Page 53 - ranthambore

entrance of the fort, by the Archaeological Survey of India.

After the defeat of the Chauhan king Prithviraj Chauhan by Muhammad of Ghor in 1192, Ranth-

ambore, led by Govinda Raja, son of Pritviraj, became the center of Chauhan resistance to the

expanding Sultanate of Delhi. Govinda Raja was succeeded by his son Balhana.

1569-Akbar’s entry into the fort of Ranthambhor

The Delhi Sultan Iltutmish captured Ranthambore in 1226, but the Chauhans recaptured it after

his death in 1236. The armies of Sultan Nasir ud din Mahmud, led by the future Sultan Balban,

unsuccessfully besieged the fortress in 1248 and 1253, but captured from Jaitrasingh Chauhan

in 1259. shakti Dev succeeded Jaitrasingh in 1283, and recaptured Ranthambore and enlarged

the kingdom. Sultan Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji briefly besieged the fort in 1290-91. In 1299,Maharao

Hammir Dev Chauhan sheltered Muhammad Shah, a rebel general of Sultan Ala ud din Khilji,

and refused to turn him over to the Sultan. The sultan unsuccessfully besieged the fortress in

1299, but returned in 1301 to personally oversee a long siege, and succeeded in capturing the

fort.

Under Mewar

The fortress was captured by the kingdom of Mewar under Rana Hamir Singh (1326–1364) and

Rana Kumbha (1433–1468).[3][4] After the reign of Rana Kumbha’s successor Rana Udai Singh

I (1468–1473) the fortress passed to the Hada Rajputs of Bundi. Sultan Bahadur Shah of Guja-

rat captured the fortress from 1532 to 1535. The Mughal Emperor Akbar captured the fortress

in 1569.

The fortress passed to the Kachwaha Maharajas of Jaipur in the 17th century, and it remained

part of Jaipur state until Indian Independence. The area surrounding the fortress became a

hunting ground for the Maharajas of Jaipur. Jaipur state acceded to India in 1949, becoming

part of the state of Rajasthan in 1950.

Inside Ranthambore fort there are three Hindu temples dedicated to Ganesh, Shiva and Ram-

lalaji constructed in 12th and 13th centuries from red Karauli stone. There is also a Jain temple

of Lord Sumatinath (5th Jain Tirthankar) and Lord Sambhavanath.