Siege by the Mughal forces of Akbar of the Mewari Rajput fort of Chittorgarh.
The Mughal capture of Chittorgarh in 1568 broke Rajput resistance in Mewar and was followed by a massacre of 30,000 civilians.
Key Facts
- Siege duration
- 23 October 1567 – 23 February 1568
- Civilian deaths after capture
- 30,000 people
- Fort commander (Mewar)
- Jaimal Rathore
- Decisive event
- Jaimal killed by Akbar's musket shot, 22 Feb 1568
- Post-siege governor
- Asaf Khan (Mughal general)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Akbar's expansionist policy drove him to target the strategically vital Sisodia Rajput capital of Chittor in Mewar. He framed the campaign as a jihad against infidels, lending it religious justification. Rana Udai Singh withdrew to the mountains on the advice of his war councils, leaving the fort under the command of Jaimal Rathore.
Beginning 23 October 1567, Mughal forces besieged Chittorgarh for over four months in a hard-pressed contest with heavy casualties on both sides. The deadlock ended on 22 February 1568 when Akbar personally shot Jaimal Rathore with a musket. The fort fell the following morning, the day of Holi, after sustained Rajput resistance.
Following the conquest, Akbar ordered a general massacre in which 30,000 Hindu civilians were killed and many women and children enslaved. Akbar installed his general Asaf Khan as commander of the fort and returned to Agra, proclaiming the victory as a triumph of Islam. The fall of Chittor effectively ended organized Rajput resistance at that stronghold.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Akbar, Asaf Khan.
Side B
1 belligerent
Jaimal Rathore, Rana Udai Singh.