Meo - History and Origin

History and Origin

Meos are inhabitants of Mewat, a region that consists of Mewat district of Haryana and some parts of adjoining Alwar and Bharatpur districts of Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh, where the Meos have lived for a millennium. They were Hindu Rajputs who converted to Islam with Moinuddin Chisti's influence stating from 1192 CE until as late as Aurangzeb's rule but they have maintained their age-old distinctive ethno-cultural identity until today. They have shared this region with a number of other Muslim Rajput communities, such as Khanzada, Qaimkhani and Malkana.

Hasan Khan Mewati represented Meos in the battle of Kanwah along with Rana Sangram Singh Rana Sanga in 1526 against the Mughal Babur. Hasan Khan and his Meo warriors gave a brave fight. Hasan Khan was killed in the battle of Kanwah while his son Tahir Khan was captured by the Mughals. Tahir Khan later fled from the Mughal camp. The Mughal Emperor Babar has also written about Hasan Khan Mewati in his autobiography, Bāburnāma. To the Mughals, the Mewatis were "rebels".

During mediaeval period, 'Hazi Khan Mewati', belonging to Nuh, and a close associate of Hindu King, Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, was a General in his army. Hazi Khan, a great warrior, played an important role in Battle for Delhi in 1556, in which he fought along with Hindu King Hemu against the Mughals at Tughlaqabad Fort area in Delhi and defeated Akbar's army on 7 October 1556, to establish a Hindu rule in Delhi after 350 years.