 The Siege of Chittorgarh in 1568 had led to the loss of the fertile eastern belt of Mewar to the Mughals.However, the rest of the wooded and hilly kingdom was still under the control of the Rana.Akbar was intent on securing a stable route to Gujarat through Mewar; when Pratap Singh was crowned king (Rana) in 1572, Akbar sent a number of envoys entreating the Rana to become a vassal like many other Rajput leaders in the region.