# Raja Kam Dev Sikarwar

Mahārāja Kam Dév Singh Urf Rao Dalpat Karam Singh (1438–1532) was a Sikarwar Bhumihar king. He belonged to Sikarwar dynasty, which ruled over the region of Fatehpur Sikri and then Fatuhabad near Fatehpur. He was ruler of the Pahargarh Estate, which mainly comprised what are now the cities of Morena, Gwalior, Jhansi, and Shivpuri, in old Rajputana region. Kam Dev was the son of Maharaja Jay Raj Dev Singh who was the ruler of the Vijaypur Sikri state (Fatehpur Sikri). With this Kam Dev and Dham Dev (Kam 's younger brother) were an ally of Rana Sanga.

## Biography
### Early life

Kam Dev was born in 1438 CE at Vijaypur Sikri in Sikarwar royal family. His father, Maharaja Jay Raj Dev Singh , was the ruler of the Vijaypur Sikri state. Kam Dev had two younger brothers: Dhamdev Singh (also known as Rao Dham Dev) and Vikram Pratap Dev Singh. His father allocated parts of the Pahadgarh estate to him. Kam Dev's coronation took place in 1462. He also served as the army chief of his father’s military. The notable ruler of Sikri was Rao Anupdev Singh Sikarwar during whose time Vijayapur Sikri was renovated. Anup Rao Sikarwar provided the necessary where with all for its renovation. The famous ANUP TAL still exists in his name. He had two sons Krishnadev (Kishun Dev) Singh Sikarwar and Pratap Dev Sikarwar. Krishnadev Singh had two sons Jayarajdev Singh Sikarwar and Vijayaraj Dev Singh Sikarwar. Pratap Dev had only one- Udai Raj. The kingdom of Vijayapur Sikri was handed over to Raja Jayarajdev Singh. Although when Kamdev became old, Dhamdev Singh managed the affairs of Vijaypur Sikri.
After the death of, Raja Jayarajdev Singh (1420–1504), in 1504. Kam Dev's brother Raja Dham Dev Rao Singh (1458–1540) was crowned as the king of Vijaypur Sikri. Sanga, who was then the heir to the throne of Mewar, represented his father, Rana Rai Mal, at the coronation ceremony. Vijaypur Sikri was a large kingdom consisting of Fatehpur Sikri (parts of Agra), Karauli, Dholpur, Etawah, Auraiya, parts of Kanpur,Unnao and Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Morena, Bhind and Sheopur.While Dhamdev ruled Vijaypur Sikri, Kam Dev governed the Pahadgarh estate. The youngest brother, Vikram Pratap Dev Singh, was responsible for handling the affairs of both brothers' territories. After their father’s death, Kam Dev became the army chief of Dham Dev's army, during the times of Kam Dev and Dham Dev they commissioned rebuilding of Shergarh Fort located at Dholpur. The Sabalgarh fort once served as the centre of administration during the rule of Kam Dev.
Following the Battle of Khanwa, Kam Dev lost his kingdom but retained control over Kanpur, Kannauj, and Fatehpur. Kam Dev and his brother Dham Dev established their new capital at Madarpur. However, after their defeat in the Battle of Madarpur and the Battle of Ghaghra, they moved to Ghazipur. In Ghazipur, they established their control on Birpur, which was previously ruled by the Chero dynasty and Dikhit Rajputs. After a battle in 1530, Kam Dev overthrew the ruler of Birpur and became the ruler of the Birpur estate.

### The Battle of Khanwa

The Battle of Khanwa occurred on 17 March 1527, where Dham Dev and Kam Dev joined the Confederation led by Rana Sanga, providing 4000 troops and administrative support to the alliance. A total of 1.8 lakh Rajput soldiers were stationed in the Bahadur Garh fort, with sufficient rations stored for a potential siege of Agra.
Initially, Rana Sanga was confident of victory due to the support of Ibrahim Lodi and the full Confederation. However, the Mughals, under Babur, captured Agra swiftly, leading to the Rajput defeat. The main reason for this sudden turn of events was the defection of Salyadity, a powerful Tomar Rajput ruler, who joined Babur with 30,000 troops, giving him a decisive advantage.
Rana Sanga was defeated and forced to surrender on the battlefield. Following this, the command of the Rajput retreat was entrusted to Dham Dev, who managed it with discipline and control. The Bahadurgarh fort was set ablaze by the Mughal army, and Babur renamed Vijaypur Sikri as Fatehpur Sikri, which means "City of Victory" in both Persian and Hindi.
The defeat at the Battle of Khanwa marked a significant setback for the Rajputs. Babur, in his memoir Baburnama, mentions both Rao Dham Dev and Kam Dev, alongside other prominent figures like Rana Sanga, Mahmud Lodi, Medini Rai, and Ibrahim Lodi.

### Migration

After the defeat in the Battle of Khanwa, many rulers fled their primary towns and cities. Kam Dev’s family was divided, with part of his family staying in Pahadgarh, while the other part relocated. Kam Dev had four sons. His eldest son’s family moved to Kanpur district with him, while his second son, Vichal Singh, had part of his family remain in Pahadgarh, while the other part moved to Kanpur. The remaining two sons' families also joined Kam Dev in Kanpur by 1527. Dham Dev Singh and his brother Vikram Partap Dev also relocated their families to Kanpur district.

### The Battle of Madarpur

After the three brothers settled in Kanpur with a large amount of gold coins and the statue of their clan deity, Mata Khamakhya, they became wealthy zamindars of the region. As they established their rule in Kanpur, Babur planned to attack their fort in Madarpur. This led to the Battle of Madarpur against Babur's general, Mir Baqi. Unfortunately, Kam Dev and his brothers, with their relatively small army, were defeated in 1528.

### Migration to Ghazipur

On 26 October 1530, Kam Dev and Dham Dev migrated to Ghazipur, first settling at Sakardih, because of floods Kam Dev's family, migrated and settled in a place and kept it's name Dalpatpur, now known as Reotipur. Dham dev settled at Gahmar, and married his daughter, Rani Gangawati to King Sahilwhan, the ruler of Chainpur State, in year 1530. Rana Sanga's son Ratan Singh had attended the marriage along with Gangawati's Maternal Uncle and, brother in law of Dham Dev, Raja Suraj Mal, the ruler of Bundi. Dham Dev founded Gahmar, and his descendants established 84 villages near to it, including the town of Chausa, and Bhabua and Chainpur in Kaimur. While Kam Dev's brother Biram Dev took his abode to Assam. His second sons Vichal Singh's family moved to Chhapra. Sarang Misir's family founded, 56 villages in Kochas tehsil. His fourth son Rohit's family founded, 60 villages in Kaimur district, and 60 villages near Chausa. While other than the settlement in Ghazipur and Kaimur, there is a branch of Sikarwar's of Morena district who trace their ancestery from a man named Dalkhu baba, (probably Kam Dev), they are probably the desendants from his second wife, from whom he had seven sons. The descendants at Morena founded a total of 62 villages there.
In the family of Anchal Singh, Kam Dev's eldest son, had two sons name as Harish Chandra and Reosar. Reosar's descendants founded Nagsar. While Harishchandra had four sons, the eldest Rajmal Rao founded Tilwa, the second Sansar Rao founded Suhawal and Gaura, the third Gosai Rao founded Ramwal and adopted Islam, while the descendants of Puranmal Rao, the youngest (although some sources say he was the eldest and main heir after him) became the main owners of the estate, and established the large villages of Reotipur, Sherpur, and Basuka. The eldest son of Puranmal named as Raja Narhar Khan adopted Islam in 1542 and from him comes the most prominent branch known as "Kamsari Pathans" who founded Dildarnagar Kamsar.