The Prince of Mewar

Bhanwar Amar Singh I was born on 16th March 1559, to Kunwarani Ajabdeh Punwar and Kunwar Pratap Singh of Mewar at Chittorgarh Fort Kumbha Palace. Popular folklore described him as having the heart of his mother and the skills of his father. Amar was the first grandson of Udai Singh I, who had gone on a hunting trip post his birth to celebrate the day and had chanced upon the sage who warned him of a coming danger. It is in his suggestion that Lake Picholi soon saw a Mahal coming up next to it, and they called it Udaipur, the new capital.

Amar Singh was a very brave boy. Just like his father, his training also started early, and according to James Todd's journal, he had joined his first war beside his father at the mere age of 8 years. As Chittorgarh fell and a rift appeared in the royal family, Amar, at a mere age of 10, was in charge of his siblings. An incident describes his defending of the entourage of queens while on their way to Kumbhalgarh in the forest against the enemy soldiers. He was closest to Chand Singh, his father's second-born son, son of Phool Kanwar Rathore, his father's fifth wife. After a tough battle, subsequently, when Kunwar Pratap was crowned Rana, Kunwar Amar Singh and his family moved to Kumbhalgarh, his father's birthplace. After repeated peace treaties with Akbar, he had been sent by his father in 1575 to meet Maan Singh, the commander of the Mughal Army. At the mere age of 16, then, he was the senapati of Mewar. In a heated argument, the short-tempered prince had questioned Maan Singh's Rajput blood and pedigree and forced him to declare war. While everyone assumed the Rana would be furious, he was proud of his son. At the Battle of Dewair II in 1582, he had fought alongside his father bravely. Such was his valour that he slid the spear across the armour-clad body of Sultan Khan, the Mughal Commander, and it had pierced through to the ground. Salim, better known as Jahangir in his chronicles, mentions how Amar Singh was tough to bend to a treaty.

Kunwar Amar had helped his father in all his campaigns. In the battles to win over 17 out of 18 Mughal strongholds holds he was clearly showing his worth as an heir (battles, not wars). In around 1580, he married Princess Aarti Bai Chauhan of Bhilwara, who was also a niece of his father's third wife, Jasobai. In 1582, they had moved to Chavand, and his father had married him to his second cousin, Princess of Gwalior, daughter to Shallavan Tanwar, after her family had perished in war for him. Amar became father to Karan Singh on 7th January 1584, and lost his mother around the same time. One incident describes Amar as the commander of the Mewar army, which had captured a camp, and he had ordered the capture of the wife and daughter of the chief of the Mughals. This made Rana Pratap furious, and he reminded them that Rajputs never dragged women into politics. Amar Singh had taken over administration since his father's health deteriorated, and was crowned king on 20th February 1597. He continued his reign till 26th January 1620, when he died at 61. He led many battles to win back Chittorgarh, as it was his father's wish. The battle of 1615 cost him dearly as Shah Jahan rampaged through the villages. An incompetent Karan pushed him for a treaty. The treaty for the first time had three conditions. There will be no inter-house marriage between the Mewar and the Mughals. Mewar won't provide an army for the battles of the Mughals. And no Rana would enter a Mughal court. After the treaty came about on 5th February 1617, Jahangir gave him back the fort of Chittorgarh, and Amar tried in vain to get it back to its glory. People feared going back there, and Rana Amar settled his capital at Amar Mahal in Udaipur. He died worried about Mewar's future in the hands of his incompetent heir, Karan Singh. Amar Singh, I was indeed a worthy son and successor to Rana Pratap, contrary to popular beliefs.

Sources:

Chittorgarh, the land of bravehearts, by Dharmender Kanwar

Maharana Pratap by Rima Hooja/Ram Sharma/ Shiv Gajrani/B N. Rana

War Strategy of Maharana Pratap by L.P. Mathur

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