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Battle of Khanwa: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Battle of Khanwa
On the 16th of March 1527, the air above the village of Khanwa in modern-day Rajasthan was filled with the thunderous roar of the first large-scale gunpowder warfare ever witnessed in Northern India. This was not merely a clash of swords and spears but a collision of eras, where the ancient traditions of Rajput cavalry met the terrifying new technology of Mughal muskets and artillery. The battle pitted the Mughal Empire, led by the ambitious conqueror Babur, against the Kingdom of Mewar, commanded by the formidable Rana Sanga, for the very supremacy of the subcontinent. While Babur had already secured Delhi through the First Battle of Panipat, his hold on India remained precarious, and Rana Sanga had transformed Mewar into the most powerful Hindu kingdom in the north, determined to expel the foreign invader. The outcome of this day would decide whether the Mughal Empire would become a permanent fixture of Indian history or a fleeting raiding party destined to return to Kabul. Heavy casualties were inflicted on both sides, with dead bodies littering the landscape as far as Bayana, Alwar, and Mewat, marking this as one of the most decisive and brutal conflicts of the medieval period.
The Betrayal of Allies
The road to Khanwa was paved with shifting loyalties and broken promises that stretched back to Babur's initial entry into Punjab. Before 1524, Babur had sought to expand his rule to Punjab to fulfill the legacy of his ancestor Timur, but the region was under the rule of Ibrahim Lodi, whose empire was crumbling from within. Babur had raided Punjab in 1504 and 1518, and in 1520, 21, he captured the twin gateways to Hindustan, Bhira and Sialkot, only to be forced back by rebellions in Qandhar. In 1523, invitations arrived from Alam Khan Lodi, Daulat Khan Lodi, and Ala-ud-Din, urging Babur to invade the Delhi Sultanate. While Alam personally visited Babur's court to describe the political chaos, Babur refused to hand over Delhi to him after conquest, leading Alam to besiege Delhi alone and fail. Daulat Khan Lodi, who had betrayed Babur to capture Sialkot with 40,000 men, was soundly defeated at Lahore, allowing Babur to become the unopposed lord of Punjab and eventually annihilate the Lodi Sultanate at Panipat. Yet, the alliance between Babur and Rana Sanga remained a subject of intense historical debate. Babur claimed in his autobiography that Sanga had offered to help him against Ibrahim but had changed his mind, breaching their agreement. Conversely, Rajput sources and historian Gopinath Sharma argue that Sanga was already the most powerful Hindu king and that it was Babur who sought the alliance, fearing Sanga's strength. Historian Satish Chandra speculates that Sanga may have intended to let Babur and the Lodi Empire exhaust each other before moving in, or perhaps believed Babur would withdraw like Timur once he had seized the treasures of Delhi and Agra.
The Battle of Khanwa took place on the 16th of March 1527. This date marks the first large-scale gunpowder warfare ever witnessed in Northern India.
Who led the Mughal forces at the Battle of Khanwa?
Babur led the Mughal Empire forces at the Battle of Khanwa. He commanded the army that utilized muskets and artillery to defeat the Rajput coalition.
Who commanded the Kingdom of Mewar at the Battle of Khanwa?
Rana Sanga commanded the Kingdom of Mewar at the Battle of Khanwa. He mobilized a grand coalition of more than 120 chieftains to oppose Babur.
Where was the Battle of Khanwa fought?
The Battle of Khanwa was fought above the village of Khanwa in modern-day Rajasthan. The heavy casualties littered the landscape as far as Bayana, Alwar, and Mewat.
Why did Rana Sanga form an alliance against Babur?
Rana Sanga formed an alliance to force Babur out of India or confine him to Afghanistan. He sought to expel the foreign invader and protect Hindu religion and culture.
How did Babur win the Battle of Khanwa?
Babur won the Battle of Khanwa by using a fortified encampment with muskets and artillery to weaken the Rajput charge. He utilized a defensive strategy with carts fastened by iron chains to counter the Rajput cavalry.
By early 1527, the political landscape had shifted dramatically as Rana Sanga mobilized a grand coalition to force Babur out of India or confine him to Afghanistan. Sanga called upon his Rajput vassals, and more than 120 chieftains from various parts of northern India responded to his call, beating the drums of war and dispatching letters of duty. The alliance was not limited to Hindus; Mahmud Lodi, the younger son of Sikandar Lodi whom the Afghans had proclaimed their new sultan, joined Sanga with a contingent of Afghan horsemen. Khanzada Hasan Khan Mewati, the ruler of Mewat, also threw his men into the alliance, creating a diverse front against the Mughals. Babur denounced these Afghan allies as kafirs and murtads, those who had apostatized from Islam, highlighting the religious tensions that underpinned the conflict. Historian Har Bilas Sarda estimated that Rana Sanga commanded more than 110,000 soldiers, including 10,000 adventurers from Mahmud Lodi. While Babur viewed the struggle as a duty to maintain the supremacy of Islam, which had dominated the country for more than three hundred years, Sanga saw himself as the champion of Hindu interests and the protector of Hindu religion and culture. This ideological divide was compounded by the fear within Babur's own ranks; the Afghans in his army began to leave, and the Turks complained about defending a land they hated, requesting Babur to return to Kabul with the rich spoils they had collected. The morale of Babur's forces was so low that no manly word or brave council was heard from anyone, prompting Babur to give a religious color to the battle to raise the flagging spirits of his troops.
The Strategy of Chains
As the armies moved toward confrontation, the strategic maneuvering of both commanders set the stage for a tactical masterpiece that would redefine warfare in India. Babur had initially sent military detachments to conquer Dholpur, Gwalior, and Bayana, areas that were part of Sanga's territories, but Sanga responded quickly, defeating the Mughal force at the Battle of Bayana and wresting back Gwalior and other places. Realizing the danger, Babur recalled Humayun from the east, where he had been sent to fight the Afghans, to face the advancing Rana. Sanga, after capturing Bayana, moved to the north-east and took Bhusawar, effectively cutting Babur's supply line from Delhi and Kabul. This strategic move forced Babur to discuss peace overtures, proposing to set Bayana as the boundary between themselves, but acting on the advice of his chiefs, Babur rejected the offer. On the day of battle, Sanga placed his trusted chiefs in the center and others on the respective right and left, intending to throw the bulk of his army against the enemy lines where Rajput cavalry was unmatched. Babur, however, knew that his army would have been swept away by the Rajput charge if he fought them in the open. He planned a defensive strategy to form a fortified encampment where he would use his muskets and artillery to weaken his foes before striking when their morale had shattered. Babur carefully inspected the site and strengthened his front by procuring carts fastened by iron chains, not leather straps as at Panipat, and reinforced by mantlets. Gaps between the carts were used for horsemen to charge at the opponent at an opportune time, and to lengthen the line, ropes made of rawhide were placed over wheeled wooden tripods. The flanks were protected by digging ditches, while foot-musketeers, falconets, and mortars were placed behind the carts to fire and advance if required. Heavy Turk horsemen stood behind them, with two contingents of elite horsemen kept in reserve for the taulqama, or flanking, tactic, creating a strong offensive-defensive formation.
The Charge of the Rajputs
When the battle finally erupted, Rana Sanga fought in a traditional manner, charging the Mughal ranks with the ferocity that had made him a legend, but the Mughal muskets cut down his men in great numbers. The noise of the muskets caused fear amongst the horses and elephants of the Rajput army, causing them to trample their own men and creating chaos within the Rajut lines. Finding it impossible to attack the Mughal center, Sanga ordered his men to attack the Mughal flanks, and the fighting continued on the two flanks for three hours. During this time, the Mughals fired at the Rajput ranks with muskets and arrows, while the Rajputs could only retaliate in close quarters. Babur attempted to use his famous taulqama or pincer movement, but his men were unable to complete it; twice they pushed the Rajputs back, only to be forced to retreat to their positions due to the relentless attacks of the Rajput horsemen. At about this time, Silhadi of Raisen deserted the Rana's army and went over to Babur, a betrayal that forced the Rana to change his plans and issue new orders, though some historians argue this betrayal never happened and was a later concoction. During the height of the fighting, the Rana was shot by a bullet and fell unconscious, causing great confusion in the Rajput army and a lull in the fighting for a short period. A Jhala chieftain called Ajja acted as the Rana and led the Rajput army, while the Rana was hidden within a circle of his trusted men. The Rajputs continued their attacks but failed to break the Mughal flanks, and their center was unable to do anything against the fortified Mughal center, leading to a struggle that historian Jadunath Sarkar described with vivid detail.
The Tower of Skulls
As the battle turned against the Rajputs, Babur noticed the weak Rajput center and ordered his men to take the offensive. The Mughal attack pushed the Rajputs back and forced the Rajput commanders to rush to the front, resulting in the death of many. The Rajputs became leaderless as most of their senior commanders were dead and their unconscious king had been moved out of the battle. The Rajputs made a desperate charge on the Mughal left and right flanks like before, but here their bravest were mown down, and the battle ended in their irretrievable defeat. Dead bodies could be found as far as Bayana, Alwar, and Mewat of both sides, and the Mughals were too exhausted and had very heavy casualties after the long fight to give chase. Babur himself gave up the idea of invading Mewar, recognizing that the cost of further conquest was too high. Following this, Babur ordered a tower of enemy skulls to be erected, a practice formulated by Timur. According to historian Chandra, the objective of constructing a tower of skulls was not just to record a great victory, but also to terrorize opponents. Earlier, the same tactic had been used by Babur against the Afghans of Bajaur, serving as a grim reminder of the consequences of resistance. The battle marked a turning point where the cannon and superior tactics of Babur put an end to outdated trends in Indian warfare, suggesting that had it not for these innovations, Rana Sanga might have achieved a historic victory against Babur.
The Oath of Silence
In the aftermath of the battle, Rana Sanga was taken away from the battlefield in an unconscious state by Prithviraj Kachwaha and Maldev Rathore of Marwar. After regaining consciousness, he took an oath to not return to Chittor until he had defeated Babur and ousted him, and he stopped wearing a turban, instead choosing to wrap a cloth over his head. While he was preparing to wage another war against Babur, he was poisoned by his own nobles who did not want another conflict with Babur. He died in Kalpi in January 1528, leaving behind a power vacuum that was filled by Rao Maldeo Rathore, who took over the role as the leading Rajput king and dominated the time period after Sanga's death. The battle did not crush Rajput power forever, but it did shift the balance of power in Northern India, allowing the Mughal Empire to consolidate its hold. The heavy casualties and the death of their greatest leader meant that the Rajput resistance would never again be as unified or as threatening to the Mughals as it had been under Sanga. The legacy of the Battle of Khanwa remained etched in the history of India, a testament to the clash of cultures, the rise of gunpowder warfare, and the tragic end of a king who had vowed to expel the invader.