Mewat State

Mewat State
Princely State of Rajputana
1372–1527
Government		Monarchy
Wali (1372-1505) Shah (1505-1527)
•	1372–1402	Raja Nahar Khan (first)
•	1504–1527	Hasan Khan Mewati (last)
History
•	Established	1372
•	Mughal Invasion	1527
Area		8,547 km2 (3,300 sq mi)
Today part of		Rajasthan, India

Mewat State was a princely state in Rajputana with its capital at Alwar ruled by a Khanzada Rajput dynasty during the period of the Delhi Sultanate in India. Mewat was covered over a wide area, it included Hathin tehsil, Nuh district, Tijara, Kishangarh Bas, Ramgarh, Laxmangarh Tehsils Aravalli Range in Alwar district and Pahari, Nagar, Kaman tehsils in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan and also some part of Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh.^[1][2]

History

In 1372, Firuz Shah Tughlaq granted the Lordship of Mewat to Raja Nahar Khan, (who was formerly known as Hindu Jadaun Raja Sonpar Pal, of Kotla Tijara). Raja Nahar Khan established a hereditary polity in Mewat and proclaimed the title of Wali-e-Mewat. Later his descendants affirmed their own sovereignty in Mewat. They ruled Mewat till 1527. The last Khanzada Rajput ruler of Mewat was Hasan Khan Mewati, who died in the Battle of Khanwa.

In 1398 during Timur's Invasion of Delhi, Raja Nahar Khan withdrew to his Kotla Tijara and watched the development of events from there. Mewat State during this time was flooded with fugitives fleeing from Delhi and Khizr Khan, (the future Sultan of Delhi), was one of those who took shelter in Mewat. After defeating Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq, Timur sent two envoys to Mewat State who invited Wali of Mewat for a meeting with him. Bahadur Nahar accepted this invitation and both met in 1398. As a gesture of goodwill and symbol of friendship Nahar Khan gifted Timur two white parrots, which Timur praised highly. Timur himself, make prominent mention of the conduct of Nahar during the Invasion of India in AD 1398. Timur states that he sent an embassy to Nahar Khan at Kotila, to which a humble reply was received. Nahar sent as a present two white parrots that belonged to the late Emperor. Timur remarks that these parrots were much prized by him.

In 1420, during the era of Nahar Khan's grandson,Khanzada Feroz Khan, Mewat was attacked by Sultan Khizr Khan of Delhi Sayyid dynasty. The Mewati army fortified themselves for one year in Bahadur Nahar Kotla, after which the Delhi army retreated. In 1425, great-grandsons of Bahadur Nahar named Khanzada Jalal Khan and Khanzada Abdul Qadir Khan (Jallu and Qaddu) revolted against Delhi Sultanate, they were defeated by Delhi Sultan Mubarak Shah ( 1421– 1434 CE), who overran Mewat and killed Qaddu. Jallu continued the native Mewati rebellion against the Delhi sultanat. In 1427, the Mewati army fortified themselves for one year in the hills of Tijara after which the Delhi army retreated. This event marked the sovereignty of Khanzada Rajputs on Mewat.

In 1527, Hasan Khan Mewati, a descendant of Raja Nahar Khan, sided with Rajput king Rana Sanga and they were defeated by Babur at Battle of Khanwa where Hassan Khan Mewati was killed by Mughals. His son Naher Khan II ruled Mewat as a vassal of Mughals. This event led to the fall of Mewat State as the Khanzada lords ceased control of the region.

Raja Hasan Khan Mewati

Tijara fort, now a heritage hotel

Distant view of Alwar fort from the city

View of city of Alwar from Bala Quila.

Rulers of Mewat

The Khanzada Rajputs rulers of Mewat State adopted the title "Wali-e-Mewat". The title was later changed to "Shah-e-Mewat" by Hasan Khan Mewati in 1505.

References