Second Battle of Panipat: Humayun's Restoration, Death & Consequences

The 2nd Battle of Panipat took place on 5 November 1556 between Mughal Army led by commanders Bairam Khan and Khan Zaman I, on behalf of young Emperor Akbar and Hemu's Army. After the death of Emperor Humayun in January 1556, the power of Mughal Empire came under threat. At first, Hemu of Sur dynasty had the upper hand in the fight, but he was injured by an arrow to the eye which led to panic in his army.

As a result, the Mughals managed to win the battle that allowed Akbar to strengthen the rule of Mughals in northern India. It became a landmark event in Indian history. Modern heritage projects in Panipat are connected with the idea of creation of a Shaurya Memorial.

• The Second Battle of Panipat took place on 5 November 1556 between the Mughal army, commanded by Bairam Khan for the young emperor Akbar, and Hemu, the influential Afghan general of the Sur dynasty.
• The battle occurred at a time when the political situations of northern India were much uncertain after the death of Humayun.
• Hemu seized Agra and Delhi, declared himself ruler, posing a significant threat to the Mughal controls.
• Although Hemu initially gained the upper hand in the battlefield, but the battle turned when he was struck in the eye by an arrow and became unconscious.
• As a result his defeat ended Afghan hopes of restoring dominance in Northern India.
• The victory of the Mughals established their dominance in Delhi once again squarely and provided a basis of long and stable reign of Akbar.

• In the 1st battle of Panipat in 1526, Babur laid the foundations of the Mughal empire in India, after defeating Ibrahim Lodi. But after the death of Babur, his successor Humayun, faced stiff resistance from Afghan chiefs, most notably from Sher Shah Suri.
• Sher Shah, an excellent commander, defeated Humayun at Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (1540), forcing him into exile from India, and laid the foundation of the Suri dynasty.
• But the Sur Empire, under the leadership of Sher Shah and later his successors, just temporarily displaced Mughal authority in North India.
• After the death of shershah suri, his weak rulers such as Islam Shah and later Muhammad Adil Shah failed to maintain control over the Afghan nobility.
• The Sur state was feeble to administration and fraught with factionalism, bureaucratic inefficiency and perpetual uprisings to the extent of restoring the Mughal authority.

• With Persian support from, Humayun reconquered Kabul and Kandahar and eventually returned to India.
• In 1555, he defeated the Afghans and regained Delhi. However, Humayun's reign after restoration was extremely brief.
• On January 24, 1556, the Mughal ruler Humanyun died in Delhi and was succeeded by his son, Akbar at Kalanaur, who was only 13 years old.
• On February 14, 1556, Akbar was enthroned as the king. At the time of his accession to the throne, Mughal rule was confined to Kabul, Kandahar, parts of Delhi and Punjab. Akbar was then campaigning in Kabul with his guardian, Bairam Khan.
• Though The Mughal Empire was restored but it lacked stability and Afghan chiefs saw this as an opportunity to reclaim lost territories.

• Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, popularly known as Hemu was a Hindu emperor in Delhi by virtue of defeating Humayun and later Akbar's army.
• He was born into a humble family in Rewari, (present-day Haryana), rose through the ranks due to his intelligence, administrative skill and military ability.
• Under the ruler of sur dynasty, Muhammad Adil Shah, Hemu served as the Chief Minister and military commander.
• Hemu had won 22 battles, as Chief of Army of Islam Shah, 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, fled without fighting.
• Hemu then moved towards Delhi and stationed his forces outside the city at Tughlaqabad. On October 6, 1556, the army encountered Mughal resistance.
• In a fierce battle, Akbar's army was routed by Hemu and the commander of Mughal army Tardi Beg fled away, giving Hemu the opportunity 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.

• 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 and new awareness among Hindus to liberate their country, 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.
• H.G.Keen writes; Akbar and his guardian Bairam Khan did not participate in the battle and were stationed 8 miles away from the war zone.
• He was instructed by Bairam Khan to flee towards Kabul for life in case the Mughal Army was routed in the battlefield."
• Hemu marched in excellent order with 30,000 practiced horsemen composed of Rajputs and Afghans who on many occasions, had by their exploits increased pride and arrogance.
• The Mughal forces were charged repeatedly by elephants to break their lines. The Mughal Vanguard consisted of 10,000 cavalry, out of which 5000 were experienced veteran soldiers and they got ready to meet the advancing army of Hemu.
• Hemu initially gained the upper hand as he was leading from the front on an elephant, launching a fierce attack that caused confusion among Mughal ranks. Several Mughal units retreated but the situation appeared favourable to Hemu.
• Suddenly in the midst of the contest, an arrow from the bend bow of diviner wrath reached Hemu's eye, and piercing the socket, came out at the back of his head. He became unconscious and not seeing Hemu in his howdah, Hemu's army was in disarray and defeated in the ensuing confusion.
• After the war, dead Hemu was brought to Akbar's tent in the camp located at village Saudhapur in Panipat.
• Although Bairam Khan wanted Akbar to personally slay Hemu to earn the title of Ghazi, but Akbar refused to do so, and eventually angered by his own hesitation, Bairam Khan himself beheaded Hemu.
• Later, Hemu's followers built a cenotaph at Saudhapur village near Panipat, which still stands today.

• Secure mughal throne : The victory in the second battle of panipat, firmly established Akbar's rule in north India, during the period of political instability.
• End of Afghan Supremacy : Afghan expectations of being reinstated to levels of having an empire in North India were overwhelmingly defeated.
• Beginning of Akbar consolidation : The battle allowed Akbar to concentrate on the expansion and reforming of the administration.
• The fall of the Sur Dynasty : The overcoming became the final downfall of Sur politics.
• Military Importance : It restated the superiority of disciplined armies, and artillery over war elephants.
• Long-term Stability : The victory provided the base of a strong and lasting Mughal Empire in India.