The Sisodia is an Indian

Rajput Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...

dynasty belonging to the clan that ruled over the kingdom of

Mewar Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and Man ...

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...

. The name of the clan is also transliterated as ''Sesodia'', ''Shishodia'', ''Sishodia'', ''Shishodya'', ''Sisodya'', ''Sisodiya'', ''Sisodia''.

Origins

The Sisodia dynasty traced its ancestry to Rahapa, a son of the 12th century

Guhila Gahlot is a clan of Rajputs Guhilot Rajputs ruled number of Kingdom's including Mewar, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Shahpura, Bhavnagar, Palitana, Lathi and Vala, The variations of the name include Gehlot, Guhila, Gohil or Guhilot. Hi ...

King Ranasimha. He founded the village of Shisoda, in modern day

Rajsamand district Rajsamand District is a district of the state of Rajasthan in western India. The city of Rajsamand is the district headquarters. The district was constituted on 10 April 1991 from Udaipur district by carving out 7 tehsils - Bhim, Deogarh, Ame ...

, as his capital, after which his descendants were called Sisodias. The main branch of the Guhila dynasty ended with their defeat against the Khalji dynasty at the

Siege of Chittorgarh (1303) In 1303, the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji captured the Chittor Fort from the Guhila king Ratnasimha, after an eight-month-long siege. The conflict has been described in several legendary accounts, including the historical epic poem '' ...

. In 1326,

Rana Hammir Maharana Hammir Singh (1314–1364), or Hammir (not to be confused with Hammir Singh of Ranthambore), was a 14th-century Hindu Rajput ruler of Mewar in present-day Rajasthan, India. Hammir Singh, was a scion of the cadet branch Rana of the Guh ...

, who belonged to Sisodiya branch, reclaimed control of the region, 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 of

Chittor Chittorgarh (also Chittor or Chittaurgarh) is a major city in Rajasthan state of western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgarh District. It was a major stronghold ...

, the former Guhila capital.''The Rajputs of Rajputana: a glimpse of medieval Rajasthan'' by M. S. Naravane According to the ''Rajprashasti'' genealogy, one of these – Samar Singh – married Prithi, the sister of

Prithviraj Chauhan Prithviraja III ( IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; reign. – 1192 CE), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, with his capital at Ajmer in presen ...

. His grandson Rahapa adopted the title

Rana Rana may refer to: Astronomy * Rana (crater), a crater on Mars * Delta Eridani or Rana, a star People, groups and titles * Rana (name), a given name and surname (including a list of people and characters with the name) * Rana (title), a histori ...

(monarch). Rahapa's descendants spent some time at a place called Sisoda, and therefore, came to be known as "Sisodia". Coat of arms of Udaipur State

History

The most notable Sisodia rulers were Rana Hamir (r. 1326–64),

Rana Kumbha Kumbhakarna Singh (r. 1433–1468 CE), popularly known as Maharana Kumbha, was the Maharana of Mewar kingdom in India. He belonged to the Sisodia clan of Rajputs. Rana Kumbha is known for his illustrious military career against various sultana ...

(r. 1433–68), Rana Sanga (r.1508–1528) and

Rana Pratap Pratap Singh I, popularly known as Maharana Pratap (c. 9 May 1540 – 19 January 1597), was a king of Mewar from the Sisodia dynasty. Pratap became a folk hero for his military resistance against the expansionism of the Mughal Empire under ...

(r. 1572–97). The

Bhonsle The Bhonsle (or Bhonsale, Bhosale, Bhosle) are a prominent group within the Maratha clan system of kunbi origin. They claimed descent from the Sisodia Rajputs but were likely Kunbi tiller-plainsmen. History Earliest members The earliest a ...

clan, to which the

Maratha empire The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Shi ...

's founder

Shivaji Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adils ...

belonged, also claimed descent from a branch of the royal Sisodia family. Nainsi in his book mentioned Shahji descended from Chacha, son of Rana Lakha. Similarly,

Rana dynasty Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...

also claimed descent from Ranas of

. According to the Sisodia Chronicles, when the Delhi Sultan

Alauddin Khalji Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent. Alauddin instituted a number of significant administrativ ...

attacked

Chittorgarh Chittorgarh (also Chittor or Chittaurgarh) is a major city in Rajasthan state of western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgarh District. It was a major stronghol ...

in 1303, the Sisodia men performed ''Saka'' (fighting to the death), while their women committed ''

Jauhar Jauhar, sometimes spelled Jowhar or Juhar, was a Hindu practice of mass self-immolation by women, in the Indian subcontinent, to avoid capture, enslavement and rape by an invading army, when facing certain defeat during a war. Some reports of ...

'' (self-immolation in preference to becoming enemy captives). This was repeated twice: when

Bahadur Shah of Gujarat Qutb-ud-Din Bahadur Shah, born Bahadur Khan was a sultan of the Muzaffarid dynasty who reigned over the Gujarat Sultanate, a late medieval kingdom in India from 1526 to 1535 and again from 1536 to 1537. He ascended to throne after competing with h ...

besieged

in 1535, and when the Mughal emperor

Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...

conquered it in 1567. 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. The Sisodias were the last Rajput dynasty to ally with the Mughals, and unlike other Rajput clans, never intermarried with the Mughal imperial family. The Sisodias cultivated an elite identity distinct from other Rajput clans through the poetic legends, eulogies and visual arts commissioned by them.

James Tod Lieutenant-Colonel James Tod (20 March 1782 – 18 November 1835) was an officer of the British East India Company and an Oriental scholar. He combined his official role and his amateur interests to create a series of works about the hist ...

, an officer of the

British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

, relied on these works for his book ''Annals 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-colonial India.

List of Rulers

Hammir Singh Maharana Hammir Singh (1314–1364), or Hammir (not to be confused with Hammir Singh of Ranthambore), was a 14th-century Hindu Rajput ruler of Mewar in present-day Rajasthan, India. Hammir Singh, was a scion of the cadet branch Rana of the Guhi ...

(1326–1364) *

Kshetra Singh Kshetra Singh (died 1382), was Maharana (r. 1364–1382) of Mewar Kingdom. He was the son of Maharana Hammir Singh. In his reign, he conquered Ajmer and Mandalgarh. Rule Kshetra, who ruled Mewar from A.D. 1364 to A.D. 1382, was the son and ...

(1364–1382) *

Lakha Singh Rana Lakha (1382 – 1421) was a king belonging to the Sisodia lineage of Mewar in present-day state of Rajasthan. He was the son of Maharana Kshetra Singh and ruled from 1382 until his death in 1421. Lakha was married several times and had ...

(1382–1421) *

Mokal Singh Mokal or Mokal Singh ( & ), was the Maharana of Mewar Kingdom. He was a son of Maharana Lakha Singh. Maharana Mokal has been described as a great builder, a trait which he had inherited from his father. He created various buildings along wi ...

(1421–1433) *

(1433–1468) * Udai Singh I (1468–1473) * Rana Raimal (1473–1508) * Rana Sanga (1508–1527), ''Under his rule Mewar reached its pinnacle in power and prosperity.'' *

Ratan Singh II Rana Ratan Singh II (died 1531) was the Maharana (r. 1528 – 1531) of Mewar Kingdom. He was a son of Rana Sanga Sangram Singh I (IAST: Rāṇā Saṅgrāma Siṃha; c. 1482 – 1528 CE), popularly known as Rana Sanga or Maharana Sanga, was ...

(1528–1531) * Vikramaditya Singh (1531–1536) *

Vanvir Singh Banvir, also known as Banbeer (died 1540) was the ruler of Mewar Kingdom between 1536 and 1540. He was nephew of Rana Sanga, born to his brother Prithviraj and his cocunbine. Banvir, succeeded to the throne of Mewar in the age of political un ...

(1536–1540) *

Udai Singh II Udai Singh II (4 August 1522 – 28 February 1572) was the Maharana of Mewar and the founder of the city of Udaipur in the present-day Rajasthan state of India. He was the 12th ruler of the Kingdom of Mewar. He was the fourth son of Rana Sang ...

(1540–1572) *

Maharana Pratap Pratap Singh I, popularly known as Maharana Pratap (c. 9 May 1540 – 19 January 1597), was a king of Mewar from the Sisodia dynasty. Pratap became a folk hero for his military resistance against the expansionism of the Mughal Empire under A ...

(1572–1597), ''13th king of Mewar, notable for his military resistance against the Mughals.'' *

Amar Singh I Maharana Amar Singh I, the Maharana of Mewar (March 16, 1559 – January 26, 1620), was the eldest son and successor of Maharana Pratap of Mewar. He was the 16th Rana of Mewar dynasty of Sisodia Rajputs and ruler of Mewar from January 19, 1597 ...

(1597–1620) *

Karan Singh II Karan Singh II (7 January 1584 – March 1628) was the Maharana of Mewar Kingdom (r. 1620 – 1628). He was one of the sons of Maharana Amar Singh I and the grandson of Maharana Pratap. He, in turn, was succeeded by his son Jagat Singh I.. H ...

(1620–1628) *

Jagat Singh I Jagat Singh I (1607 – 10 April 1652), was the Maharana of Mewar Kingdom in Rajputana, India (r. 1628–1652). He was a son of Maharana Karan Singh II. Jagat Singh built a wall around the Chittor Fort. When Shahjahan Shihab-ud-Din Muha ...

(1628–1652) *

Raj Singh I Raj Singh I (24 September 1629 – 22 October 1680), was the Maharana of Mewar Kingdom (r. 1652–1680) and eldest son of Jagat Singh I by his wife, a princess of Marwar. He fought against Mughal Empire and annexed many Mughal territories He ...

(1652–1680) *

Jai Singh Jai Singh may refer to: * Jai Singh I (1611–1667), ruler of Amber kingdom in India and a Rajput general of the Mughal Empire; also known as Mirza Raja Jai Singh * Jai Singh of Mewar (1653–1698), ruler of the Mewar kingdom in India * Jai Singh II ...

(1680–1698) * Amar Singh II (1698–1710) *

Sangram Singh II Sangram Singh II (24 March 1690 – 11 January 1734) was a ruler of Mewar, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous coun ...

(1710–1734) *

Jagat Singh II Jagat Singh II (17 September 1709 – 5 June 1751), was the Maharana of Mewar Kingdom (r. 1734 – 1751). He succeeded his father Sangram Singh II. He spent the fortunes of his kingdom while trying to place his nephew, Madho Singh I ...

(1734–1751) *

Pratap Singh II Pratap Singh II (27 July 1724 – 10 January 1754), was the Maharana Maharana is a variation on the Indian royal title Rana (title), Rana. Maharana denotes 'king of kings', similar to the word "Maharaja". Ruler title in British India Sal ...

(1751–1754) *

Raj Singh II Raj or RAJ may refer to: History * British Raj, the 1858–1947 rule of the British Crown over India * Company Raj, the 1757–1858 rule of the East India Company in South Asia * Licence Raj, the Indian system of elaborate licences, regulation ...

(1754–1762) * Ari Singh II (1762–1772) * Hamir Singh II (1772–1778) * Bhim Singh (1778–1828) *

Jawan Singh Jawan Singh (2 July 1821 – 30 August 1838), was the Maharana (r. 1828–1838) of Princely state of Udaipur. He was a son of Maharana Bhim Singh. He was also a poet under the name of Brijraj. He adopted his third cousin Sardar Singh who was ...

(1828–1838) *

Sardar Singh Sardara Singh (born 15 July 1986), sometimes referred as Sardar Singh, is an Indian former professional field hockey player and captain of the Indian national team. He usually plays the center half position. Sardara became the youngest player t ...

(1838–1842) * Swarup Singh (1842–1861) *

Shambhu Singh Maharana Shambhu Singh (22 December 1847 – 7 October 1874), was the Maharana (r. 1861–1874) of Princely state of Udaipur. He was a son Sher Singh of Bagore and nephew of Maharana Swarup Singh. The rich and diverse land of India had fac ...

(1861–1874) * Sajjan Singh (1874–1884) * Fateh Singh (1884–1930) *

Bhupal Singh Shri Maharana Sir Bhupal Singh Bahadur KCIE (1884 – 4 July 1955), also spelt Bhopal Singh, was the ruler of the Indian princely state of Udaipur (or Mewar) from 1930 and also Rajpramukh of Rajasthan from 1948 until his death on 4 July 1955 ...

(1930–1947)

Titular Maharanas

(1947–1955) * Bhagwat Singh Mewar (1955-1984) * Mahendra Singh Mewar (1984-Present) *

Arvind Singh Mewar Arvind Singh Mewar (born 13 December 1944) is an Indian businessman, former royal and chairman of HRH Group of Hotels. Arvind and his brother Mahendra both claim to be the 76th custodian of the House of Mewar. The Maharanas of Udaipur are custo ...

(present)

References

External links

Sisodia materials in the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA)
{{Rajput Groups of India Rajput clans of Rajasthan Mewar dynasty Indian surnames Social groups of Rajasthan Suryavansha