And the kinsmen of famous Salim Chishti of Fatehpur Sikri were also there present with their followers. Gazi Khan of central Asian provinces joined Akbar. Rao Lunkaran of Sambhar brought his Rajputs to the Mughal fold too. Mughal army was also supplemented by the Kachchwaha forces. Syed Hashim was another commander matching him in stature. In the Mughal Army, Man Singh himself was a commander ranking 5000 horse and other ancillaries. He entrusted the task to Syed Hashim of Barrha along with his brothers and Man Singh.” He quickly ordered an attack on Maharana Pratap. Akbar was already looking for a moment like this. He started advising Akbar to attack and depose Maharana and capture Mewar. Man Singh considered this to be an insult and left. Pratap sent his son Amar Singh for the dinner. Maharana Pratap refused to join him on the pretext that kings dine only with kings and Man Singh was just a crown prince and that too, of a vassal state of the Mughals. “During his stay in Mewar, Man Singh was invited to a royal dinner. The mission failed then something happened which brought war to the gates of Mewar even earlier than predicted”. Maharana Pratap did not pay heed to any of the logics and schemes put forward by Man Singh. He wanted Rana Pratap to acknowledge him as the emperor and wanted Pratap to be his vassal, just like Man Singh. To quote from Saffron Swords, Akbar “sent Man Singh as his emissary to Mewar. While most kingdoms surrendered to his supremacy and became vassal rulers, Maharana Pratap neither recognized Mughal supremacy nor agreed for any meetings or alliances.Īkbar decided to use Rajputs against Rajputs. Mughal ruler Akbar always looked opportunities to use Indians against Indians in battle to create further divisions between them.
Maharana Pratap: Four Memorable Events from the Battle of Haldighati