Akbar shoots the Rajput hero Jaimal at the siege of Chitor, 1568

from the Akbarnama


A larger image image of Akbar shoots Jaimal at the siege of Chitor, 1568, Akbarnama.


The fall of the Rajasthani fortress of Chitor in 1568, when the Mughal army succeeded in approaching the ramparts by constructing covered defences. As Akbar surveyed the battle one evening, he took aim with matchlock Sangram, at a figure in the fort whose studded coat indicated that he was a leading enemy soldier. The shot killed the man, who was discovered to be the Rajput hero Jaimal.

The covered lines of attack built by the Mughals allow the army, including armoured elephants (centre left) to approach the walls of the fortress (shown upper left). Akbar is shown top right, holding the gun called Sangram with which he has just shot a figure in a studded coat. The figure is Jaimal, the general of the enemy army, and the fortress submitted soon afterwards to the Mughal forces.
V&A Museum

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Next: Akbarnama: 1568-Bullocks dragging siege-guns up hill during the attack on Ranthambhor Fort
Mughal Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers in the Akbarnama








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