Rana Sanga

Sangram Singh I (12 April 1482 – 30 January 1528), most commonly known as Rana Sanga, was the Maharana of Mewar from 1509 to 1528. A member of the Sisodia dynasty, he controlled parts of present-day Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Sindh, and Uttar Pradesh with his capital at Chittorgarh.

In his military career, Sanga achieved a series of successes against several neighbouring sultanates. Following the Battle of Gagron in 1519 against the Malwa Sultanate, Sanga captured much of Eastern Malwa. He humbled the Sultan of Gujarat on various occasions. He also reduced the Khanzadas of Mewat to his submission helping him to extend his sway over modern-day Haryana. Among his great victories were the multiple defeats inflicted upon the Lodi dynasty of Delhi at Khatoli, Dholpur, and Ranthambore enabling Sanga to capture much of the latter's domain in Southern Malwa and Western Uttar Pradesh.

At its zenith in 1521, Sangram's empire stretched from Mandu, the capital of Malwa Sultanate in the south to Peela Khal (Pilya Khal), a small rivulet near Bayana and Agra, in the northeast, to river Indus in the west and north-west. Nearly all the Rajput's chiefs owed their allegiance to him. He also marched against the invading forces of Babur, who founded the Mughal Empire. Despite initial success against combined Mughal-Afghan forces at the Battle of Bayana, Sanga suffered a significant defeat at Khanwa primarily due to Babur's use of gunpowder weaponry, which was unknown in northern India at the time.

Sanga is hailed as the greatest ruler of his time. He was said to have gained 18 pitched battles against the Sultans of Delhi, Malwa and Gujarat and was renowned for his heroism and leadership. Sanga counted more than 80 wounds lacked an eye and arm and was crumpled from one leg from various engagements. He is regarded as the last independent Hindu sovereign of Northern India to control extensive boundaries. His reign was admired by several of his contemporaries, including the first Mughal Emperor Babur, who described him as the "greatest Indian ruler" of that time while also accusing him of sending an invitation to invade India, a claim that has not been widely accepted. The Mughal historian Abd al-Qadir Badayuni called Sanga the bravest of all Rajputs along with Prithviraj Chauhan also known as Rai Pithaura