Battle of Chanderi

The Battle of Chanderi took place in the aftermath of the Battle of Khanwa in which the Mughal Emperor Babur had defeated a confederacy of Rajputs and Afghans which was headed by Rana Sanga of Mewar. On receiving news that Rana Sanga had renewed war preparations to renew the conflict with him, Babur decided to isolate the Rana by inflicting a military defeat on one of his staunchest allies Medini Rai who was the ruler of Malwa.[1][2] Consequently, in December 1527, taking a circumlocutious route Babur marched to the fortress of Chanderi in Malwa. Upon reaching Chanderi, on 20 January 1528, Babur offered Shamsabad to Medini Rao in exchange for Chanderi as a peace overture, but the offer was rejected by Rao.[2]

Battle of Chanderi
Part of Mughal Conquests

Illustration of the battle from Baburnama
Date20 January 1528
Location
Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (near Ashok Nagar)
Result

Decisive Mughal victory.

Babur captured the Fortress of Chanderi
Territorial
changes
Chanderi came under Mughal Rule
Belligerents
Mughal Empire Kingdom of Malwa
Commanders and leaders
Babur

Medini Rai 

Mohammed Bin Amir 

Prithidev 

The outer fortress of Chanderi was taken by Babur's army at night, and the next morning the upper fort was captured. Babur himself expressed surprise that the upper fort had fallen within an hour of the final assault.[1]

Medini Rai organized the Jauhar ceremony during which women and children within the fortress commit suicide in fear of the Mughal army.[1][2] A small number of soldiers also collected in Medini Rao's house and proceeded to slay each other in collective suicide. This sacrifice does not seem to have impressed Babur who does not express a word of admiration for the enemy in his autobiography.[1] Rather, as he had done after Khanwa, he ordered a tower of skulls—a practice formulated by Timur against opponent—to be erected in an act of barbarism.[2] The practice of constructing a tower of skulls was to record a monumental victory and also to terrorize opponents, according to Chandra. Babur had earlier used the same tactic against the Afghans of Bajaur.[2]

References

  1. Lane-pool, Stanley. "Babar". Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  2. Chandra, Satish (2006). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals (1206–1526). 2. Har-Anand Publications.

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