Hamza913
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The Battles of Tarain were two battles fought between the Ghurid Sultanate under Muhammad Ghauri and the Chahamana dynasty under Prithviraj Chauhan, near the town of Tarain in Haryana, Hindustan.
The belligerents involved
The Ghurid Sultanate was a Muslim empire that centred around Afghanistan/Pakistan, with it's major cities being Firozkoh, Herat, Ghazni and Lahore, but it also expanded to include much of Central Asia, Iran and (eventually) Hindustan. The dynasty itself was Pashtun, with the Sur tribe of Pashtuns being their descendants today. Their army and administration, however, were vastly multi-ethnic, including (but not limited to) Persians, Baluchis, Turks, Punjabis and (obviously) Pashtuns, who's descendants would mostly be in Afghanistan/Pakistan today. The Sultanate was also highly Persianised in terms of culture. At this point in time, they were ruled by the Sultan Muhammad Ghauri, who is buried in Pakistan (Jhelum district to be precise).
Muhammad Ghauri's tomb:
The Ghurid Sultanate during it's zenith:
The Chahamana dynasty was a Hindu Rajput dynasty that centred around Rajasthan, with it's major cities including places such as Ajmer and Samhbar, but it had also expanded to include large portions of other territories in north-west Hindustan. Whilst the dynasty themselves were Rajput, their military and administration would have also included many other tribes/ethnic groups from north-west Hindustan. The descendants of this dynasty would be the Chauhan Rajputs of today, with their workforce being the ancestors of many people across north-west Hindustan.
Chahamana dynasty coins:
The prelude
Prior to the battles, Muhammad Ghauri had managed to launch minor ghazwa's (AKA military expeditions) into north-west Hindustan, with plans for further ghazwa's into Hindustan to take much larger portions of the land. This was done in order weaken nearby threats to his Sultanate and to keep his Sultanate with a steady supply of wealth from these conquered lands as well as facilitate the spread of Islam in the region. Since these small portions of north-west Hindustan existed on the frontier of Prithviraj's territory, he marched with a large army to meet Muhammad Ghauri at Tarain, in an attempt to halt Muslim expansion into Hindustan. The exact size and composition of both army's isn't entirely known, but what is known is that Muhammad Ghauri did bring a larger army with him than Prithviraj Chauhan did, with both sides also bringing plenty of horses and elephants with them.
The first battle
The Muslim army started the battle by firing large quantities of arrows at the Hindustani army's centre. The Hindustani army then responded with a viscous counter-attack against the front and two sides of the Muslim army, completely crippling them. Muhammad Ghauri also lost in one to one combat against Govind Tai, the brother of Prithviraj Chauhan. This resulted in the Muslims retreating with their wounded leader, and the decisive victory of the Hindustani army who then went on to recapture the frontier Chahamana territory taken by Muhammad Ghauri.
The interlude
Humiliated by this major defeat, Muhammad Ghauri quickly made preparations for another ghazwa into Hindustan in order to avenge his defeat at the hands of Prithviraj. Whilst in Lahore, Muhammad Ghauri proceeded to send an envoy to Prithviraj, demanding him to submit or face the consequences, but Prithviraj refused to comply. Anticipating another attack, Prithviraj Chauhan quickly prepared an even bigger army than before to finally put an end to Muhammad Ghauri's antics. The two army's then proceeded to meet in the same place as the first, near the town of Tarain, with Muhammad Ghauri bringing roughly 20,000 troops as per modern estimates and 120,000 troops as per historical references, and Prithviraj Chauhan bringing roughly 100,000 troops as per modern estimates and 300,000 troops as per historical references. Both sides also brought plenty of horses and elephants with them, but with Prithviraj Chauhan having more of both.
The second battle
The Muslims decided to avoid such a confrontation by breaking themselves into six units. Four of these units were sent to attack the Hindustanis at their rear and two sides, whilst the fifth engaged them directly. Muhammad Ghauri then ordered his fifth unit to retreat, hoping to lure the Hindustani army. The bait was successful, with the Hindustani army chasing the fifth unit until the sixth unit appeared, using heavy cavalry to break into the Hindustani army's centre. The Hindustani army then panicked and fled the battlefield, with even Prithviraj Chauhan himself abandoning his elephant for a horse in an attempt to escape, but he was caught by the Muslim army, as was his brother Govind Tai. As a result, the Muslim army had attained victory over the Hindustani army, and Muhammad Ghauri had avenged his previous defeat.
The aftermath
Prithviraj Chauhan and his brother Govind Tai had been promptly executed after the battle was over, and Muhammad Ghauri was now able to launch further ghazwa's into Hindustan, eventually extending his Sultanate all the way to the Bengal. What made these ghazwa's different to previous ones conducted by the likes of Mahmud Ghaznavi was that the Muslims now permanently occupied large portions of Hindustan rather than simply raiding it every once in a while. It was these conquests that then laid the foundations for further Muslim rule across Hindustan for the next several hundred years, through dynasties such as the Khilijis, Mughals or Mysoreans.
@Kaptaan @Iqbal Ali @Samlee @313ghazi @Torch @Chinese-Dragon @Mugwop @EpiiC @newb3e @Mian Babban @RealNapster @M.R.9 @Devil Soul @Windjammer @Clutch @Dalit @django @HAKIKAT @Horus @Luffy 500 @lastofthepatriots @war&peace @Mentee @Timur @Reichsmarschall
@Desert Fox @Ahmad Sajjad Paracha @Ahmet Pasha @AfrazulMandal @ghilzai @Zuraib Qasit Khan Deccani @Army research @Maarkhoor @BHarwana @AZADPAKISTAN2009 @Azadkashmir
The belligerents involved
The Ghurid Sultanate was a Muslim empire that centred around Afghanistan/Pakistan, with it's major cities being Firozkoh, Herat, Ghazni and Lahore, but it also expanded to include much of Central Asia, Iran and (eventually) Hindustan. The dynasty itself was Pashtun, with the Sur tribe of Pashtuns being their descendants today. Their army and administration, however, were vastly multi-ethnic, including (but not limited to) Persians, Baluchis, Turks, Punjabis and (obviously) Pashtuns, who's descendants would mostly be in Afghanistan/Pakistan today. The Sultanate was also highly Persianised in terms of culture. At this point in time, they were ruled by the Sultan Muhammad Ghauri, who is buried in Pakistan (Jhelum district to be precise).
Muhammad Ghauri's tomb:
The Ghurid Sultanate during it's zenith:
The Chahamana dynasty was a Hindu Rajput dynasty that centred around Rajasthan, with it's major cities including places such as Ajmer and Samhbar, but it had also expanded to include large portions of other territories in north-west Hindustan. Whilst the dynasty themselves were Rajput, their military and administration would have also included many other tribes/ethnic groups from north-west Hindustan. The descendants of this dynasty would be the Chauhan Rajputs of today, with their workforce being the ancestors of many people across north-west Hindustan.
Chahamana dynasty coins:
The prelude
Prior to the battles, Muhammad Ghauri had managed to launch minor ghazwa's (AKA military expeditions) into north-west Hindustan, with plans for further ghazwa's into Hindustan to take much larger portions of the land. This was done in order weaken nearby threats to his Sultanate and to keep his Sultanate with a steady supply of wealth from these conquered lands as well as facilitate the spread of Islam in the region. Since these small portions of north-west Hindustan existed on the frontier of Prithviraj's territory, he marched with a large army to meet Muhammad Ghauri at Tarain, in an attempt to halt Muslim expansion into Hindustan. The exact size and composition of both army's isn't entirely known, but what is known is that Muhammad Ghauri did bring a larger army with him than Prithviraj Chauhan did, with both sides also bringing plenty of horses and elephants with them.
The first battle
The Muslim army started the battle by firing large quantities of arrows at the Hindustani army's centre. The Hindustani army then responded with a viscous counter-attack against the front and two sides of the Muslim army, completely crippling them. Muhammad Ghauri also lost in one to one combat against Govind Tai, the brother of Prithviraj Chauhan. This resulted in the Muslims retreating with their wounded leader, and the decisive victory of the Hindustani army who then went on to recapture the frontier Chahamana territory taken by Muhammad Ghauri.
The interlude
Humiliated by this major defeat, Muhammad Ghauri quickly made preparations for another ghazwa into Hindustan in order to avenge his defeat at the hands of Prithviraj. Whilst in Lahore, Muhammad Ghauri proceeded to send an envoy to Prithviraj, demanding him to submit or face the consequences, but Prithviraj refused to comply. Anticipating another attack, Prithviraj Chauhan quickly prepared an even bigger army than before to finally put an end to Muhammad Ghauri's antics. The two army's then proceeded to meet in the same place as the first, near the town of Tarain, with Muhammad Ghauri bringing roughly 20,000 troops as per modern estimates and 120,000 troops as per historical references, and Prithviraj Chauhan bringing roughly 100,000 troops as per modern estimates and 300,000 troops as per historical references. Both sides also brought plenty of horses and elephants with them, but with Prithviraj Chauhan having more of both.
The second battle
The Muslims decided to avoid such a confrontation by breaking themselves into six units. Four of these units were sent to attack the Hindustanis at their rear and two sides, whilst the fifth engaged them directly. Muhammad Ghauri then ordered his fifth unit to retreat, hoping to lure the Hindustani army. The bait was successful, with the Hindustani army chasing the fifth unit until the sixth unit appeared, using heavy cavalry to break into the Hindustani army's centre. The Hindustani army then panicked and fled the battlefield, with even Prithviraj Chauhan himself abandoning his elephant for a horse in an attempt to escape, but he was caught by the Muslim army, as was his brother Govind Tai. As a result, the Muslim army had attained victory over the Hindustani army, and Muhammad Ghauri had avenged his previous defeat.
The aftermath
Prithviraj Chauhan and his brother Govind Tai had been promptly executed after the battle was over, and Muhammad Ghauri was now able to launch further ghazwa's into Hindustan, eventually extending his Sultanate all the way to the Bengal. What made these ghazwa's different to previous ones conducted by the likes of Mahmud Ghaznavi was that the Muslims now permanently occupied large portions of Hindustan rather than simply raiding it every once in a while. It was these conquests that then laid the foundations for further Muslim rule across Hindustan for the next several hundred years, through dynasties such as the Khilijis, Mughals or Mysoreans.
@Kaptaan @Iqbal Ali @Samlee @313ghazi @Torch @Chinese-Dragon @Mugwop @EpiiC @newb3e @Mian Babban @RealNapster @M.R.9 @Devil Soul @Windjammer @Clutch @Dalit @django @HAKIKAT @Horus @Luffy 500 @lastofthepatriots @war&peace @Mentee @Timur @Reichsmarschall
@Desert Fox @Ahmad Sajjad Paracha @Ahmet Pasha @AfrazulMandal @ghilzai @Zuraib Qasit Khan Deccani @Army research @Maarkhoor @BHarwana @AZADPAKISTAN2009 @Azadkashmir
