Siege of Chittorgarh (1303)

Siege of Chittorgarh
Part of List of wars between the Kingdom of Mewar and the Delhi Sultanate
Date28 January – 26 August 1303
Location24°53′11″N 74°38′49″E / 24.8863°N 74.647°E / 24.8863; 74.647
Result Khalji victory
Territorial
changes
Alauddin Khalji captured the fort of Chittor
Belligerents
Delhi Sultanate Guhila dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Alauddin Khalji Ratnasimha
Rana Lakhan 
Ari Singh [1]
Casualties and losses
Unknown 30,000 killed[2]
Siege of Chittorgarh is located in South Asia
Siege of Chittorgarh
Siege of Chittorgarh
Location of the Siege of Chittorgarh
Siege of Chittorgarh is located in Rajasthan
Siege of Chittorgarh
Siege of Chittorgarh
Siege of Chittorgarh (Rajasthan)

The siege of Chittorgarh occurred in 1303, when the Khalji ruler Alauddin Khalji (r. 1296–1316) captured and sacked the Chittor Fort, toppling the Guhila king Ratnasimha, after an eight-month-long siege. The conflict has been described in several legendary accounts, including the historical epic poem Padmavat, which claims that Alauddin's motive was to obtain Ratnasimha's beautiful wife Padmini; though this legend is considered historically inaccurate by most historians. Alauddin ordered the fort to be pelted with stones from his siege engines (munjaniqs). When the fort was stormed, Rajput women committed Jauhar while most of the warriors died defending the fort. The city of Chittor was completely sacked by Alauddin's army and several temples were desecrated.

  1. ^ Rima Hooja 2006, p. 313:"Much has been written about the siege, and the bravery of its defenders prominent among who were Rana Lakhan-Si (Lakshmanasimha, or Lakshman Singh) of the Sisoda estate, and his seven sons members of the junior line of the Mewar ruling family"
  2. ^ Mehta, Jaswant Lal (1979). Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 149. ISBN 978-81-207-0617-0.