Battle of Haldighati , (Battle of Akbar and Maharana Pratap)

 MAHARANA   PRATAP

• Maharana Pratap was a Rajput warrior and a king of Mewar , Rajasthan , in north-west India. one of the greatest Rajput warriors , he is recognised for resisting the attempts of the Mughal ruler Akbar to conquer his territory.
• Unlike the other neighbouring Rajput ruler , Maharana Pratap repeatedly refused to submit to the mighty Mughals and continued fighting courageously till his last breath,
• Maharana Pratap was born on may 9 , 1540 , in Kumbhalgarh fort to Jaiwanta Bai and Udai Singh ii , was the king of Mewar and his capital was Chittor.

BATTLE  OF  HALDIGHATI

• "Battle of Haldighati" biggest battle in Rajputana and one of the most horrible battle in India history was played on 18th June , 1576. Though it was inconclusive because neither Mewad lose nor Mughals won.
• 1556 , after defeating Sher Shah Suri  kingdom , Akbar planned of stablishing the empire. He realised the importance of alliances with the Rajputs and among the many tactics marrying Rajput princess from Amer was the one.
• After his accession to the throne , Akbar had steadily settled his relationship with most of the Rajput states.

• Akbar came up with the siege of Chittogarh in October 1567. During the carnage , 8,000 Rajputs in Chittogarh Fort were surrounded and besieged by 5,000 men which was later expanded to 80,000 which concluded in the expected victory of the Mughals. To avoid capture by Mughals , Rajput women created a Jauhar.
• When Rana Pratap succeeded his father on the throne of Mewar , Akbar dispatched a series of diplomatic embassies to him , entreating the Rajput king become his vassal.
• A final emissary , Todar Mal , was sent to Mewar without any favourable outcome. With diplomacy having failed , war was inevitable.

ARMY  STRENTH

• Maharana Pratap , who had been secure in the rock-fortress of Kumbhalgarth , sent up his base in the town of Gogunda near Udaipur.
• Around 14 mile (23 KM) north of Gogunda by a spur of the Aravalli Range called "HALDIGHATI".
• Rana forces numbered 20,000 , which were pitted against the 80,000 strong army of Man Sing. Satish Chandra estimates that Man singh army consisted of 5,000-10,000 men a figure which included both the Mughals and the Rajputs.
• Both side possessed war elephants , but the Rajputs bore no firearms. the Mughals fielded no wheeled artillery or heavy ordance , but did employ a number  of muskets.

BATTKE  OF  HALDIGHATI

• On June 18 , 1576 , the Rajput army stood face-to-face with the Mugal army at Haldighati.
• According to historians , it was one of the fiercest battles ever fought , with the Mughal forces outnumbering the Rajput army. 
• the battle lasted for four hours and resulted in huge loss of lives on the Mewar side (approximately 1600 solders) , while the Mughals lost only 150 solders and 350 wounded. Maharana Pratap was badly wounded but escaped to the nearby hills.
• Though Mughals were able to claim several parts of Mewar , including Gogunda and the nearby areas except some reason of Aravellis , but they we re unable to oust Maharana Pratap who continued to harass the Mughals through guerrilla tactics.
• The moment Akbar focus shifted to other places , Pratap along with his army who came out of the hiding and successfully regained the control of western regions of his province.

AFTERMATH

• The great warrior left for the heavenly abode on 29th January , 1597 , at the age of 56 , as a result of injuries sustained during his incessant struggle the Mughal Empire.
• the saga ended nearly 18 years after Maharana death . over the years , due to several battles Mewar was damaged financially as well as in manpower.
• In 1615 , Amar singh I , eldest son and successor of Maharana Pratap , to avoid further loss entered into a treaty with shah Jahan (on behalf of Jahangir).