| Ganga | |
|---|---|
| Rao of Marwar | |
| Ruler of Marwar | |
| Reign | 1515 – 11 May 1532 |
| Predecessor | Rao Suja |
| Successor | Maldev Rathore |
| Born | 18 April 1483 |
| Died | 11 May 1531 |
| Father | Bagha Rathore |
| Mother | Udanbai Sahiba (Chauhan) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Rao Ganga (r. 1515– 11 May 1531) was an Indian king from the Rathore dynasty who ruled the traditional Rathore realm of Maruwara (Marwar) in present-day state of Rajasthan. Ganga ascended to the throne in 1515 CE acquiring the support from his family nobles. During his reign, Rathores consolidated and expanded their rule in Marwar.
He made affable relations with his neighbours most notably with the powerful monarch Rana Sanga whom he aided in his various campaigns and send his son in a battle fought near Agra against the Mughal invader Babur, who in latter stage of the battle rescued the fainted Rana from the battlefield.
Afterwards, Ganga annexed territories from Afghans and his own relatives, before being murdered by prince Maldev, who succeeded him in 1531 CE and under whom Rathore kingdom reached peak of its glory.
Reign[edit | edit source]
Ganga ascended the throne in 1515 CE despite being the second (younger) son of Bagha owing to the support of Rathore nobles.[1] At the time of his accession, Delhi Sultanate under its unpopular ruler Ibrahim Lodhi was on a rapid decline, which allowed Ganga to expand the frontiers of his own kingdom. During his reign, Sisodia king Rana Sanga (c.1508-1528) embarked a period of territorial expansion of Mewar after defeating various Sultanates in pitched battles including the Lodhis. Taking the opportunity, Ganga made friendly relations with Mewar and enhanced it further by marrying one of his sister Dhansi to Sanga.[2]
At various occasions, Ganga sent contingents of Rathore soldiers in aid of his brother-in law's military campaigns and himself in person assisted him against Muzaffar Shah of Gujarat in reinstating Raimal on throne of Idar.[3] Ganga send a strong army of 4,000 under Prince Maldev who led the left contingent of the Rajput army in Battle of Khanwa. When Sanga got wounded and fainted in the battle, he was removed from the battlefield in unconscious state by Prince Maldev aided by Prithviraj Kachwaha of Dhundar.[4][5][6]
After the triumph in Khanwa, Babur did not penetrate into Rajasthan and subsequent decline of Mewar after the assassination of Sanga allowed Ganga to expanded his kingdom and laid the base for a powerful Rathore kingdom. He annexed Sojat in short span of time. Afterwards, Ganga faced an invasion of Afghans from Nagore under the command of Daualt Khan. In a pitched battle aided by Rathore branch of Bikaner, Rathores defeated the Afghans and killed Sarkhel Khan in the battle.[7]
Death[edit | edit source]
Ganga was murdered on 11 May 1531 by his ambitious son Maldev who pushed him from the balcony. This is attested by historian Muhnot Nainsi in his work Nainsi ri khyat. Later writers asserts that Ganga's fall was an accidental one due to opium effect without giving any conclusive evidence to save Maldeo from charge of Patricide. Notwithstanding, under the rule of Maldev (r.1531-1562), the Rathore house reached its pinnacle of glory in political importance and territorial expansion.[8]
Issues[edit | edit source]
Rao Ganga had 6 sons:[9]
- Maldeo, who succeeded his father.
- Vairsal
- Man Singh
- Kishan Singh
- Sadul
- Kanh
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Visheshwar Sarup Bhargava 1966, p. 12.
- ↑ Visheshwar Sarup Bhargava 1966, p. 13–14:"Rana Sanga of Mewar was related to Ganga by marriage. Ganga's sister, Dhansi, was married to Sanga. Hence,the relations between the states of Mewar and Marwar remained very cordial and Marwar's forces joined that of Mewar in the latter's battles of Idar and Khanua"
- ↑ History of Mewar from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D., R.V. Somani. p. 162.
- ↑ Visheshwar Sarup Bhargava 1966, p. 17.
- ↑ Agarwal, B.D. (1979). Rajasthan District Gazetteers: Jodhpur. Gazetteer of India. Directorate of District Gazetteers, Government of Rajasthan. p. 31. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- ↑ History of Mewar from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D., R.V. Somani. p. 173.
- ↑ Visheshwar Sarup Bhargava 1966, p. 18.
- ↑ Visheshwar Sarup Bhargava, p. 18-19.
- ↑ Marwar ka Itihas – I, Vishveshwer Nath Reu, p114
Bibliography[edit | edit source]
- Visheshwar Sarup Bhargava (1966). Marwar and the Mughal Emperors (A. D. 1526-1748). Munshiram Manoharlal. ISBN 978-81-215-0400-3.
- Somani, R. (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari Publications. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
Rao Ganga
| ||
| Preceded by Rao Suja |
Rao of Marwar 8 November 1515 – 9 May 1532 |
Succeeded by Maldeo |