U.P. Lower Sub. Pre 2004

Rajput Sovereignty and Identity

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Which of the following Rajputana state did not accept the supremacy of Akbar willingly?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: B

Concept Akbar’s 'Rajput Policy' of inclusion was highly successful, but it faced a wall of resistance in the Sisodia clan of Mewar. This defiance became a core part of Rajput martial identity.

Explanation Mewar was the only major state that did not accept Akbar's supremacy willingly. It was ruled by Rana Pratap, who viewed Akbar as an invader and refused to enter into the matrimonial or subservient alliances that Amber, Marwar, and Bikaner had accepted. He fought until his death in 1597 to maintain Mewar's independence.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Amber (Jaipur) was the first to ally with Akbar in 1562; Mewar remained the 'last holdout.'
Logic 2: Even after the fall of Chittor in 1568, the Sisodia family moved to the hills and continued a guerrilla struggle from the new capital, Udaipur.

Active Recall

Question

How did Akbar try to win over Mewar before going to war?

Answer

He sent six diplomatic missions, led by high-ranking Rajput nobles like Man Singh and Bhagwant Das, but the Ranas refused to personally attend the Mughal court.

Core Insight

The unyielding stance of Mewar proved that even a master diplomat like Akbar could not bypass the ancient codes of chivalry and independence held by the Sisodias.