Siege of Raisen | |||||||
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| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Sur Empire | Chanderi Rajputs[1] | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Sher Shah Suri | Puran Mal | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | 10,000 Abd al-Qadir Badayuni's claim[2] |
The siege of Raisen was a six-month siege led by Sher Shah Suri of the Sur Dynasty in 1543 against the Rajput[3] leader, Raja Puran Mal of Chanderi.[4] At the end of the siege, Puran Mal surrendered to Sher Shah and was executed thereafter.[5][6][7][8]
In 1542, Sher Shah had conquered Malwa and proceeded towards Chanderi to annex the region.[4][9] Mal had rebelled because Sher Shah had transferred him to Benares as part of his administration policy.[5][10] Shortly after, Sher Shah besieged the fort, and Puran Mal surrendered in January 1543[11] and was later executed by Sher Shah.[12][13] Historian Abbas Sarwani describes a scene of the battle, stating, "While the Hindus were occupied in putting their women and families to death, the Afghans on all sides commenced the slaughter of the Hindus. Puran Mal and his companions exhibited valor and gallantry, but in the twinkling of an eye, all were slain." Only a few women and children survived. Puran Mal's daughter was given to minstrels to be a dancing girl, while his three nephews were castrated. As an excuse for the treachery, Sher Shah claimed it as revenge for the enslavement of Muslim women and that he had once, when seriously ill, pledged to wipe out the Rajputs of Raisen.[14]