09-07-2006, 09:46 PM
Friends,
When Akbar won Delhi and was able to win a few more provinces he realised that in order to rule in peace he should have friendly relations with Rajputs. To realise this he sent feelers to Amber for a matrimonial alliance. King of Amber, Bharmall was definetely awed by Akbar's growing power and found it difficult to say no and he accepted Akbar's offer for his sister. This in turn brought Kunwar Maan Singh as a general in Akbar's army.
After this point Maan Singh was single handedly responsible for brainwashing other rajput kingdoms. To give one example: When Akbar set out with a big force to Ranasthambpur (Ranathambore) which was ruled by Surjan Hada as a vassal of Mewar's Maharana Pratap, the fight started and Surjan was defending the fort quite well. Maan Singh was also in this army. Maan Singh sent a message to the fort that he would like to come and meet Surjan Hada. Being a rajput, Hada's trusted another rajput and allowed him to come inside the fort. Akbar also came along on the word of Man Singh that Hada's would not harm him. Surjan met them and was reluctant to give in but Man Singh using all his powers of persuasion convinced the Hada. Hada set forth lot of conditions for an alliance like they would not be asked to give a daughter to Mughals, they would not allow there horses to be branded by the mughal seal etc.
Surjan's son, Bhoja, had an interesting altercation with Akbar:
On the death of the queen Maan Kunwar, Akbar commanded a court mourning; and that all might testify a participation in their master's affliction, an ordinance was issued that all the Rajput chiefs, as well as the Moslem leaders, should shave the moustache and the beard. To secure compliance, the royal barbers had the execution of the mandate. But when they came to quarters of the Hadas, in order to remove these tokens of manhood, they were repulsed with buffets and contumely. Then enemies of Rao Bhoj Hada aggravated the crime of this resistance and insinuated to the royal ear that the outrage upon the barbers was accompanied with expressions insulting to memory of the departed princess, who it will be remembered was a rajputani of Amber. Akbar, forgetting his vassal's gallant services, commanded that Rao Bhoj should be pinioned and forcibly deprived of his moustache. He might as well have commanded the operation on a tiger. The Hadas flew to there arms, the camp was thrown into tumult, and would have soon presented a wide scene of blood-shed, had not the emperor, seasonably repenting of his folly repaired to the Boondi quarters in person. He expressed his admiration (he might have said his fear) of Hada valour, alighted from his elephant to expostulate with the Rao...
This was the darkest period in the history of rajputs when they decided to not use there swords to save there honour. Maharana Pratap was so disgusted by this behavior of rajputs that he banned all marriages between his band of rajputs and other rajputs who had given there daughters.
-Digvijay
When Akbar won Delhi and was able to win a few more provinces he realised that in order to rule in peace he should have friendly relations with Rajputs. To realise this he sent feelers to Amber for a matrimonial alliance. King of Amber, Bharmall was definetely awed by Akbar's growing power and found it difficult to say no and he accepted Akbar's offer for his sister. This in turn brought Kunwar Maan Singh as a general in Akbar's army.
After this point Maan Singh was single handedly responsible for brainwashing other rajput kingdoms. To give one example: When Akbar set out with a big force to Ranasthambpur (Ranathambore) which was ruled by Surjan Hada as a vassal of Mewar's Maharana Pratap, the fight started and Surjan was defending the fort quite well. Maan Singh was also in this army. Maan Singh sent a message to the fort that he would like to come and meet Surjan Hada. Being a rajput, Hada's trusted another rajput and allowed him to come inside the fort. Akbar also came along on the word of Man Singh that Hada's would not harm him. Surjan met them and was reluctant to give in but Man Singh using all his powers of persuasion convinced the Hada. Hada set forth lot of conditions for an alliance like they would not be asked to give a daughter to Mughals, they would not allow there horses to be branded by the mughal seal etc.
Surjan's son, Bhoja, had an interesting altercation with Akbar:
On the death of the queen Maan Kunwar, Akbar commanded a court mourning; and that all might testify a participation in their master's affliction, an ordinance was issued that all the Rajput chiefs, as well as the Moslem leaders, should shave the moustache and the beard. To secure compliance, the royal barbers had the execution of the mandate. But when they came to quarters of the Hadas, in order to remove these tokens of manhood, they were repulsed with buffets and contumely. Then enemies of Rao Bhoj Hada aggravated the crime of this resistance and insinuated to the royal ear that the outrage upon the barbers was accompanied with expressions insulting to memory of the departed princess, who it will be remembered was a rajputani of Amber. Akbar, forgetting his vassal's gallant services, commanded that Rao Bhoj should be pinioned and forcibly deprived of his moustache. He might as well have commanded the operation on a tiger. The Hadas flew to there arms, the camp was thrown into tumult, and would have soon presented a wide scene of blood-shed, had not the emperor, seasonably repenting of his folly repaired to the Boondi quarters in person. He expressed his admiration (he might have said his fear) of Hada valour, alighted from his elephant to expostulate with the Rao...
This was the darkest period in the history of rajputs when they decided to not use there swords to save there honour. Maharana Pratap was so disgusted by this behavior of rajputs that he banned all marriages between his band of rajputs and other rajputs who had given there daughters.
-Digvijay