Man Singh I

Man Singh fought sixty-seven important battles in Kabul, Balkh, Bukhara, Bengal and Central and Southern India.

Initially known as Kunwar (prince), Man Singh received the title of Mirza or Raja (King) and the rank mansab of 5000 after the death of his father on 10 December 1589 from Akbar.

Kunwar Man Singh led the Mughal Army in the well-known battle of Haldighati fought in 1576 against the Kingdom of Mewar.

Jagannath Kachwaha killed Ramshah Tanwar and Rajput warriors of both sides engaged in a fierce battle.

The Mughals were the victors and inflicted significant casualties among the Mewaris but failed to capture Pratap, who escaped to the hills.

[13][14] In 1580 CE, some prominent Muslim officers of Akbar, displeased with his liberal religious policies, started to conspire against him.

On 8 March 1581, Akbar reached Machhiwara and soon arrived on the banks of River Indus, he then sent an advance force led by Man Singh to Kabul.

Akbar sent an army under Zain Khan, Hakim Abul Fateh and Raja Birbal to control these revolting tribes.

Todarmal had some success in controlling the rebellious Afghan tribes, but the real source of the revolt was behind the Khyber Pass.

Man Singh was accompanied by "Rao Gopaldas" of Nindar in this expedition, who bravely made way for Mughal army in the pass.

The flag of Amber was changed from "Katchanar" (green climber in white base) to "Pachranga" (five colored) to commemorate this victory.

[15] In 1586 CE, Akbar sent another army under Raja Bhagwant Das, father of Kunwar Man Singh to win Kashmir.

Man Singh and his father Raja Bhagwant Das are reputed to have brought the technology of cannon production to Amber.

Man Singh's first target was Raja Puranmal of Gidhaur whose fort was easily conquered by the Kachwaha army.

Man Singh continued his campaign and defeated the raja's of Gaya and Kargpur, both of them were forced into submission and paid tribute to the emperor.

The invaders left their loot and fled back to Bengal, the spoils of war and 54 elephants were sent to the emperor.

[16][17] After conquering Bihar, Man Singh was ordered to defeat the Afghan Sultan Qatlu Khan Lohani of Orissa.

Jagat Singh Kachwaha was sent with an advance army to study the area, however he was attacked by Sultan Qatlu Khan and was badly defeated where several notable commanders of Amber were killed, including Bika Rathor, Narupal Charan and Mahesh Das.

Nasir bowed before Man Singh and promised to read the Khutba and stamp coins in the name of emperor Akbar.

Man Singh was called to Lahore where the crown prince Salim personally received him and he was given robes of condolence by the emperor for his father's death.

Man Singh, after this victory, marched towards Dacca and forced Kedar Rai, the zamindar of Bhushna, to submit to him.

Man Singh then marched towards the Banar river where he defeated the successor of Qatlu Khan called Usman and quelled the Pathans under him.

Man Singh thus returned to Dacca and camped at Nazirpur after a series of victories against the powerful rebels of Bengal.

Man Singh was initially sent as Subahdar of Bengal on 10 November 1605 for a short period, but soon he was replaced by Qutb-ud-Din Khan Koka on 2 September 1606.

But in 1611 CE, the southern provinces of Ahmednagar, Berar and Khandesh defied Mughal sovereignty under Malik Ambar.

He had a seven-storied temple of Krishna constructed for Srila Rupa Goswami, disciple of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in Vrindavan.

When Akbar called a meeting of his nobles at Fatehpur Sikri in 1582, to discuss Din-i-Ilahi, Raja Bhagwant Das was the only man to oppose this religion.

Tulsidas was a contemporary of Akbar and author of Ramacharitamanasa, also known as the Tulasi Ramayana, and much other famous poetry devoted to Rama and Hanuman.

Portrait of Man Singh
Portrait of Raja Man Singh c.1790
Man Singh I riding a Horse
Akbar fights Man Singh. [ citation needed ]
Man Singh (bottom right) witnesses Jahangir receiving a petition from a fakir c.17th century
Mughal Painting of Man Singh I
Amber Fort , built by Man Singh in 1592