battle of Dewair[6][7]
Strategy Of Mewar
The war council met 10 km around the southeast of the valley of Dewair. It was attended by Pratap Himself with Kunwar Amar Singh with Bhama Shah, Tarachand Shah, Shakti Singh, Bhil King Rana Punja, Rawat Krishna Das, Gopal Das Mertiya, and the whole clan of Shakti Singh's son.
It was decided that the Mewari army would not venture into the plains of Dewair a mistake which cost the battle of Haldhighati but will attack from south of Dewair which is a hilly area. A few hundred soldiers were to mingle with the local population and get close to the outpost without getting noticed.[8]
Pratap, Bhama Shah and all other generals were to stay in the base of the valley and in the center Bhillls would attack from the trees atop the mountain with arrows and stones using goofan. Amar Singh was to encircle the village and wait at the northern end of the valley to cut any attempts of the Mughals to escape from the northern plains of Dewair[9]
Battle
Some of the soldiers of Pratap's army with the help of some locals reached the outpost and opened the gates. Mewari's army followed the momentum and attacked the Outpost. The ferocity of the Rajputs started pushing the Mughals back the leader Serim Khan Sultan engaged with Maharana Pratap a volley of spears exchanged after a short time Pratap got an edge but soldiers interrupted and Serim Khan seeing the situation that mughal soldier had no chance to fight the mewaris and bhill arrows and stone from trees at the same time, retreated to the northern plains of Dewair where as planned he met Kunwar Amar Singh who took him by surprise and killed him with his spear.. Mughal army frightened by the scene escaped in all directions but only to be caught by Pratap and his fellow Rajputs. Till evening Rajputs were victorious.
Aftermath
All the Mughal soldiers involved in the battle were killed and the rest were taken prisoner. After the battle, Amar Singh wasc dispatched to the north and Pratap dispatched himself to the south, and in all 36 Mughal posts were captured. Col James tod quotes that
There is not a pass in the alpine Aravalli's that is not sanctioned by some deed of Pratap-some brilliant victory or, oftener, more glorious defeat. If the fields of Haldhighati is the Thermopylae of Mewar, the fields of Dewair her marathon
— Col. James Tod, Anal and Antiques Of Rajasthan, Maharana Pratap King of Mewar from 1540-1597
[11]This was the last battle fought by Maharana Pratap. After this he ruled his kingdom for 15 peaceful years
References
Annals and Antiques of Rajasthan by Col. James Tod
Maharanas of Mewar: A thousand Years of war for dharna by Dr. Omendra Ratnu
Annals of Mewar by CH Payne
- ^ "MAHARANAS: A Thousand Year War for Dharma". Goodreads. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
- ^ Tod, James. "Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, v. 1 of 3
or the Central and Western Rajput States of India". https://www.gutenberg.org/files/57374/57374-h/57374-h.htm. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
{{cite web}}
: External link in
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- ^ Somani, Ram Vallabh (1976). History of Mewar: from earliest times to 1751 A.D. C.L. Ranka, Jaipur.
- ^ Somani, Ram Vallabh (1976). History of Mewar: from earliest times to 1751 A.D. C.L. Ranka, Jaipur.
- ^ "Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, vol. 1 of 3, by James Tod". www.gutenberg.org. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
- ^ "USD – MAHARANAS – A THOUSAND YEAR WAR FOR DHARMA". Retrieved 2023-12-18.
- ^ "वीर विनोद भाग १ | Hindi Book | Vir Vinod Vol. I - ePustakalay". epustakalay.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 2023-12-18.
- ^ "वीर विनोद भाग १ | Hindi Book | Vir Vinod Vol. I - ePustakalay". epustakalay.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 2023-12-18.
- ^ "USD – MAHARANAS – A THOUSAND YEAR WAR FOR DHARMA". Retrieved 2023-08-13.
- ^ "USD – MAHARANAS – A THOUSAND YEAR WAR FOR DHARMA". Retrieved 2023-08-13.
- ^ "Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, vol. 1 of 3, by James Tod". www.gutenberg.org. Retrieved 2023-08-13.