TheSisodia was aRajput dynasty belonging to the clan that ruled over theKingdom of Mewar, in the region ofMewar inRajasthan, India.[1] The Sisodias were an off-shoot of theGuhila Dynasty and claim descent from theSuryavanshi dynasty. The name of this clan is also transliterated asSesodia,Shishodia,Sishodia,Shishodya,Sisodya,Sisodiya,Sisodia.[2][3]
The Sisodia dynasty traced its ancestry to Rahapa, a son of the 12th centuryGuhila King Ranasimha. He founded the village of Shisoda, in modern dayRajsamand district, as his capital, after which his descendants were called Sisodias. The main branch of the Guhila dynasty ended with their defeat against theKhalji dynasty at theSiege of Chittorgarh (1303). In 1326,Rana Hammir, who belonged to Sisodiya branch, reclaimed control of the region with the help of Baruji Sauda and hisCharan allies, re-established the dynasty, and also became the founder of the Sisodia dynasty clan, a branch of the Guhila dynasty, to which every succeeding Maharana of Mewar belonged, and the Sisodias regained control ofChittor, the former Guhila capital.[4][5][6] The Sisodiyas were engaged in multiple battles against Sultans ofMalwa, Nagor,Gujarat andDelhi.[7] They were a significant reason in weakening of the adjacent sultanates including the Delhi Sultanate.[8]
According to theRajprashasti genealogy, one of these – Rana Samar – married Prithi, the sister ofPrithviraj Chauhan. His grandson Rahapa adopted the titleRana (monarch). Rahapa's descendants spent some time at a place called Sisoda, and therefore, came to be known as "Sisodia".[9][10]
The most notable Sisodia rulers wereRana Hamir (r. 1326–64),Rana Kumbha (r. 1433–68),Rana Sanga (r.1508–1528) andRana Pratap (r. 1572–97). TheBhonsle clan, to which theMaratha empire's founderShivaji belonged, also claimed descent from a branch of the royal Sisodia family.[11] Nainsi in his book mentioned Shahji descended from Chacha, son of Rana Lakha.[12] Similarly,Rana dynasty ofNepal also claimed descent from Ranas ofMewar.[13]
According to the Sisodia Chronicles, when theDelhi SultanAlauddin Khalji attackedChittorgarh in 1303, the Sisodia men performedSaka (fighting to the death), while their women committedJauhar (self-immolation in preference to becoming enemy captives). This was repeated twice: whenBahadur Shah of Gujarat besiegedChittorgarh in 1535, and when theMughal emperorAkbar conquered it in 1567.[14]
Frequent skirmishes with the Mughals greatly reduced the Sisodia power and the size of their kingdom. The Sisodias ultimately accepted the Mughal suzerainty, and some even fought in the Mughal army. However, the art and literary works commissioned by the subsequent Sisodia rulers emphasized their pre-Mughal past.[14] The Sisodias were the last Rajput dynasty to ally with the Mughals, and unlike other Rajput clans, never intermarried with the Mughal imperial family.[15] The Sisodias cultivated an elite identity distinct from other Rajput clans through the poetic legends, eulogies and visual arts commissioned by them.James Tod, an officer of theBritish East India Company, relied on these works for his bookAnnals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the central and western Rajpoot states of India (1829–1832). His widely read work further helped spread the views of the Sisodias as a superior Rajput clan in colonial and post-colonialIndia.[14][16]