In the year 1562, Akbar vanquished the Malwa ruler Baz Bahadur and annexed Malwa under Mughal dominion. Consequently, the state boundary of Rani touched the Mughal Sultanate.
Rani's contemporary was a Mughal General, Khwaja Abdul Majid Asaf Khan, an ambitious man who vanquished Ramchandra, the ruler of Rewa. Prosperity of Rani Durgavati's state lured him and he invaded Rani's state after taking permission from Mughal emperor Akbar.
When Rani heard about the attack by Asaf Khan she decided to defend her kingdom with all her might although her Diwan Beohar Adhar Simha pointed out the strength of Mughal forces. Rani maintained that it was better to die respectfully than to live a disgraceful life.