Sisodia Dynasty of Mewar

The Sisodia Dynasty, popularly known as the “House of Mewar,” was one of the numerous Rajput clans that controlled the Kingdom of Mewar, afterward known as the Udaipur State under the British Raj. 

The dynasty may be traced back to Rahapa, a son of Guhila monarch Ranasimha. After conquering the Tughluq sultans of Delhi, Hammir Singh, a descendant of this branch family of the Guhilas, re-established the Kingdom of Mewar.

Origin

The ruling Guhila dynasty had been ousted from Mewar during an assault by the Delhi sultanate around the turn of the 13th century.

After defeating the Tughluq forces, Hammir Singh, a cadet branch of the Guhila dynasty, re-established the dynasty, and captured present-day Rajasthan from Muslim forces of Delhi, becoming the first of his dynasty to use the royal title ‘Rana’ instead of ‘Rawal.’ As a result, he established the Sisodia clan.

History of Sisodia Dynasty

Except for the patricide Udai Singh I, Hammir Singh was succeeded by a series of great and brave monarchs such as Rana Khumba and Rana Raimal, Rana Sanga. 

However, as a result of Rana Sanga’s loss to Babur at the Battle of Khanwa, the reputation of Mewar and many other Rajput kingdoms plummeted. His weak successors, Ratan Singh II, Vikramaditya Singh, and Vanvir Singh, ruled for a brief period.

Conflicts with the Mughals

For a long period, a succession of Mewar rulers—Udai Singh II, Maharana Pratap, and Amar Singh I—resisted the Mughals. After his resources were spent, Amar Singh was forced to surrender and become a vassal of the Mughals. 

Several construction projects were undertaken by his successor, Karan Singh II. During the reign of Jagat Singh I, there was significant friction between him and Emperor Shah Jahan, but they reached an agreement and avoided war.

Raj Singh I was a powerful ruler who clashed regularly with Emperor Aurangzeb. His successor, Jai Singh, continued in the same fashion.

After Raj Singh I, the following two monarchs, Amar Singh II and Sangram Singh II, retained peace and prosperity in their kingdom, but they were followed by a long line of weak and unimportant successors.

During this time, Rajputana was dominated by Jaipur, followed by the Marathas. Bhim Singh of Mewar was forced to sign a pact with the British to accept their protection.

Sisodia Dynasty under British Raj

By 1818, the troops of Holkar, Scindia, and Tonk had plundered Mewar, impoverishing both the monarch and the population. Maharana Bhim Singh of Mewar requested the British for assistance as early as 1805, but the Treaty of 1803 with Scindia stopped the British from considering the request. 

However, by 1817, the British were also eager to form alliances with Rajput princes, and the Treaty of Friendship, Alliances, and Unity was signed on 13 January 1818 between Mewar and the East India Company (on behalf of Britain).

The British Government pledged to defend Mewar’s territory in exchange for Mewar acknowledging British authority and agreeing to refrain from political connections with other states and paying one-fourth of its earnings as a tribute for five years, then three-eighth in infinity.

Shambhu Singh established new regulations and offices to improve administrative resources, organized temple administration, and income and implemented a new legal code for Mewar. Under his leadership, the military was reorganized, major prison reforms were implemented, and new road and railway buildings began.

Despite being formally uneducated, he placed a high value on education, expanding existing schools and establishing numerous new ones. Most importantly, he was the first to establish a school for girls, so promoting educational opportunities for all. He imposed harsh monetary fines on offenders and implemented particular steps to curb Sati pratha.

Thus with various reforms in public facilities and infrastructure, Shambhu Singh was considered a liberal and well-managed king of his times. But with his untimely death at the young age of 27 years, his dreams of the revival of his homeland to the ancient golden times were stalled. He left behind no heir and his cousin Sajjan Singh, who himself was a minor at the time of his death; succeeded him and went ahead in continuation with the reforms paved by his predecessor.

Post-Independence

Bhupal Singh was the final monarch of the state of Udaipur. Singh was one of the first Indian princes to sign an Instrument of Accession to the nascent Dominion of India on 7 April 1949, following the independence and division of British India in 1947. Bhagwat Singh, his son, was the supposed monarch of Udaipur until 1971 when the Indian government revoked all royal titles.

Both of Bhagwat Singh’s sons, Mahendra Singh Mewar and Arvind Singh Mewar claim to be the present leader of the House of Mewar. The tension between the two branches of the family has persisted.

While Arvind Singh Mewar is mentioned in the worldwide press as the present head of the family, the local old aristocratic families of Udaipur recognize Mahendra Singh Mewar as the genuine leader.

List of Maharanas of Sisodia Dynasty