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{{Short description|Rao of Marwar from 1384 to 1428}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Rao Chunda Rathore
| title = [[Rai (title)|Rao]]
| image =
| caption = Rao Chunda Rathore
| succession = [[Kingdom of Marwar|Rao of Marwar]]
| reign = 1384–1428
| predecessor = Rao Viram Dev
| successor = Rao Kanha
| death_date = 1428
| father = Viramdev
| mother =
| spouse = {{unbulleted list|Pratihar Rajput princess|Rani Suram Sankhali|Rani Sona Mohil}}
| issue = {{unbulleted list|Kanha|[[Ranmal]]|[[Hansa Bai]]}}
}}

'''Rao Chunda Rathore''' (died 1428) was the 12th [[Rai (title)|Rao]] of [[Kingdom of Marwar|Marwar]] from 1384 until his death in 1428. His reign saw the consolidation of Rathore rule in Marwar, through his diplomatic and military prowess.

==Early life==
Chunda's father Viramdev died in a battle against the [[Johiya]]s, resulting in the annexation of his inheritance. Chunda was given refuge by a [[Charan]] named [[Alhaji Barhath]] who raised him at his home in Kalau village. As Chunda grew older, Alhaji equipped him with a horse and weapons and presented him to his uncle [[Rawal Mallinath]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Chandra|first=Yashaswini|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VawSEAAAQBAJ|title=The Tale of the Horse: A History of India on Horseback|date=2021-01-22|publisher=Pan Macmillan|isbn=978-93-89109-92-4|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Sabita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0bSmDwAAQBAJ|title=The Politics of Marriage in India: Gender and Alliance in Rajasthan|date=2019-05-27|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-909828-6|language=en}}</ref> His uncle granted him a small outpost of Salavari which was given to him for his maintenance. Chunda was a skilled warrior and leader and he soon started expanding his holdings.<ref name=CD>{{Cite book|first=Rima|last=Hooja|title=A History of Rajasthan|publisher=Rupa and co.|year=2006|pages=379–380|isbn=9788129115010|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qqd1RAAACAAJ&q=rajasthan%20rima%20hooja}}</ref>

==Reign==
In 1395 the [[Pratihar]]s of [[Mandore]] approached Chunda and proposed an alliance against the [[Tughlaq Empire]]. Chunda agreed and was married to a Pratihar princess, he was further given the fortified city of Mandore and a thousand villages in dowry.<ref name=CD/><ref name=DQ>{{Cite book|first=Melia|last=Belli|title=Royal Umbrellas of Stone: Memory, Politics, and Public Identity in Rajput funerary arts|publisher=Brill|year=2005|pages=142|isbn=9789004300569|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6dR0CgAAQBAJ&dq=rao+chunda+of+mandore&pg=PA142}}</ref> This incident was recorded in an old Rajasthani([[Dingal]]) couplet:<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Ujwal |first=Kailash Dan S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pkkqAAAAYAAJ |title=Bhagwati Shri Karniji Maharaj: A Biography |date=1985 |publisher=<nowiki>[s.n.]]</nowiki> |language=en}}</ref><blockquote>''"ईदौं रो उपकार, कमधज कदे न बीसरे,''

''चूँडै चंवरी चाड़, दी मंडोवर दायजै।"'' </blockquote>which translates as:<blockquote>"The [[Rathore dynasty|Rathore]] shall always remember the obligation of the [[Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty|Indas]] who gave a daughter in marriage and ''[[Mandore|Mandowar]]'' in [[Dowry system in India|dowry]] to Rao Chunda."</blockquote>

The Tughlaq Empire soon reacted by sending an army under Zafar Khan, the governor of [[Gujarat]]. Chunda was able to successfully defend Mandore against this army, [[Timur]]'s invasion further forced Zafar to start negotiations with Chunda. Chunda had agreed to pay tribute to the Tughlaqs after this battle, but he later reneged and invaded Tughlaq territory, capturing [[Sambhar Lake Town|Sambhar]], [[Didwana]], [[Khatu]] and [[Ajmer]]. He continued his expansion and defeated the Chauhans of [[Nadol]] and captured their lands. Chunda also attacked his brother Jai Singh for not helping him against the Tughlaqs and captured [[Phalodi]].<ref name=KA>{{Cite book|first=Khaliq Ahmad Nizami|last=Mohammad Habib|title=A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF INDIA VOL.5|publisher=PEOPLE’S PUBLISHING HOUSE,NEW DELHI|year=1970|pages=811|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WzARcgAACAAJ&q=A+COMPREHENSIVE++HISTORY+OF+INDIA+VOL.5|quote=Rao Chunda, son of Rao Biram, who rose to prominence by establishing hinself at Mandor....He successfully resisted the attack of Zafar Khan of Gujarat on Mandor in 1396. Taking advantage of the confusion and disorder due to the weak rule of the Tughlaqs of Delhi, he conducted continuous operations against the imperial officers and occupied Khatu, Didwana, Sambhar, Nagaur and Ajmer. By defeating the Chauhans he also captured Nadol....captured Phalodi in 1411, because Jai Singh did not co-operate with him in his expeditions against the inperial territories... treacherously murdered Chunda in 1423. Nevertheless during Chunda's reign Marwar rose to a position of eminence.}}</ref><ref name="CD" /><ref name="JP">{{Cite book|first=Satish|last=Chandra|title=Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals-Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526)|publisher=Har Anand|year=2006|pages=222–223|isbn=9788124110645|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L5eFzeyjBTQC}}</ref> Chunda captured and occupied [[Nagaur]] in 1408 AD and decided to stay there leaving Mandore under the charge of one of his sons.<ref name=":0" /> Chunda secured an alliance with [[Rana Lakha]] during this time through his daughter [[Hansa Bai|Hansa]].

==Death==
Chunda's aggressive expansion intimidated the surrounding chieftains, who made an alliance against him. This alliance included the Rao of [[Pugal]], Sankhlas of [[Jangladesh|Janglu]] and Khidar Khan of [[Multan]]. They attacked Chunda and surrounded him at [[Nagaur]]. There was treachery in Chunda's army<ref name=KA/> and therefore, Chunda did not anticipate the attack and was not able to make preparations to give battle. Finding no way out of the situation, he charged his enemies and was killed in action. Chunda's wife Sona urged him to appoint their son Kanha, as his successor. [[Ranmal]] was Chunda's eldest son however Chunda declared his younger son Kanha as his heir to appease Sona. Ranmal therefore left Marwar and went to the neighbouring kingdom of Mewar.<ref name=CD/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Monarchs of Marwar]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:1428 deaths]]

Rao Chunda - Revision history

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