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| Siege of Ranthambore (1568) | |||||||||
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| Part of Mughal-Rajput War 1558–1578 | |||||||||
 Bullocks dragging siege-guns up hill during Akbar's attack on Ranthambhor Fort[1] | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Mughal Empire | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Akbar Mehtar Khan Abu'l-Hasan Asaf Khan Ghazi Khan Badakshani Munim Khan | Rao Surjan Singh | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 70,000 men 96cannons 50swivel guns 900matchlocks 4000war elephants | 12,000 defenders 100war elephants | ||||||||
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In thesiege of Ranthambore, on 8 February 1568, Akbar led a massiveMughal Army of over 50,000 men and besiegedRanthambore Fort. Akbar had become emboldened after his victories at theBattle of Thanesar and thesiege of Chittorgarh and onlyRanthambore Fort remained unconquered.Akbar believed thatRanthambore Fort was a major threat to theMughal Empire because it housed greatHadaRajputs who considered themselves sworn enemies of theMughals.
Akbar had first decided to besiegeRanthambore Fort in the year 1558, but decided instead to captureGwalior, northernRajputana, andJaunpur.
After successfulMughal victories aroundRajputana and the fall of Akbar's most notorious enemies during thesiege of Chittorgarh, Akbar decided to captureRanthambore Fort, which was considered the strongest fortress inRajputana and widely believed to be impregnable.
TheRajputs inRanthambore Fort were under the command of Rao Surjan Hada, of the Hada clan ofBundi.Ranthambore was the capital ofBundi state. Rao Surjan Hada was greatly demoralized by Akbar's victory during thesiege of Chittorgarh but initially refused to surrender.
The siege of Ranthambore began on 8 February 1568, an elite Mughal force of 5,000 captured an 8-mile circumference aroundRanthambore Fort. Akbar then led an army of more than 30,000 Mughals bringing along with themselves some of the largest cannons ever built in theMughal Empire. Akbars ranks expanded to over 70,000 within weeks of the siege.
Akbar set up theRed imperial tent in front of the hill that led to the gateway intoRanthambore Fort. Akbar then armed his camp with massive cannons, three of which were more than 15 ft long. Akbar then ordered his men to capture three nearby rocky outcrops, Akbar then placed cannon batteries on those positions. it was from these three positions thatAkbar bombardedRanthambore Fort, which was perched on top of a steep rock cliff.[2]
As the siege continued Akbar placed even biggercannons and high velocitymortars on the two rocky outcrops facingRanthambore Fort.[3] Akbar also ordered his men to begin constructingsabats, or covered ways, in order to allow the army to move nearer to the enemy. Within weeks thesabats allowed Akbar's men to gain control of areas just underneath the steep slope ofRanthambore Fort. The Mughals built prefabricated walls to protect their gains around the fort and then placed highly accurate narrow barreled long-cannons that were about 20–25 ft in length.[4] The long-cannons andvolley guns that were effectively utilized during the siege were known to have been designed by the prestigious inventorFathullah Shirazi.
As a result of such close bombardment flames began to shoot out from the buildings within the fort's walls and the sky was black with smoke, evenwar elephants within the fort went rogue. It was during this stage that Akbar personally massed soldiers near the gates of the fort and was ready to advance on the fort.
Finally on 21 March 1568, Rao Surjan Hada opened the gate ofRanthambore Fort and allowed theMughal Army to enter after he collected statues ofHindu deities from the temples and personally welcomedAkbar intoRanthambore Fort.[5] Akbar then invited Rao Surjan Hada to his imperial camp and in the evening of that very day Rao Surjan Hada, the ruler ofRanthambhor, submitted to theMughal EmperorAkbar, after a fiercely fought campaign of immense strategic importance to the expansion of theMughal Empire. Akbar then seated on a throne under a canopy, when Rao Surjan Hada bowed in submission before him.[6]
Mehtar Khan was then appointed byAkbar to be the commander of theMughal garrison atRanthambore Fort after Rao Surjan Hada was sent toBundi.
After surrendering the fort, a meeting of negotiations was held between Rao Surjan Singh andMan Singh I, accompanied by Akbar. The Rao signed an alliance treaty with the Mughal Empire demanding some following main conditions:[7][8][9][10]
1) The Rao should be exempted from payingJizya.
2) There would be no matrimonial alliance between the two states.
3) They would not be sent on Mughal service beyond theIndus river.
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