Battle of Panipat (1556)

The Second Battle of Panipat was fought between the forces of Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, popularly called Hemu, the Hindu ruler North India from Delhi, and the army of Akbar, on November 5, 1556. It was a decisive victory for Akbar's generals Khan Zaman I and Bairam Khan.

Background
On January 24, 1556, the Mughal ruler Humanyun died in Delhi and was succeeded by his son, Akbar at Kalanaur, located in present day Punjab in India. Akbar was only thirteen years old. On February 14, 1556, Akbar was enthroned as the king. 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, Bahram Khan. Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya or Hemu was a Hindu emperor in Delhi by virtue of defeating Akbar/Humanyun's army in Battle for Delhi. Hemu belonged to Rewari in present day Haryana,. Hemu had won 22 battles, as Prime Minister and 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, Hemu's army encountered Mughal resistance. After a fierce fight Akbar's forces were ousted in what is known as Battle for Delhi, 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.

Battle


Developments in Delhi and Agra disturbed the Mughals at Kalanaur, Punjab. Many Mughal Generals advised Akbar to retreat to Kabul as Mughal forces may not face Hemu's might, 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. H.G.Keen writes; "Akbar and his guardian Bairam Khan did not participate in the battle and were stationed 5 Kos (8 miles) away from the war zone. Bairam Khan did not permit the 13 year old child King to be present in battle field in person, instead he was provided with a special guard of 5000 well trained and most faithful troops and was stationed at a safe distance far behind the battle lines. He was instructed by Bairam Khan to flee towards Kabul for life in case the Mughal Army was routed in the battlefield." Hemu led his army himself. 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.

Aftermath
After beheading of Hemu, his skull was sent to Kabul to display outside the 'Delhi Darwaza'. His torso was sent to Delhi and hanged outside Purana Quila on a 'gibbet' to terrorise Hindus. Hemu's wife escaped from Purana Quila taking the booty along with and remained untraceble. A genocide of Hindu civilians was ordered by Bairam Khan of which continued for many years. Hemu's relatives and close Afghan supporters were caught and many of them beheaded. Minaretts were made of the beheaded skulls at different places. Hemu's 82 years father who had escaped to Alwar was traced after 6 months and was beheaded for refusing to convert to Islam.

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 eight years to capture the territory which was occupied by Hemu Vikramaditya up to Bengal.