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Concise History of Mewar
A chronology of Mewar's 76 Rulers and their times (AD ca 569-2001)
including some parallel events in India.
Conflicting dates exist for the reigns of Guhil and his two immediate successors, Bhoj and Mahendra I.
Some texts maintain Guhil's reign began as early as 566 AD. The following dates must still be considered approximate.
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S. No. Ruler and Title Reign Capital Family Events
51. Maharana RATAN SINGH II 1527-1531 Chittor Sisodia Mewar: Ratan Singh rules only four years. After Sanga's death, he begins persecution of Mira Bai. Surajmal Hada and Ratan Singh kill each other while on a hunt at Bundi.

India:
1530, Mughals, Humayun.
52. Maharana VIKRAMADITYA II 1531-1536 Chittor Sisodia Mewar: Possesses turbulent disposition; discord causes weakens govt.
1533, taking advantage of this Bahadur Shah of Gujarat attacks  Mewar; Mar 24, Rajamata Karmavati secures truce. Vikramaditya continues persecution of poetess Mira Bai; finally she flees back to Merta, then goes on extended pilgrimage throughout India.
1534, Bahadur Shah of Gujarat initiates 2nd sack of Chittor; Vikramaditya leads attack party away from fort. Young Udai Singh sent to safety at Bundi. Mar 8, fort's women commit jauhar, fort's warriors ride to their deaths; Bahadur Shah captures Chittor; Apr 25, he retreats to Gujarat when Mewar’s allies march on Chittor. Vikramaditya returns to continue loathsome reign.
1535, insults important elder; confined to palace by nobles. Udai Singh still only an infant; nobles give job of Regent (caretaker ruler) to Banbir, illegitimate and ambitious son of Maharana Sanga’s younger brother Prithvi Raj.
1536, Vikramaditya assassinated by Banbir. Panna Dhai, Udai's nurse substitutes her own son for the prince (Banbir slays the son instead); Panna secretly smuggles Udai to safety of Kumbhalgarh. Banbir usurps throne (his reign is not recognised.)

India:
1534, Humayun conquers Gujarat
53. Maharana UDAI SINGH II 1537-1572 Chittor, then Udaipur Sisodia Mewar:
1537, nobles discover young Udai Singh at Kumbhalgarh and proclaim him rightful ruler.
1540, Udai Singh defeats Banbir at Mavli, returns to Chittor as new Maharana; May 9, birth of Udai's heir Pratap Singh. For some years, the young Maharana Udai Singh leads relatively quiet existence.
1562, Udai aggravates new Mughal ruler, Akbar by giving shelter to various rulers who have rebelled against Mughals.
1567, builds Moti Mahal at Pichola Lake as temporary palace; Akbar marches on Chittor; Mewar nobles urge Udai Singh to save the family line by taking refuge at Gogunda.
1568, Feb 23, Akbar conquers Chittor (3rd sack); Feb 28, leaves for Delhi.
1570, Udai Singh establishes new capital of Udaipur;
1572, dies at Gogunda.

India:
1542, Sher Shah conquers North India, Emperor Humayun escapes to Persia; Sher Shah introduces new system of revenue administration; Akbar born at Umarkot.
1554, Humayun returns, defeats successor of Sher Shah, re-establishes Mughal dynasty.
1556, Akbar (aged 13) succeeds Humayun as Mughal emperor.
1565, Battle of Talikota, joint forces of successor states of Bahmani sultanate conquers Vijayanagara.
1569, Salim (later Emperor Jahangir) born to Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri.
54. Maharana PRATAP SINGH I 1572-1597 Mainly Kumbhalgarh Sisodia Mewar: Pratap Singh determined to repulse the Mughal takeover of Mewar and to retake the heritage capital of Chittor; renounces luxury of Udaipur and lives austere life of guerilla fighter in Aravalli Hills north of Udaipur. Makes Kumbhalgarh new capital; continually harasses Mughal forces and outposts until Akbar decides to sue for peace.
1573, Jun, Man Singh of Ajmer meets Pratap who insults him and refuses to accept Akbar’s sovereignty.
1576, Jun 18, Pratap’s small guerilla army meets large Imperial force led by Man Singh at Battle of Haldighati. Hopelessly outnumbered, Mewaris fight bravely until Pratap and faithful horse Chetak, both severely wounded, forced to retire. Mughals victorious but fail to conquer Mewar. Pratap's brother, Sakta Singh founds Saktawats. Pratap continues harassment of the Mughals for next 20 years, saving the kingdom from imperial subjugation.
1577, Pratap driven from Kumbhalgarh by Mughals a second time.
1578, retires to Chavand where he dies the following year without realising his dream of retaking Chittor.

India: 1574, Akbar conquers Gujarat.
55. Maharana AMAR SINGH I 1597-1620 Udaipur Sisodia Mewar: Amar Singh re-establishes Udaipur as Mewar capital. Mewar enjoys peace for the first time in several decades; Amar attends to revitalising domestic matters.
1605, Akbar’s son and successor, Jahangir renews Mughal war against Mewar.
1613, Sep 7, Jahangir sends force led by son Prince Khurram (later Shah Jahan).
1614, again at war and unable to match strength of imperial forces, on the advice of his chieftains Amar finally decides to accept Mughal sovereignty; negotiates peace settlement with Jahangir.
1615, Feb 5, Amar Singh meets Khurram at Gogunda; signs treaty; Mar 17, under terms of treaty, Amar's heir, Prince Karan Singh attends Mughal court in Ajmer where he befriends Khurram.
1619, Amar builds Badi Pol; Badi Mahal; Amar Mahal. Severely depressed at virtually having betrayed Mewar, Amar Singh retires to Ahar.
1620, he abdicates in favour of Prince Karan; 6 months later he dies (1st Maharana to die in Udaipur).

India:
1600, foundation of East India Co. in London.
1602, foundation of Dutch East India Co.
1605, Mughals, Jahangir.
1611, Jahangir relocates Mughal court to Ajmer in an effort to conquer Mewar.
1612, Prince Khurram weds Arjumand (Mumtaz Mahal).
1614, Jahangir advocates peace treaty with Mewar (on Amar Singh's terms).
1615, peace treaty with Mewar; Sir Thomas Roe 1st British ambassador at Mughal court.
1618, birth of Khurram's son Aurangzeb. 
56. Maharana KARAN SINGH II 1620-1628 Udaipur Sisodia Mewar: Often called last independent king of Rajputana. Mewar almost bankrupt because of grandfather Pratap’s prolonged war against Mughals. Karan set about strengthening his capital and kingdom.
1620-28, builds memorial cenotaph for his father at Ahar, inaugurating area as royal family's cremation ground; Dilkush Mahal, Moti Mahal, Manak Mahal, Zanana Mahal, and Mor Chowk (Peacock Courtyard - Maharana Sajjan Singh adds peacock mosaics 200 years later).
1622, begins building Jag Mandir.
1623, when Mughal friend, Prince Khurram seeks refuge after rebelling against Jahangir, Karan secures the prince and his family at incomplete Jag Mandir for few months. Four years later, Khurram seizes Mughal throne, taking title Shah Jahan; Mewar’s state of tranquillity continues.

India: 1627, Mughals, Shah Jahan.
57. Maharana JAGAT SINGH I
 		 1628-1652 Udaipur Sisodia Mewar: Also a builder; completes Jag Mandir, begins restorations at Chittor.
1628, builds Jagdish Temple just north of the City Palace (completed Mar 13, 1652). Dedicated patron of the Arts and preserver of dynasty’s heritage, encourages Rajput school of miniature painting; adds to City Palace. Adopts cousin Sardar Singh. Highly respected by his subjects. British, who had been trading with India since the turn of the century as British East India Co., admire him as reliable and accessible leader.
1652, in middle of Mewar’s peaceful renaissance, Jagat Singh dies.

India:
1631, death of Mumtaz Mahal;
1632, Shah Jahan begins building Taj Mahal at Agra as her mausoleum (completed 1642).
1636-44, Prince Aurangzeb rules South India as Mughal viceroy.
1646, Shivaji establishes power in region of Pune, Maharashtra, pledges to free Marathas from foreign control.
58. Maharana RAJ SINGH I 1653-1680 Udaipur Sisodia Mewar:
1658, Aurangzeb seizes Mughal throne; soon begins holy war against Mewar.
1659, Raj Singh mounts valiant defence; offers terms for peace treaty. It is not ratified, as Aurangzeb turns his attention to protracted conquests in Deccan. Severe drought in Mewar.
1665, Apr 7, to defeat effect of future droughts, Raj Singh begins construction of Rajsamand Lake. North India’s political scene explodes, gives Mewar a rest from wars with Mughals.
1673, Raj Singh orders Krishna idol brought from Mathura to safety of Mewar; ends up at Nathdwara (Sihar).
1680, Jan 23, Mughal army defeats Raj Singh; Oct 22, death of Raj Singh—possibly poisoned.

India:
1655, Prince Aurangzeb raids Golconda in Deccan.
1656, Shivaji extends Maratha kingdom on west coast; many willingly join him.
1658, Mughals, Aurangzeb (Alamgir I); imprisons father Shah Jahan.
1659, Shivaji begins attacking Mughals in bid to rid India of foreign powers.
1664, inauguration of French East India Co.
1669, Aurangzeb begins destroying Hindu temples and shrines.
1670, Shivaji raids Mughal-controlled port of Surat; begins to levy taxes in Mughal territories; organises Maratha govt. on Hindu principles.
1674. Shivaji founds Maratha Dynastic Era; crowns himself ruler; invades Deccan.
59. Maharana JAI SINGH 1680-1698 Udaipur Sisodia Mewar:
1681, Jun 24, Jai Singh and Mughal Prince Muazzam ratify Mughal treaty; despite this, Aurangzeb continues campaign against Mewar with battles continuing over the next decade. Strong resistance from Jai Singh's forces keeps Mewar free of the Muslim yoke where other Rajput states have succumbed.
1687, emulating his father, Jai Singh begins building Jaisamand Lake (completed 1691). In later years, Jai Singh virtually turns his back on responsibilities; Crown Prince Amar Singh rebels against his father but nobles persuade him to retire to Rajnagar until his succession. Jai Singh completely loses interest in life.
1698, records show Jai Singh dies of effects of insanity. Prince Amar returns to ascend throne.

India:
1680, death of Maratha leader Shivaji aged 53.
1681, Aurangzeb establishes Aurangabad in Maharashtra as new Mughal capital.
1686-7, Aurangzeb annexes sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda; considered himself ruler of Deccan.
60. Maharana AMAR SINGH II 1698-1710 Udaipur Sisodia Mewar: Although a gallant man, Amar Singh’s 40-year reign is uneventful and ineffectual. Emperor Aurangzeb, now old and weak, retires to Aurangabad; gives up warfare mainly because his Treasury is depleted from zealous wars in South India. With this welcome peace, Mewari painters benefit from serenity and finances to perfect their art.

India:
1707, death of Aurangzeb. (Succeeded by series of weak emperors; rapid decline of Mughal Empire.)
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