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Second Battle of Panipat
Date November 5, 1556 Location Panipat Result Decisive Mughal victory
Belligerents
Mughal Empire	Hindus
Commanders
Bairam Khan	Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya

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 general Bairam Khan^[1]

Background

On January 24, 1556, Mughal ruler Humayun died in Delhi and was succeeded by his son, Jalal ud-Din Muhammad 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 Kabul, 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 who was earlier an advisor to Sher Shah Suri's son Islam Shah from 1545 to 1553 and had won 22 battles 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 ran away, leaving the state without a fight. A large area of Etawah, Kalpi, and Agra states came under Hemu's control.

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 without much difficulty. Around 3,000 Mughals were killed. Hemu was crowned at Purana Quila on October 7, 1556, and established Hindu rule in North India,after 350 years of foreign rule, and was bestowed the title of Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya.

Battle

Developments in Delhi and Agra disturbed the Mughals at Kalanaur. Many Mughal Generals advised Akbar and Bairam Khan to retreat to Kabul as Mughal forces may not face Hemu's might and new awareness among Hindus to librate their country, but Bairam Khan decided in favour 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. The Mughal forces were charged repeatedly by elephants to break their lines. Hemu was himself commanding his forces from atop an elephant. It seemed Hemu was on a winning track and Akbar's army will run away. However, Bairam Khan, the veteran of many a wars and an able general had planned otherwise. With a much smaller army ,his plan was clear. The warriors of that time, including Hemu wore armour completely covering their body specially the vulnerable organs except the eyes. After repeated attempts a stray arrow could find Hemu's eye. Hemu, struck in the eye by an arrow was knocked down senseless, almost dead in his Ohda on the elephant. Not seeing Hemu in his Ohda, Hemu’s army was in disarray and defeated in the ensuing confusion. Almost dead Hemu was captured by Shah Quli Khan and brought to Akbar’s tent in the camp located at village Saudhapur in Panipat. 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,who still was a child, refused to strike a dead enemy, just to be called a Ghazi. Bairam Khan irritated by Akbar’s scruples beheaded Hemu himself.

Aftermath

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. He 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 Dynasty to Power in India. It took Akbar 8 years to capture the territory which was occupied by Hemu Vikramaditya. It marked the fulfillment of the destiny of Mughals in India as rulers.

See also

• Battle of Panipat (1526)
• Battle of Panipat (1761)
• Babur

References