Chapter 3

Accession of Rao Jodha—Transfers the seat of government from
Mandor to the new capital Jodhpur—The cause—The
Vanaprastha, or Druids of India—Their penances—The
fourteen sons of Jodha—New settlements of Satalmer, Merta,
Bikaner—Jodha dies—Anecdotes regarding him—His personal
appearance—Rapid increase of the Rathor race—Names of
tribes displaced thereby—Accession of Rao Suja—First
conflict of the Rathors with the Imperialists—Rape of the
Rathor virgins at Pipar—Gallantry of Suja—His
death—Issue—Succeeded by his grandson Rao Ganga—His uncle
Saga contests the throne—Obtains the aid of the Lodi
Pathans—Civil War—Saga slain—Babur’s invasion of
India—Rana Sanga generalissimo of the Rajputs—Rao Ganga
sends his contingent under his grandson Raemall—Slain at
Bayana—Death of Ganga—Accession of Rao Maldeo—Becomes the
first amongst the princes of Rajputana—Reconquers Nagor
and Ajmer from the Lodis, Jalor and Siwana from the
Sandhals—Reduces the rebellious allodial vassals—Conquest
from Jaisalmer—The Maldots—Takes Pokaran—Dismantles
Satalmer—His numerous public works—Cantons belonging to
Marwar enumerated—Maldeo resumes several of the great
estates—Makes a scale of rank hereditary in the line of
Jodha—Period favourable to Maldeo’s consolidation of his
power—His inhospitality to the Emperor Humayun—Sher Shah
invades Marwar—Maldeo meets him—Danger of the Imperial
army—Saved by stratagem from destruction—Rathor army
retreats—Devotion of the two chief clans—Their
destruction—Akbar invades Marwar—Takes Merta and
Nagor—Confers them on Rae Singh of Bikaner—Maldeo sends
his second son to Akbar’s court—Refused to pay homage in
person—The emperor gives the farman of Jodhpur to Rae
Singh—Rao Maldeo besieged by Akbar—Defends Jodhpur—Sends
his son Udai Singh to Akbar—His reception—Receives the
title of Raja—Chandarsen maintains Rathor
independence—Retires to Siwana—Besieged, and slain—His
sons—Maldeo witnesses the subjection of his kingdom—His
death—His twelve sons 947