Second battle of Panipat
Encyclopedia
The Second Battle of Panipat was fought between the forces of Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, popularly called Hemu
, the Hindu king who was ruling North India from Delhi, and the army of Jalal ud-Din Muhammad Akbar
, on November 5, 1556. It was a decisive victory for Akbar's generals Khan Zaman I and Bairam Khan
, Kandahar
, parts of Delhi
and Punjab
. Akbar was then campaigning in Kabul
with his guardian, Bairam Khan
.
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya or Hemu
was a Hindu
king in Delhi
, and belonged to Rewari
in present day Haryana
, who earlier was an adviser to Sher Shah Suri
's son Islam Shah from 1545 to 1553 and had won 22 battles, as Prime Minister and Chief of Army of Islam Shah, during 1553 to 1556 to quell the rebellion by Afghan
rebels against Sur regime. At the time of Humayun's death in January 1556, Hemu had just quelled a rebellion in Bengal
, killing the Bengal ruler Muhammad Shah in the war. He made his intentions of winning Delhi
for himself known to his commanders. He then started a campaign, winning battles throughout northern India. When he attacked Agra
, the commander of Akbar's forces in Agra
, fled without fighting. A large area of Etawah
, Kalpi
, and Agra
provinces comprising present day Bihar and UP came under Hemu's control. In the Gwalior Fort
Hemu consolidated his army by recruiting more Hindus.
Hemu then moved towards Delhi
and stationed his forces outside the city at Tughlaqabad
. On October 6, 1556, his army encountered Mughal resistance. After a fierce fight Akbar's forces were ousted, and Tardi Beg
, the commander of the Mughal forces, escaped, allowing Hemu to capture Delhi. Around 3,000 Mughals were killed. Hemu was crowned at Purana Qila on October 7, 1556, and established Hindu rule in North India, after 350 years of Muslim rule, and was bestowed the title of Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya. According to Abul Fazl
in Akbarnama
, Hemu was preparing for an attack on Kabul
and made several changes in his Army.
and Agra
disturbed the Mughals at Kalanaur
. Many Mughal Generals advised Akbar to retreat to Kabul
as Mughal forces may not face Hemu
's might and new awareness among Hindus to liberate their country, but Bairam Khan
decided in favor of war. Akbar's army marched towards Delhi
. On November 5, both armies met at the historic battlefield of Panipat
, where, thirty years earlier, Akbar's grandfather Babur
had defeated Ibrahim Lodi in what is now known as the First Battle of Panipat. Akbar and his guardian Bairam Khan did not participate in the battle and were stationed 5 Kos (8 miles) away from the war zone. Hemu's army consisted of 1500 war elephants and a vanguard of artillery park. Hemu marched in excellent order with 30,000 practiced horsemen composed of Rajputs and Afghans who on many occasions, had by their exploits increased the pride and arrogance.
In order to hearten the soldiers and the Afghan Amirs, Hemu had given gifts of lands, and opened the doors of his treasures. Thus he mobilised the valiant fighters. According to Badaoni, Hemu's army was dispirited, and who set all his hopes on the elephants, surrounded by his chiefs charged the imperial hosts, and threw both right and left wings in to great confusion. The Mughal forces were charged repeatedly by elephants to break their lines. The Mughal Vanguard according to sources consisted of 10,000 cavelery, out of which 5000 were experienced veteran soldiers and they got ready to meet the advancing army of Hemu. Hemu
was himself commanding his forces from atop an elephant. It seemed Hemu was on a winning track and Akbar's army would rout. Abul Fazl has described the war as quote "Two armies so collided that they struck fire out of water, You'd say the air was all crimsoned. Their steel had all become solid rubies" suddenly in the midst of the contest, an arrow from the bend bow of divener wrath reached Hemu's eye, and piercing the socket, came out at the back of his head. In the words of Badaoni too, "suddenly the arrow of death which no shield can ward off struck his (Hemu) squinting eye so that his brain passed clean out from the cup of his head, and he became unconcious and not to be seen in his Howda. Not seeing Hemu in his howda, Hemu’s army was in disarray and defeated in the ensuing confusion.
Several hours after the war ended, dead Hemu was located and captured by Shah Quli Khan Mahram and brought to Akbar’s tent in the camp located at village Saudhapur in Panipat (Located on Panipat-Jind road, 5 km from NH1). General Bairam Khan
was desirous that Akbar should slay General Hemu himself and should establish his right to the title of “Ghazi” (Champion of Faith or war veteran). But Akbar, refused to strike a blood soaked and dead enemy but smote the dead body, just to be called a Ghazi. Bairam Khan irritated by Akbar’s scruples beheaded the Hindu king himself.
Hemu's supporters constructed a Cenotaph at the site of his beheading, which is still existing at the village Saudhapur, on Jind Road at Panipat.
to display outside the 'Delhi Darwaza' to convince Mughals that the great Hindu warrior, winner of 22 battles is finally killed. His torso was sent to Delhi and hanged outside Purana Quila on a 'gibbet'.
Akbar took Agra
and Delhi
without much resistance. But soon after he took possession of his capital, he had to return to Punjab when intelligence informed him of Sikandar Shah Suri
’s (Adil Shah Suri
’s brother)advancing campaign in Punjab. Sikandar Shah was, however, defeated and taken captive after the siege of Fort Mankot by Mughal forces and exiled to Bengal. The victory of Akbar at the Battle of Panipat in 1556 was the real restoration of the Mughal Power in India. It took Akbar 8 years to capture the territory which was occupied by Hemu Vikramaditya up to Bengal. It marked the fulfillment of the destiny of Mughals in India as ruler.
Hemu
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...
, the Hindu king who was ruling North India from Delhi, and the army of Jalal ud-Din Muhammad Akbar
Akbar the Great
Akbar , also known as Shahanshah Akbar-e-Azam or Akbar the Great , was the third Mughal Emperor. He was of Timurid descent; the son of Emperor Humayun, and the grandson of the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India...
, on November 5, 1556. It was a decisive victory for Akbar's generals Khan Zaman I and Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan also Bayram Khan was a important military commander, general of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar.-Background:...
Background
On January 24, 1556, Mughal ruler Humanyun died in Delhi and was succeeded by his son, Akbar at Kalanaur, who was only thirteen years old. On February 14, 1556, Akbar was enthroned as the Emperor. At the time of his accession to the throne, the Mughal rule was confined to KabulKabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
, parts of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
. Akbar was then campaigning in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
with his guardian, Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan also Bayram Khan was a important military commander, general of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar.-Background:...
.
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya or Hemu
Hemu
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...
was a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
king in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, and belonged to Rewari
Rewari
Rewari is a city and a municipal council in Rewari district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is located in south-west Haryana around from Delhi and from Gurgaon.- Etymology :...
in present day Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, who earlier was an adviser to Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
's son Islam Shah from 1545 to 1553 and had won 22 battles, as Prime Minister and Chief of Army of Islam Shah, during 1553 to 1556 to quell the rebellion by Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
rebels against Sur regime. At the time of Humayun's death in January 1556, Hemu had just quelled a rebellion in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, killing the Bengal ruler Muhammad Shah in the war. He made his intentions of winning Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
for himself known to his commanders. He then started a campaign, winning battles throughout northern India. When he attacked Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, the commander of Akbar's forces in Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, fled without fighting. A large area of Etawah
Etawah
Etawah is a city on the Yamuna River in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Etawah District. The city was an important center for the Revolt of 1857 . Also is the place of sangam or confluence between Yamuna and Chambal...
, Kalpi
Kalpi
Kalpi is a city and a municipal board in Jalaun district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is on the right bank of the Yamuna.-History:...
, and Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
provinces comprising present day Bihar and UP came under Hemu's control. In the Gwalior Fort
Gwalior Fort
ċċċċċt̪--122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 --122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 --122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 Gwalior Fort in Gwalior, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, stands on an isolated rock, overlooking the Gwalior town, and contains a number of historic...
Hemu consolidated his army by recruiting more Hindus.
Hemu then moved towards Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and stationed his forces outside the city at Tughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi, stretching across 6.5 km, built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, of the Delhi Sultanate of India in 1321, as he established the fifth historic city of Delhi, which was later abandoned in 1327...
. On October 6, 1556, his army encountered Mughal resistance. After a fierce fight Akbar's forces were ousted, and Tardi Beg
Tardi Beg
Tardi Beg was a military commander in the 16th century in Mughal India. He served under the Mughal Emperors Humayun and Akbar.Beg was part of Humayun's forces when they retreated from India after the siege by Sher Shah...
, the commander of the Mughal forces, escaped, allowing Hemu to capture Delhi. Around 3,000 Mughals were killed. Hemu was crowned at Purana Qila on October 7, 1556, and established Hindu rule in North India, after 350 years of Muslim rule, and was bestowed the title of Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya. According to Abul Fazl
Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak
Shaikh Abu al-Fazl ibn Mubarak also known as Abu'l-Fazl, Abu'l Fadl and Abu'l-Fadl 'Allami was the vizier of the great Mughal emperor Akbar, and author of the Akbarnama, the official history of Akbar's reign in three volumes, and a Persian translation of the Bible...
in Akbarnama
Akbarnama
The ' , which literally means Book of Akbar, is the official chronicle of the reign of Akbar, the third Mughal Emperor , commissioned by Akbar himself and written in Persian by his court historian and biographer, Abul Fazl who was one of the nine jewels in Akbar's court...
, Hemu was preparing for an attack on Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
and made several changes in his Army.
Battle
Developments in DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
disturbed the Mughals at Kalanaur
Kalanaur
Kalanaur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Gurdaspur district in the Indian state of Punjab.-Demographics:As per the 2001 census of India, Kalanaur has a population of 12,915. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Those under 6 years of age constitute 13% of the population. The...
. Many Mughal Generals advised Akbar to retreat to Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
as Mughal forces may not face Hemu
Hemu
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...
's might and new awareness among Hindus to liberate their country, but Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan also Bayram Khan was a important military commander, general of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar.-Background:...
decided in favor of war. Akbar's army marched towards Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. On November 5, both armies met at the historic battlefield of Panipat
Panipat
Panipat بَنِبَت is an ancient and historic city in Panipat district, Haryana state, India. It is 90 km north from Delhi and 169 km south of Chandigarh on NH-1. The three battles fought at the city were turning points in Indian history. The city is famous in India by the name of "City of...
, where, thirty years earlier, Akbar's grandfather Babur
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
had defeated Ibrahim Lodi in what is now known as the First Battle of Panipat. Akbar and his guardian Bairam Khan did not participate in the battle and were stationed 5 Kos (8 miles) away from the war zone. Hemu's army consisted of 1500 war elephants and a vanguard of artillery park. Hemu marched in excellent order with 30,000 practiced horsemen composed of Rajputs and Afghans who on many occasions, had by their exploits increased the pride and arrogance.
In order to hearten the soldiers and the Afghan Amirs, Hemu had given gifts of lands, and opened the doors of his treasures. Thus he mobilised the valiant fighters. According to Badaoni, Hemu's army was dispirited, and who set all his hopes on the elephants, surrounded by his chiefs charged the imperial hosts, and threw both right and left wings in to great confusion. The Mughal forces were charged repeatedly by elephants to break their lines. The Mughal Vanguard according to sources consisted of 10,000 cavelery, out of which 5000 were experienced veteran soldiers and they got ready to meet the advancing army of Hemu. Hemu
Hemu
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...
was himself commanding his forces from atop an elephant. It seemed Hemu was on a winning track and Akbar's army would rout. Abul Fazl has described the war as quote "Two armies so collided that they struck fire out of water, You'd say the air was all crimsoned. Their steel had all become solid rubies" suddenly in the midst of the contest, an arrow from the bend bow of divener wrath reached Hemu's eye, and piercing the socket, came out at the back of his head. In the words of Badaoni too, "suddenly the arrow of death which no shield can ward off struck his (Hemu) squinting eye so that his brain passed clean out from the cup of his head, and he became unconcious and not to be seen in his Howda. Not seeing Hemu in his howda, Hemu’s army was in disarray and defeated in the ensuing confusion.
Several hours after the war ended, dead Hemu was located and captured by Shah Quli Khan Mahram and brought to Akbar’s tent in the camp located at village Saudhapur in Panipat (Located on Panipat-Jind road, 5 km from NH1). General Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan also Bayram Khan was a important military commander, general of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar.-Background:...
was desirous that Akbar should slay General Hemu himself and should establish his right to the title of “Ghazi” (Champion of Faith or war veteran). But Akbar, refused to strike a blood soaked and dead enemy but smote the dead body, just to be called a Ghazi. Bairam Khan irritated by Akbar’s scruples beheaded the Hindu king himself.
Hemu's supporters constructed a Cenotaph at the site of his beheading, which is still existing at the village Saudhapur, on Jind Road at Panipat.
Aftermath
After beheading of Hemu, his Skull/Head was sent to KabulKabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
to display outside the 'Delhi Darwaza' to convince Mughals that the great Hindu warrior, winner of 22 battles is finally killed. His torso was sent to Delhi and hanged outside Purana Quila on a 'gibbet'.
Akbar took Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
without much resistance. But soon after he took possession of his capital, he had to return to Punjab when intelligence informed him of Sikandar Shah Suri
Sikandar Shah Suri
Sikandar Shah Suri was the sixth ruler of Sur dynasty, a late medieval Pashtun dynasty of northern India. He became the sultan of Delhi after overthrowing Ibrahim Shah Suri.-Early life:...
’s (Adil Shah Suri
Adil Shah Suri
Adil Shah Suri was the seventh and final ruler of the Sur dynasty. He was the brother of Sikandar Shah Suri, who ruled over a region east of Delhi after Sikandar Shah Suri was defeated by Humayun in 1555...
’s brother)advancing campaign in Punjab. Sikandar Shah was, however, defeated and taken captive after the siege of Fort Mankot by Mughal forces and exiled to Bengal. The victory of Akbar at the Battle of Panipat in 1556 was the real restoration of the Mughal Power in India. It took Akbar 8 years to capture the territory which was occupied by Hemu Vikramaditya up to Bengal. It marked the fulfillment of the destiny of Mughals in India as ruler.