After defeating Mahmud Khalji of Malwa, Rana Sanga (Maharana Sangram Singh, Rana of Mewar), he advanced to Piliya Khar (a small river near Agra). Rana Sanga prepared to expel Babur at any cost, to restrict him to Punjab. Babur accuses Rana Sanga of breach of agreement. He says that Sanga invited him to India and promised to join him against Ibrahim Lodi. But Sanga made no move while he conquered Delhi and Agra. 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. Hashan Khan Mewati, the ruler of Mewat also cast in his lot with Sanga. Almost all the Rajput rulers sent contingents to serve under Rana Sanga. The reputation of Sanga demoralized Babur's soldiers. So Babur solemnly declared the war against Sanga to be a jihad. On the eve of battle, he banned the sale and purchase of wine throughout his dominions and abolished custom taxes for Muslims to demonstrate what a staunch Muslim he was.
Rana Sanga ordered Babur to leave India. Initially he hoped to attain this by sending his man Sardar Silhadi of Raisen as his diplomat. Silhadi who went to Babur’s camp was won over by Babur. Babur accepted that to rule North India he may have to engage in battle with Rana Sanga and hence had no desire for retreat. Babur and Silhadi hatched a plot. Silhadi, who held a large contingent of 30,000 men would join Babur’s camp at critical moment of battle and thus defeat Rana Sanga. Silhadi went back to Chittor, told Rana that war is a must.
Babur carefully selected a site, and firmly established himself at Khanwa about 40 KMs from Agra. The Rajput forces of Rana Sanga, supplemented by the contingents of Raja Hasan Khan Mewati and the Afghan, Mahmud Lodi and Raja Medini Rai of Alwar, met Babur’s army at Khanwa in 1527. Sanga's forces exceeded 200000 including 10000 Afghans cavalrymen and an equal force fielded by Hasan Khan Mewati. Babur's forces were inferior in number. The battle lasted for not more than 10 hours, was bitterly contested and became an exceedingly brutal affair. Sanga made fierce attack on Babur. However the Mughal artillery took a heavy troll of life and slowly Sanga's force were pushed back. At this juncture, Babur ordered his soldiers in center who had been sheltering behind their tripods to launch an attack. The artillery advanced behind the chained wagons. At Panipat, Babur's flanking parties which attacked from the side and rear as planned earlier. At a critical moment of battle, the defection of Silhadi and his contingent caused a split in the Rajput forces. Rana Sanga while trying to rebuild his front was wounded and fell unconscious from his horse. Rana's forces defeated after a great slaughter and Rana Sanga escaped. Rana Sanga, unwilling to admit defeat, set out once more to rebuild his military and renew war with Babur. He vowed not to set foot in Chittor till Babur was defeated by him. But he was poisoned by his own men who considered such a course to be dangerous and suicidal. With his death, the dream of united Rajasthan extending up to Agra received a serious setback.
The battle of Khanwa secured Babur's position in the Delhi-Agra region. Babur strengthened his position by conquering further chain of forts in Gwalior, Dholpur etc. He also annexed large parts of Alwar from Mewati. He then led a campaign against Medini Rai of Chanderi in Malwa. Chanderi was captured after the Rajput defenders died fighting to their last blood and their women performed jauhar. But he had to cut short his further campaigns in the area on hearing of the growing activities of the Afghans in the eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Rana Sanga ordered Babur to leave India. Initially he hoped to attain this by sending his man Sardar Silhadi of Raisen as his diplomat. Silhadi who went to Babur’s camp was won over by Babur. Babur accepted that to rule North India he may have to engage in battle with Rana Sanga and hence had no desire for retreat. Babur and Silhadi hatched a plot. Silhadi, who held a large contingent of 30,000 men would join Babur’s camp at critical moment of battle and thus defeat Rana Sanga. Silhadi went back to Chittor, told Rana that war is a must.
Babur carefully selected a site, and firmly established himself at Khanwa about 40 KMs from Agra. The Rajput forces of Rana Sanga, supplemented by the contingents of Raja Hasan Khan Mewati and the Afghan, Mahmud Lodi and Raja Medini Rai of Alwar, met Babur’s army at Khanwa in 1527. Sanga's forces exceeded 200000 including 10000 Afghans cavalrymen and an equal force fielded by Hasan Khan Mewati. Babur's forces were inferior in number. The battle lasted for not more than 10 hours, was bitterly contested and became an exceedingly brutal affair. Sanga made fierce attack on Babur. However the Mughal artillery took a heavy troll of life and slowly Sanga's force were pushed back. At this juncture, Babur ordered his soldiers in center who had been sheltering behind their tripods to launch an attack. The artillery advanced behind the chained wagons. At Panipat, Babur's flanking parties which attacked from the side and rear as planned earlier. At a critical moment of battle, the defection of Silhadi and his contingent caused a split in the Rajput forces. Rana Sanga while trying to rebuild his front was wounded and fell unconscious from his horse. Rana's forces defeated after a great slaughter and Rana Sanga escaped. Rana Sanga, unwilling to admit defeat, set out once more to rebuild his military and renew war with Babur. He vowed not to set foot in Chittor till Babur was defeated by him. But he was poisoned by his own men who considered such a course to be dangerous and suicidal. With his death, the dream of united Rajasthan extending up to Agra received a serious setback.
The battle of Khanwa secured Babur's position in the Delhi-Agra region. Babur strengthened his position by conquering further chain of forts in Gwalior, Dholpur etc. He also annexed large parts of Alwar from Mewati. He then led a campaign against Medini Rai of Chanderi in Malwa. Chanderi was captured after the Rajput defenders died fighting to their last blood and their women performed jauhar. But he had to cut short his further campaigns in the area on hearing of the growing activities of the Afghans in the eastern Uttar Pradesh.
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