Rana Udayasimha and the Sur Emperors of Delhi
Summary
The article examines the relationship between Rana Udayasimha of Mewar and the Sur Emperors of Delhi, specifically Sher Shah and Islam Shah. The author argues that Rana Udayasimha acknowledged the suzerainty of the Sur dynasty for several years following the occupation of Chitor. The main argument is supported by a newly examined stone inscription discovered at Ganesh Biori, a step-well at Toda Raisingh. The inscription, dated November 1547 A.D., lists three associated rulers: Raja Ramachandra Rava, Islam Shah, and Rana Udayasimha. This epigraph indicates that Rana Udayasimha was the ruler of the Kumbhalmera kingdom and owed allegiance to the Sur emperor Islam Shah, who is described as the son of Sher Shah. The author notes that while Muslim historians and local chronicles like Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan and Ojha's Udaypur Rajyaka Itibas are largely silent or ambiguous about whether Rana Udayasimha submitted to Sher Shah, the Toda Raisingh inscription provides direct evidence of his subordination. The text also references the policy of Sher Shah, who aimed to control strategic communication lines and forts like Chitor without completely uprooting local Rajput chiefs. The author suggests that Rana Udayasimha likely offered allegiance to Sher Shah around 1543 or 1544 A.D. and continued as a feudatory under Islam Shah until at least late 1547 A.D., when he was still ruling from Kumbhalgarh while Chitor remained under Afghan control. The article further discusses Rana Udayasimha's eventual rebellion against the Sur dynasty. Citing Islam Shah's communication to Khawas Khan, the author points out that by 1551 A.D., the Rana had thrown off his allegiance, plundered Sir territory, and carried off Muslim women. The author also references B.N. Reu's Marwar Itibas to contextualize the broader Rajput resistance against the Sur occupation in Marwar, which was expelled by Maladeva around 1546 A.D. Finally, the author uses Cunningham's Archaeological Survey of India Reports and D.C. Sircar's own observations to highlight how the Toda Raisingh inscription challenges the limitations of bardic traditions in accurately mapping the extent of Rana Udayasimha's dominions.
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Conclusion
This article establishes that Rana Udayasimha acknowledged the suzerainty of the Sur emperors, specifically Sher Shah and Islam Shah, between 1543 and 1547 A.D. The primary evidence is a newly examined stone inscription from 1547 A.D. at Toda Raisingh, which explicitly lists the Rana as a subordinate ruler under Islam Shah. This finding resolves a long-standing historical ambiguity regarding Mewar’s relationship with the Sur dynasty. It indicates that Udayasimha likely submitted to Sher Shah in 1543 or 1544 A.D. and maintained this allegiance for several years. The Rana’s eventual rebellion, documented in Islam Shah’s 1551 A.D. communication to Khawas Khan, marks a significant shift from vassalage to restored independence. The inscription also reveals that Udayasimha’s direct dominion extended to regions like Toda Raisingh, challenging previous assumptions based on bardic traditions that excluded this area from his control.