Bhagwant Das

Raja Bhagwant Das (c. 1527 – 4 December 1589) was the 23rd Kacchwaha ruler of Amber. He also served as the Mughal Subahdar of Lahore and the Subahdar of Kabul for a few months in 1586.^[3][4] His sister, Mariam-uz-Zamani, was the chief consort of Mughal emperor Akbar. His son, Man Singh I, one of the Navaratnas of Akbar, became the highest-ranking official of his court. His daughter, Man Bai, was the first and chief wife of Prince Salim (later Jahangir).

Bhagwant Das
Raja of Amber Governor of Lahore Amir-ul-Umra
Portrait of Raja Bhagvant Das c. 1610–1620, Royal Collection
24th Raja of Amber
Reign	25 January 1574 – 4 December 1589[1]
Coronation	25 January 1574
Predecessor	Bharmal
Successor	Man Singh I
Subahdar of Lahore
Emperor	Akbar I
Predecessor	Said Khan
Successor	Rai Singh
Subahdar of Kabul
Term	1586 (few months)
Emperor	Akbar I
Predecessor	Man Singh I
Successor	Isma'il Quit Khan
Born	c. 1527 Amber, Amber Kingdom (modern-day Rajasthan, India)
Died	4 December 1589 (aged 61–62) Lahore, Lahore Subah, Mughal Empire (modern day Punjab, Pakistan)
Spouse	Bhagwati Devi Panwar Durgavati Bai Rathore
Issue more...	Raja Man Singh (1550–1614) Man Bai (1570–1604) Raja Madho Singh Pratap Singh
House	Kachhwaha
Father	Bharmal
Mother	Phulvati Bai of Mandore[2]
Religion	Hinduism

Life

Amber Fort, in Amber, the capital of Raja Bhagwant Das.

Raja Bhagwant Das was the eldest son of Bharmal born in 1527 to his wife Phulvati of Mandore.^[5]

At the event of his sister's marriage to Akbar in 1562, he was taken into the royal service by Akbar. He led several military expeditions of the Mughal Empire and was a respected noble in the Mughal court. He was notable for his sincere devotion and loyalty to Akbar having saved his life in the battle of Paronkh taking the bow meant to strike Akbar, on his chest.

Bhagwant Das was one of the generals of Akbar, who awarded him a mansab (rank) of 5000 in 1585.^[6] and conferred upon him the title of Amir-ul-Umra (lit. 'chief noble').^[7] He fought many battles for Akbar, including battles in Punjab, Kashmir, and Afghanistan, and was also the governor of Kabul. Bhagwant Das was soundly defeated by the Kashmiri king, Yousuf Shah Chak.^[8]

Bhagwant married his daughter, Man Bai, to Prince Salim, who later assumed the throne as emperor Jahangir.^[9][10] Their child was Jahangir's eldest son, Khusrau Mirza.^[11]

Death

Shortly after attending the cremation of Todar Mal at Lahore, Bhagwant Das, having suffered from a bout of vomiting and strangury, died on 4 December 1589.^[12] At the time of his death, Akbar issued a firman of condolence to his eldest son and successor, Man Singh I. The firman contained kind and gracious messages, and Akbar also sent him his own robes of honor and a bodyguard’s horse.^[13] Additionally, Akbar bestowed upon him the title of Raja in honor of his father’s passing.^[14][15] His second son, Madho Singh, became the ruler of Bhangarh.^[16]

Issue

Raja Bhagwant Das had at least thirteen sons:^[17]

• Raja Man Singh
• Man Bai
• Raja Madho Singh
• Pratap Singh
• Kunwar Hardas Singh
• Kunwar Kanah
• Kunwar Vanmali Das
• Kunwar Bhiv
• Chandarsera Singh
• Sur Singh

Ancestry

Ancestors of Bhagwant Das
8. Chandrasen, Raja of Amber[18] 4. Prithviraj Singh I, Raja of Amber[19] 2. Bihari Mal, Raja of Amber[20] 10. Lunkaran, Rao of Bikaner[21] 5. Apurva Devi (Bala Bai)[19] 1. Bhagwant Das 12. Ranmal, Rao of Marwar[2] 6. Akhairaj, Rao of Bagri[2] Rami Bai of Nadol[22][23] 3. Phulvati Bai[2]