Battle of Khanwa

Battle of Khanwa

Babur’s decision to stay in India and his ambition of establishing Mughal rule in India alarmed the Rajputs. So far they were expecting that Babur, like his ancestor Timur, would only plunder India and go back to Samarkand. Most probably Rana Sangram Singh of Mewar, popularly known as Rana Sanga, had assured his help to Babur against Ibrahim Lodi on the grounds of his return to Samarkand but his decision to stay in India shattered the hopes of the Rajputs and they decided to drive the insolent invader out of India under the leadership of Rana Sanga. As the Muslims like Hasan Khan Mewati and Sultan Mahmood Lodi had joined with the Rana, it is apparent that it was not a war of the Hindus against the Muhammadans, but a united national effort against a common enemy of the country.

Babur accused Rana Sanga of not giving the promised help and Rana complained of not handing over the promised territories such as kalpi, Dholpur, Bayana and Agra, hence a war broke out between the two traditional enemies.

The Rajputs marched against Babur under the command of Rana Sanga in order to capture Bayana and Agra. All the rebel Afghans were with him and they achieved initial victory against the advance guard of Babur. It terrified the Mughals. The prophecy of the astrologer of Kabul frightened them all the more, but Babur was made of another stuff. He did not falter, rather he acted very wisely and dramatically. He promised before his soldiers not to take wine in future and he broke away the utensils which were used for taking wine. He gave up the Tamaga, a commercial tax on Muslims and assured his soldiers that they would return to their respective homes after the victory of Khana. Not only this, he delivered a fiery speech before his solders and injected new spirit in them by announcing this war a Jihad. He said:

“Noblemen and soldiers! Every man that comes into this would is subject to dissolution……..How much better is it to die with honour than to live with infamy…………. God Most High has been gracious in giving us this destiny that if we fall, we did martyrs, if we conquer we triumph in His Holy Cause. Let us swear with one accord that, by the Great name of God, we will never turn back from such a death, or shrink from the stress of battle, till our souls are parted from our bodies.”

Babur’s call was thus responded by the Soldiers: “O King! God willing, we will not spare ourselves in sacrifice and devotion, so long as breath and life are in our bodies.”

Forces of Babur and Rana Sanga gathered face to face at Khanua near Fatehpur Sikri. Rana Sanga, who was a great warrior and had so far waged about 100 wars and received 87 wounds on his body, commanded 80,000 soldiers and 1000 elephants. Babur’s army was also quite large as several Afghan chiefs had joined his army along with their troopers. Babur arranged the battle-front similar to that of Panipat. He also introduced some significant changes in it, in order to achieve an easy victory over the Rajputs. S.R. Sharma writes on the basis of Rushbrooke Willians:

“ Babur’s arrangements were in the main similar to those of Panipat with this difference, that guns this time were mounted on wheeled tripods to facilitate movement. A special feature in the disposition was also the great strength of the reserve. Babur in person let the centre, Humayun was on the right, and Mahdi Khwaja (Babur’s brother-in-law) on the left.”

No doubt, Babur had made full preparations and his artillery was very efficient but the fear of Rajput chivalry was present among the Muslims. However, Babur’s speech and declaration of Jehad proved quite effective. The battle began in the morning of 17^th March, A.D.1527 and continued for about 20 hours. Rana Sanga was badly wounded in the battle and he was taken to a place of safety. No doubt, the Rajputs fought bravely against the artillery of Babur but absence of Rana proved disastrous and the Rajputs were defeated by the efficient strategy of Babur.

Result of the Battle of Khanwa

Rana Sanga was badly wounded. The heads of gallant Rajputs were collected and placed into a ghastly tower and Babur assumed the title of Ghazi or victory in holy war.
The defeat of Khanua ended the menace of the Rajput supremacy and chivalry which so far perturbed the Muhammadans for the last ten years.
Babur’s days of wandering in search of a fortune now passed away. Now the fortune was his and he had to show himself worthy of it.
As a result of this battle the center of gravity f the power of Babur was shifted from Kabul to India.
Lane-poole remarks, “The battle of Panipat had utterly broken the Afghans power in India but the battle of Khanua crushed the Rajput confederacy.”
It marred the glory of the Mewar and the Rajputs could never be united in future. Their defeat deprived them of the opportunity to establish their political supremacy in the country for ever.

Cause of success of Babur

Rana Sanga was wounded just after the beginning of the battle and he was taken out of the battle field but in order to maintain courage and enthusiasm among the soldiers his crown was put on the head of Rana Jhala but this secret could not be unknown to the soldiers for a long time and they lost courage.
The battle of Khanua was decisive and significant. It proved the superiority of Mughal weapons upon Rajputs. Efficient command, better artillery and trimmed war strategy were the root causes of the success of Babur against the Rajputs.
The declaration of Jihad gave a great boost to the Muslim soldiers and they fought so ferociously in the name of religion that the Rajputs had to bow down before them in spite of their better personal courage.
Rushbrooke Williams observes, “Hitherto the occupation of Hindustan might have been looked upon as a mere episode in Babur’s career of adventure, but from henceforth, it became the keynote of the activities for the remainder of his life.”

Milan Tomic

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