Udai Singh was born in Chittor in August 1522. After the death of his father, Rana Sanga, Ratan Singh II was crowned King. Ratan Singh II was assassinated in 1531. He was succeeded by his brother MaharanaVikramaditya Singh. During the reign of Vikramaditya, when the MuzaffaridSultan of GujaratBahadur Shah sacked Chittor in 1534, Udai Singh was sent to Bundi for safety. In 1537, Banbir killed Vikramaditya and usurped the throne. He tried to kill Udai Singh also, but Udai's nurse Panna Dai sacrificed her own son Chandan to save him from his uncle Banbir and took him to Kumbhalgarh. She did not ask for anything in return either. She started living in Bundi and did not allow Udai Singh to come and meet her. He lived secretly in Kumbhalgarh for two years, disguised as a nephew of the governor Asha Shah Depura. In 1540, he was crowned in Kumbhalgarh by the nobles of Mewar. His eldest son Maharana Pratap from his first wife, Maharani Jaivantabai Songara, was born in the same year. He had 24 sons. His second wife, Sajjabai Solankini gave birth to his son Shakti Singh, Sagar Singh and Vikram Dev. Dheerbai Bhattiyani was his favourite wife and was the mother of his son Jagmal Singh. His fourth wife was Rani Veerbai Jhaala.
The reign
In 1544 Udai Singh surrendered the keys of Chittor to Sher Shah Suri on the terms that Sher Shah does not harm the people of Mewar. In 1557, he was defeated by Maldeo Rathore at the Battle of Harmada and lost Merta to him. In 1562, he gave refuge to Baz Bahadur of Malwa. In September1567, his son Shakti Singh came to him from Dhaulpur and told him of Akbar's plan to capture Chittor. According to Kaviraj Shyamaldas, Udai Singh called a council of war. The nobles advised him to take refuge along with the princes in the hills, leaving a garrison at Chittor. On 23 October 1567 Akbar formed his camp near Chittor. Udai Singh retired to Gogunda leaving Chittor in the hands of his loyal chieftains Rao Jaimal and Patta. Akbar captured Chittor after a four-month-long siege on 23 February 1568. He later shifted his capital to Udaipur. He died in 1572 in Gogunda. Before his death, Jagmal tried to seize the throne but the nobles of Mewar prevented Jagmal from succeeding and placed Maharana Pratap Singh on the throne on 1 March 1572.
