Mewar under its able Ranas had vanquished the Sultanate of Nagaur and was defeating Delhi, Gujarat and Malwa Sultanates repeatedly. And during the invasion of Babur, was one of the foremost Hindu kingdom in Hindustan and was contending with the three Sultanates for supremacy in the north. Under Rana Sanga even Agra was under threat of being captured. The rising strength of Sanga had disturbed the peace of Sultans.
In AD 1518, after the death of his father Sikander Lodhi, Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi of Delhi invaded Mewar. Rajputs under Rana Sanga met this invading force near Khatoli/Ghatoli at the borders of the Harauti in south Rajasthan. Pathans could not stand the onslaught of the Rajputs and fled, leaving one Lodhi prince prisoner in the hands of Sanga. He was released after the payment of ransom.
This defeat shattered the reputation of Ibrahim Lodhi .After suppressing the rebellion of Islam Khan, he again assembled an army in AD 1519 to avenge his defeat at the hands of Rana Sanga at Khatoli. Mian Hussain Khan Zarbakhsh, Mian Khan-khanan Farmuli, and Mian Maruf, who were the chief commanders in the army of Sultan Sikandar Lodhi, these generals the Sultan placed under Mian Makhan, the commander-in-chief of this expedition. Rana advanced to meet this army with his Rajputs. The two armies came in sight of each other near Dholpur.
The Sultan because of some mistrust, wrote, ordering Mian Makhan to seize Mian Husain Khan and Mian Maruf Khan and send them prisoners to him. Mian Makhan went to the tent of Maruf Khan, under the pretence of condoling with him for the loss of his son, notwithstanding he had died two months previously. Mian Husain Khan was informed of this, and went speedily thither, and told Mian Makhan that he had better forego his intention of imprisoning Mían Maruf, and that he should better depart in safety, remarking that the Sultan had gone mad.
Makhan upon this remonstrance departed, and sent intelligence of the circumstances to the Sultan, who ordered him to send information to the chiefs that a royal farman had arrived, and that they must come and hear its contents. Mían Makhan was commanded to seize Husain Khan first.
When Mían Husain saw that there was no escape from the Sultan’s injustice, he determined to send his representative to the Rana to ask for the sanctuary. After entering into a compact, Mían Husain went to the Rana with a thousand horsemen, and the Rana sent his own nephew to meet him. After which they had an interview.
On account of the departure of Husain Khan, Mían Makhan, notwithstanding that he had with him 30,000 horsemen and 300 elephants, was much discouraged. Mían Makhan sent a message to Mían Maruf, saying, “You and Husain Khan are great friends. He is now in rebellion, and has joined the Sultan’s enemies; what is the good of your remaining with us?” Maruf replied, “I have eaten the salt of Sultan Bahlol Lodhi and his offspring for thirty years; and I was chief commander of the army during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Lodhi. Since Sultan Ibrahím’s accession to the throne all sorts of upstarts have arisen, who accuse me of being faithless and rebellious. Even now I am ready to undertake any duty that may be assigned, and will not flinch from its performance.”
Whilst this was going on, information was brought of the arrival of the Rana’s troops, whereupon Makhan arranged his army. He placed Saíd Khan Furat and Hají Khan with 7000 horsemen on the right; and Daulat Khán, Allahdad Khan, and Yusuf Khan on the left; whilst Mían Makhan himself commanded the advance. Mían Husain, although much vexed with Mían Makhan, did not present himself, on account of his having eaten the salt of the Sultan.When both parties were prepared for action, the Hindus advanced most valiantly, and succeeded in defeating the army of the Sultan.
Many men were made martyrs, and the others were scattered; whilst Mían Makhan returned to the place from which he had set forth. During the evening, Mían Husain Khan sent a message to Mían Makhan, saying, “Now you have learnt what men of one heart are. It is a hundred pities that 30,000 horsemen should have been defeated by so few Hindus”. Rajputs pursued the fleeing remnants of Pathan army upto Bayana.
By this victory, all that part of Malwa which had been usurped by Muhammad Shah, Younger brother of Sultan Muhammad Khilji 2nd of Malwa, during his rebellion against his brother, and had subsequently been taken possession of by Sultan Sikander Lodhi,father of Ibrahim Lodhi,now fell into the hands of Rana. Then Chanderi was bestowed by Rana on Medni Rai.
References:
Tarikh-I Salatin-I -Afghana of Ahmad Yadgar. This work is also known as Tarikh-I-Shahi and was written between AD 1572-76 by Yadgar by order of Sultan of Bengal,Daud Khan Karrani.
Medieval India of Satish Chandra
Maharana Sanga, The Hindupat of Har Bilash Sharda
