Causes and Consequences of Battle of Kanwah

Battle of Kanwah. The Battle of Kanwah was fought between Rana Sangram Singh of Mewar (popularly known as Rana Sanga) and the Founder of Mughal Dynasty, Babur, in 1527 A.D. at a place Kanwah, about forty kilometres away from Agra.

There were so many causes of war of Kanwah. Some important causes were as under:

1. Ambitions of Rana Sanga:

Rana Sanga was an Ambitious Ruler. He had been conflicting with Ibrahim Lodi for the domination of Eastern Rajasthan and Malwa. After defeating Mahmood Khalji of Malwa, the influence of.Rana Sanga had gradually extended upto Piliya Khar-a small river in the neighbourhood of Agra. The establishment of an Empire in the Indo-Gangetic Valley by Babur was a threat to Rana Sanga. Rana Sanga set preparations a foot to expel Babur or, at any rate, to confine him to the Punjab. There were so many causes of was of Kanwah. Some important causes were as under:

2. Rana Sanga being accused of treachery by Babur:

Babur accuses Rana Sanga of breach of agreement. He says that Rana Sanga had invited him to India, and promised to join him against Ibrahim Lodhi, but made no move while he (Babur) conquered Delhi and Agra.

We do not know what were the exact terms and conditions of the agreement between Babur and Rana Sanga but it is certain that after the First Battle of Panipat Babur had captured only Delhi and Agra. He had not become the Emperor of India. He was also brave and ambitious like Rana Sanga. It was not possible form him to become the Emperor of India without breaking the power of Rajputs.

3. Charges of Rana Sanga against Babur:

Rana Sanga, on the other hand, had claim on Kalpi, Daulpur and Agra and be blamed Babur for not fulfilling his promise. We cannot say definitely whether the charges of Rana Sanga against Babur are correct or not but it is definite that he might have hope that like Taimur, Babur would withdraw after saking Delhi and wakening the Lodis. Babur’s decision to stay on in India completely changed the situation. This made a war between Babur and Rana Sanga inevitable.

4. Inciting of Rana Sanga by the Afghans:

Many Afghans, including Mahmud Lodi, a younger brother of Ibrahim Lodi, rallied to Rana Sanga, in the hope of regaining the throne of Delhi in case Sanga won. Hassan Khan Mewati, the ruler of Mewar, also casts in lot with Sanga. Almost all the Rajputs rulers of North sent contingents to serve under Rana Sanga.

Events of the Battle of Kanwah:

Some important events of the Battle of Kanwah were as under:

The Armies of Babur and Rana Sanga met at Kanwah on March 10, 1527. Babur arranged his army almost in the same fashion as he had done in Panipat. This time again, he had to face an army which was numerous. According to Lanepoole, “Whatever the exact number might have been, a more gallant army could not be brought into the field.” A bloody war followed which lasted for about 12 hours. Dr. R.P. Tripathi writes, “The ruthless slaughter closed the bloody episode.” Rana Sanga’s forces were thus hemmed in and were defeated after a great slaughter. Rana Sanga escaped and wanted to renew the conflict with Babur. But he was poisoned by his own nobles who considered such a course dangerous and suicidal.

Consequences of the Battle of Kanwah:

1. This battle was more decisive than that of the First Battle of Panipat. After that Babur definitely became the Ruler of India. The Battle of Kanwah secured Babur’s position in The Delhi-Agra Region. Babur strengthened his position further by conquering the chain of forts-Gwalior, Dholpur, etc., in East of Agra. He also annexed large parts of Alwar from Hasan Khan Mewati.

He then led a campaign against Medini Rai of Chanderi in Malwa. Chanderi was captured after the Rajput defenders had died fighting to the last man and their women performed Jauhar. In brief we can say the Battle of Kanwah consolidated the Foundation of Mughal Empire by bringing the Rajput power to an end. The centre of activity of Babur had shifted from Kabul to Hindustan and, thus the work of defeating the rest of the unimportant local chiefs and the Afghans became easier.

2. With Rana Sanga’s death the dream of United Rajasthan extending upto Agra received a serious setback. The strength of Rajput was broken and the Kingdoms of Hindustan passed from the hands of Rajputs to the Mughals. The Foundation of Mughal Empire in India was now laid more deeper than ever.

For the Rajputs the result of this battle brought a sad day, because hardly a plan of the Rajputs was there that had not lost the flower of his princely blood. The Famous Historian S.R. Sharma writes, “Defeat of the Rajputs, at Kanwah ended the superiority of the Rajputs which they had established successfully in the last ten years and which was an eye sore to the Muslim ended for ever”

In contrast to this Dr. A.L. Srivastava writes that, “Rajput military power was no doubt crushed in the battle of Kanwah but it was not totally crushed within a few years they again raised their heads.”

According to Dr. Lunia, “After the defeat and death of Rana Sangram Singh. Mewar lost its prestige. Mewar began lossing its power and in place of it Marwar under Maldev started gaining the power”.

Slowly and gradually Marwar in place of Mewar got the leadership of Rajputs.