Lot 202

Ranas of Mewar, Rana Banbir (1536-1540 AD), Copper Falus, 8.04 gms, 15.56 mm, Obv: Devanagari legend (rana shri) Vana (veer), Rev: Al sultan bin Al sultan, Rana Banbir was the ruler of Mewar Kingdom between 1536 and 1540. He was allegedly the son of Prithviraj (elder brother of Rana Sanga) and a maid. He was appointed as the official ruler of the state when Vikramaditya Singh was imprisoned. Rana Banbir decided to kill the imprisoned Vikramaditya, and he also killed various ministers (Samantas) who were in his way. He attempted to kill the 14-year-old heir Udai Singh, but Udai Singh's nursemaid Panna Dai replaced the prince with her son Chandar who was killed instead. Rana Banbir declared himself to be the ruler of Mewar and Chittor. In 1540, when Udai Singh was 18 years old, he attacked Chittorgarh with the help of several Samantas together with Akhey Raj Songara, the ruler of Jalore and Udai Singh's father-in-law. The armies of Rana Banbir and Udai Singh met at the battle field of Malvi (south of Chittorgarh) Udai Singh won and ascended the throne as Udai Singh II, and Rana Banbir was sent into exile, and was killed later in 1540 while struggling with tribal groups who killed him, G&G # M272, very fine, very rare.