Maharana Hammir Singh – Founder of Sisodia Dynasty

The Hindu Rajput ruler of Mewar in modern-day Rajasthan, India, Maharana Hammir (1314–1364), often known as Hammir, ruled during the 14th century. Hammir Singh was a descendant of the Guhila dynasty’s Cadet Branch Rana.

After defeating the Tughlaq dynasty and seizing present-day Rajasthan from Muslim armies of Delhi, he regained control of the area, restored the dynasty, and became the first member of the “Rana” line to hold the title of Maharana as King of Mewar.

Hammir also established the Sisodia clan, a branch of the Guhila dynasty that has been the lineage of all succeeding Maharanas of Mewar. Mewar was one of the few ethnic Indian states that had survived the Turkic invasions during Rana Hammir’s rule. Only the Hindu states of Mewar and Vijaynagar, according to John Darwin, were able to survive the flood.

Hammmir was introduced to Mahavir Prasad Prashasti as the Turushka vanquisher. In Chittor Fort in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, he constructed the Annapoorna Mata Temple. Additionally, he constructed Sewantri’s historic Roopnarayan Ji temple.

Early years of Hammir Singh

Ari Singh, the eldest son of Rana Laksha among Sisoda’s nine sons, married Urmila, a Chandaana Chauhan Rajput woman from the village of Unnava close to Kelwara. The only child of this union was Rana Hammir.

When Alauddin Khilji attacked Chittorgarh at the beginning of the 13th century, Rana Laksha and his sons joined the garrison there to protect it from the advancing army.

At the conclusion of the Siege of Chittorgarh, Rana Laksha perished alongside his seven sons while engaging in saka (fighting to the death).

As they all passed away while practising saka, the Chittorgarh branch that ruled Rawal ceased to exist. To maintain the blood line, Ajay Singh was injured and smuggled out of Chittorgarh. 

When he arrived in Kelwara, he treated his wounds there. He called Hammir from Unnava after learning about him there. Munja Balecha of Godwar, who was causing mayhem nearby, was murdered by Rana Hammir. Hammir was chosen as the king’s heir because his uncle was pleased by this event.

The Thakur of Sisoda village was Lakshman Singh. He passed away while watching his seven sons fight to the death (saka), and their wives committed jauhar (self-immolation in preference to becoming enemy captives). 

Laksha belonged to the Gehlot (Guhilot) clan because she was directly descended from Bappa Rawal in the aristocratic line. Laksha’s children acquired the surname Sisodia since they were born in the village of Sisoda, which is close to Nathdwara.

Recovering Chittorgarh

Khaljis gave Sonagara Maldev, the head of the adjacent state of Jalore, control over Chittorgarh. Hammir adopted an aggressive plan to reclaim Mewar after succeeding as the Rana of Sisoda. 

Maldev set up the union of his daughter Songari with Rana Hammir as a condition of establishing his dominion. Maldev was given Merta and Chittorgarh was taken back from him by the Khiljis since they did not like this matrimonial match. 

This encouraged Hamir to work toward driving the Khilji army out of Mewar. After Muhammad bin Tughluq ascended to the throne, Hammir was able to conquer Chittorgarh.

Conflict against the Tughluq dynasty

The Rajput bardic histories, such as Nainsi ri Khyat by Nainsi (17th century), allege that Hammir Singh took control of Mewar amid the disruption brought on by the collapse of the Khalji dynasty in Delhi. 

Jaiza, the Chauhan vassal of the Delhi Sultanate and the son of Maldev, was driven from Mewar by him. The Delhi Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq marched against Hammir Singh after Jaiza left for Delhi.

In the Battle of Singoli, Hammir Singh allegedly defeated Tughluq close to the village of Singoli and captured the Sultan. He then let the Sultan go. The Sultanate gave him Ajmer, Ranthambor, Nagaur, and Sooespur six months later, in exchange for 5 million rupees and 100 elephants as ransom.

An army of Muslims, possibly under the command of a general of Muhammad bin Tughluq, was routed by the forces of Rana Hammir Singh in 1438, according to an inscription found in a Jain temple. 

It’s conceivable that after that, Muhammad bin Tughluq and his successors did not assert their power in the modern-day state of Rajasthan and other Rajput leaders acknowledged Hammir Singh’s authority, thereby separating Mewar from the Delhi Sultanate.