Battle of Chausa

Last updated

Battle of Chausa
Date26 June 1539
Location
Chausa (in present-day Buxar, Bihar, India)
Result Sur victory
Belligerents
Mughal Empire Sur Empire
Gautam Rajputs
Commanders and leaders
Humayun
Bayram Khan
Sher Shah Suri
Gajpati Ujjainia
Casualties and losses
7,000 [1] Unknown

The Battle of Chausa was a notable military engagement between the Mughal Emperor, Humayun, and the Afghan warlord, Sher Shah Suri. It was fought on 26 June 1539 at Chausa, 10 miles southwest of Buxar in modern-day Bihar, India. Sher Shah Suri was assisted by his allies, the Ujjainiya Rajputs of Bhojpur and Gautam Rajputs who were led by the commander, Gajpati Ujjainia. [2] Humayun escaped from the battlefield to save his life. Sher Shah was victorious and crowned himself Farīd al-Dīn Shēr Shāh. [3] [4] Babur's cousin, Mirza Haidar asserted that the armies might have numbered over 200,000 troops. [5]

Humayun divided the province of Bengal into Jagirs among his officers and indulged in luxuries. Meanwhile, Sher Khan established his control over various regions and cut off Humayun's contracts with Agra. To put pressure on Sher Khan, Humayun marched towards Agra through the Grand Trunk Road, but Sher Khan provoked Humayun to recross the Ganga river to its southern bank at Chausa. Both armies remained encamped for three months, during which Sher Khan cleverly indulged Humayun in negotiations for peace. With the beginning of the rains, Sher Khan attacked the Mughal forces and caused a lot of confusion among them. The Mughal camp was filled with water, and a great number of soldiers were killed by the Afghans, and about 8000 of them were drowned in the flooded Ganga. Sher Khan captured the Mughal camp along with their artillery and harem. Sher Khan treated the ladies of the harem kindly and made arrangements for their safe return to Humayun. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humayun</span> Mughal emperor during 1530–1540 and 1555–1556

Nasir al-Din Muhammad ) commonly know by his regnal name Humayun, was the second Mughal emperor, who ruled over territory in what is now Eastern Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Northern India, and Pakistan from 1530 to 1540 and again from 1555 to his death 1556. At the time of his death the Mughal Empire spanned almost one million square kilometres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sher Shah Suri</span> Founder of the Suri Empire in India (1472/1486–1545)

Sher Shah Suri, often called the "Just King", was the founder of the Sur Empire in India. He was the regent and later sole ruler of Bihar from 1529—1540 until he defeated the Mughal Empire in 1540, founding the Sur Empire, and establishing his rule in Delhi, crowning himself as Emperor. After his accidental death in 1545 CE, his son Islam Shah became his successor. The influence of his innovations and reforms extended far beyond his brief reign. In his reign, he remained undefeated in battle, being renowned as one of the most skillful Afghan generals ever produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bairam Khan</span> Mughal military commander and statesman (1501–1561)

Muhammad Bairam Khan, commonly known as Bairam Khan or Bayram Khan was an important military commander, and later commander-in-chief of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal Emperors, Humayun and Akbar. He was also the guardian, chief mentor, adviser, teacher and the most trusted ally of Akbar. Akbar honoured him as Khan-i-Khanan, which means "King of Kings". Bairam was originally called Bairam "Beg", but later became honoured as Khan. Bairam Khan was an aggressive general who was determined to restore Mughal authority in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sur Empire</span> Pashtun dynasty that ruled parts of Northern India between 1538/1540 and 1556

The Sur Empire was an empire ruled by the Afghan-origin Sur dynasty in northern India for nearly 16 or 18 years, between 1538/1540 and 1556, with Sasaram serving as its capital. It was founded by Sher Shah Suri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maldeo Rathore</span> Rao of Marwar (1511–1562)

Rao Maldeo Rathore was a king of the Rathore dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Marwar in present day state of Rajasthan. Maldeo ascended the throne in 1531 CE, inheriting a small ancestral principality of Rathore's but after a long period of military actions against his neighbours, Maldeo swept significant territories which included parts of present day Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Sindh. He refused to ally with either the Sur Empire or the Mughal Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chausa</span> Town in Bihar, India

Chausa is a village and corresponding community development block in Buxar district, Bihar, India. It is located 11 km west of the district headquarters, Buxar, on the bank of the river Ganga. As of 2011, the population of the village of Chausa was 9,011, in 1,362 households, while the total block population was 103,670, in 15,817 households.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Delhi</span> History of Delhi, India

Delhi has been an important political centre of India as the capital of several empires. The recorded history of Delhi begins with the 8th century Tomar Rajputs kingdom. It is considered to be a city built, destroyed and rebuilt several times, as outsiders who successfully invaded the Indian subcontinent would ransack the existing capital city in Delhi, and those who came to conquer and stay would be so impressed by the city's strategic location as to make it their capital and rebuild it in their own way.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akbar</span> Mughal emperor from 1556 to 1605

Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, popularly known as Akbar the Great, and also as Akbar I, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expand and consolidate Mughal domains in the Indian subcontinent.

The Battle of Tughlaqabad was a notable battle fought on 7 October 1556 between a Hindu king Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, also known as Hemu and the forces of the Mughal emperor Akbar led by Tardi Beg Khan at Tughlaqabad near Delhi. The battle ended in a 'victory of Hem Chandra' who took possession of Delhi and claimed royal status, assuming the title of Raja Vikramaditya. Following his failure, Tardi Beg was executed by Akbar's regent, Bairam Khan. The two armies would meet again at Panipat a month later with opposite results.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jagdishpur</span> Nagar panchayat in Bihar, India

Jagdishpur is a nagar panchayat town of the district Bhojpur of the state of Bihar in eastern India. It was the capital of the eponymous Jagdishpur estate, ruled by Rajputs of the Ujjainiya clan. One of its rulers, Kunwar Singh, was a major figure in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, considered the leader of the rebellion in Bihar.

The Ujjainiya Parmār are a Rajput clan that inhabits the state of Bihar.

Taj Khan Karrani was the founder of the Karrani dynasty, a Pashtun dynasty of Karlan-Afghan origin that ruled Bengal, Orissa and parts of Bihar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army of the Mughal Empire</span> Armed forces of the Mughal Empire

The Army of the Mughal Empire was the force by which the Mughal emperors established their empire in the 16th century and expanded it to its greatest extent at the beginning of the 18th century. Although its origins, like the Mughals themselves, were in the cavalry-based armies of central Asia, its essential form and structure was established by the empire's third emperor, Akbar. The regular forces mainly recruited and fielded by Mansabdar officers.

Khawas Khan Marwat was one of the best generals of Sher Shah Suri, having played a major role in defeating the Mughal Emperor Humayun in 1539 at the Battle of Chausa. He belonged to the Bahram branch of the Marwat tribe. He was originally a poor fox hunter, but Sher Shah spotted his potential and elevated him to the position of a general. According to historical accounts he was born of a slave woman to a household of Lohani Marwats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Rajmahal</span> 1576 battle during the Mughal invasion of Bengal

The Battle of Rajmahal took place between the Mughal Empire and the Karrani Dynasty that ruled the Sultanate of Bengal in the 16th century. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the Mughals. During the battle, the last Sultan of Bengal, Daud Khan Karrani, was captured and later executed by the Mughals.

The Battle of Sirhind was fought between the Mughal Empire and the Suri Empire in 1555.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hushang Mirza</span> Shahzada of the Mughal Empire

Hushang Mirza or Hoshang Mirza was a Mughal prince and grandson of the third Mughal emperor, Akbar. He was the youngest son of Daniyal Mirza and nephew of the fourth Mughal emperor, Jahangir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhojpur Kadim</span> Village in Bihar, India

Bhojpur Kadim is a historic village in Dumraon block of Buxar district, Bihar, India. As of 2011, its population was 18,243, in 3,024 households. Together with the neighboring Bhojpur Jadid, it lends its name to the surrounding Bhojpuri region.

The Battle of Kannauj took place at Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, India between Sher Shah Suri and Humayun on 17 May 1540. This battle is also known as the battle of Bilgram, where Humayun was defeated.

Gajpati Ujjainiya (1484-1577) was a chieftain of the Ujjainiya Rajput clan and also a commander in the army of Sher Shah Suri, the ruler of the Sur Empire. He was the first Ujjainiya chief to have a continued battle with Mughals.

References

  1. Chandra, Satish (2007). History of Medieval India: 800-1700. Orient BlackSwan. p. 217. ISBN   978-81-250-3226-7.
  2. Ahmad, Imtiaz (2008). "State Formation and Consolidation under the Ujjainiya Rajputs in Medieval Bihar: Testimony of Oral Traditions as Recorded in the Tawarikh-i-Ujjainiya". In Singh, Surinder; Gaur, I. D. (eds.). Popular Literature And Pre-Modern Societies In South Asia. Pearson Education India. p. 80. ISBN   978-81-317-1358-7 . Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  3. "Sher Shah of Sur: Indian emperor". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  4. "India - The Mughal Empire, 1526-1761". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  5. Mahajan, V. D. (2007). History of Medieval India. S. Chand Publishing. p. 40. ISBN   978-81-219-0364-6.
  6. historyforexam. "The Battle Chausa" . Retrieved 10 March 2023.