Short Essay on the Apex of the Mughal Era

On 24th January, 1556 AD., the Mughal ruler, Humayun, slipped while climbing down the steps of his library and fell to embrace his death. His son, Akbar, was only thirteen year old when he ascended the throne.

At the time of Akbar’s accession to the throne, the Mughal rule was confined of Kabul, Kandhahar and parts of the Punjab and Delhi. Akbar was then campaigning in the Punjab with his chief minister Bairam Khan.

On February 14, 1556, in a garden at Kalanaur, Akbar was enthroned as emperor. Hemu (Hemchandra) was a military chief of the Afghans King, Muhammad Adil Shah, who had established himself at Chunar and was seeking to expel the Mughals from India. Taking advantage of Humayun’s death, Hemu marched to Agra and Delhi in October and occupied it without difficulty and became the ruler under the title Raja Vikramaditya.

To counter this, Bairam Khan (Akbar’s guardian) marched towards Delhi. On November 5, both the armies met at Panipat. Hemu with a large army, including 1,500 war elephants, had initial success. There was a pitched battle and Hemu was on a winning spree when a stray arrow struck him in the eye.

He fell unconscious. As has been proved in many other battles, the loss of the leader caused panic among the troops and turned the tide of the battle. The Mughals won the battle. Shah Quli Khan captured the Hawai elephant with its occupant and took it directly to Akbar.

Hemu was brought unconscious before Bairam Khan and Akbar. Bairam pleaded Akbar to perform the holy duty of slaying the infidel and earn the Islamic holy title of Ghazi. Akbar severed the head of unconscious Hemu with his sabre.

Some historians claim that Akbar did not kill Hemu himself but just touched the infidel’s head with his sword and his associates finished the gory holy work. After the battle, Hemu’s head was sent to Kabul as a sign of victory to the ladies of Humayun’s harem and Hemu’s torso was sent to Delhi for exposure on a gibbet.

Iskandar Khan chased the Hemu’s fleeing army and captured 1,500 elephants and a large contingent. Hemu’s wife escaped from Delhi with the treasure and Pir Mohammed Khan’s troops chased her caravan without success.

There was a great slaughter of those who were captured and in keeping with the custom of his ancestors. Akbar had a victory pillar built with their heads. This battle, known as Second Battle of Panipat, was an epoch- making event in the history of India as it resulted in re-establishment of-Mughal Empire in India.