Thread by @HarduttSuhas

Fortune favors the brave!
At times not!
HEMRAJ VIKRAMADITYA "HEMU" who almost drove the M0ghuls back to Afghanistan in the 2nd battle of Panipat. History is written by the victors. Unfortunately he lost and his name finds a one line mention in mainstream history books.

(Thread)

Since ancient times Delhi has been a center of power politics. According to American historian Robert Eric Frykenberg ‘’No ruler could be considered to truly hold sway over Hindustan until he had control of Delhi.’’(1)

Hemu also know as Hem Chandra Vikramaditya after winning a day long battle on October 7,1556 at Tughlaquabad, a village five miles east of the Qutub minar, crowned himself the emperor of Delhi and assumed the title of Vikramaditya.(2)

About Hemu's origins, he is considered to be a resident of Rewari (present day Haryana) in the taluk of Mewat. Hemu at a young age started working as a tradesman of saltpetre.(3)

After Sher Shah Suri's demise in 1545, his son Isl@m Shah became the ruler of the Sur Empire and during his rule, Hemu rose to become the "Shuhna" that is superintendent of the market at Delhi with some soldierly experience under his belt.(4)

Isl@m Shah was succeeded by his 12 year old son, Firoz Khan, who was eliminated within 3 days of his accession by his uncle, Adil Shah Suri for whom Hemu worked as a wazir.(5)

Adil Shah Suri was more attracted to the pursuit of pleasures rather than affairs of state. Gradually it was Hemu who was making all the new appointments while taking out old officials out of the system. He was also working as a judge by pronouncing judgements from backdoor.(6)

It was his stupendous ability of civil administration, which took him to the top ranks in Sur dynasty. His honesty, devotion to the interest of state and discipline in putting down slack and corrupt public officials irked the degenerated old nobility.(7)

Hemu in addition to being a highly efficient civil administrator, was a military genius after Sher Shah. Fearless and strategic.(8)

In the wars of Afghans, he fought 22 battles with the domestic enemies of his masters and secured victory in all of them. It was in 1556, with the death of Humayun, Hemu got the perfect opportunity to defeat the M0ghuls.(9)

Modern day Delhi's Tughlaquabad became the point of a noteworthy battle fought on October 7, 1556 between Hemu and the forces of Akbar led by Tardi Baig Khan.(10)

Earlier what may be considered as a countdown to the battle, Hemu drove the M0ghuls out of Bayana, Etawah, Sambhal, Kalpi, Narnaul and Agra.(11)

The M0ghul governor of Agra evacuated the city and fled to Delhi in fear even before Hemu attacked Agra.(12)

Hemu advanced upon Delhi with the force of 50,000 cavalry, 1000 elephants and artillery. In Delhi's Tughlaquabad the encounter was set. The M0ghuls were led by Tardi Baig in the centre with Iskandar Baig on the left flank and Haidar Md on the right one.(13)

Although the M0ghul forces were equal in numbers they couldn't stand Hemu’s charge. Many M0ghul officers ran away in terror without offering a defence. Their chief Tardi Baig also took to his heels in the end.(14)

Around 3000 M0ghuls lost their lives. Hemu was crowned at Purana Qila establishing Hindu rule in north India, after 350 years, assumed the title of Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya. Meanwhile Hemu started preparing for an attack on Kabul and made several changes in his army.(15)

Developments in Delhi and Agra disturbed the M0ghuls at Punjab. Many generals advised Akbar to retreat to Kabul as M0ghul forces may not face Hemu’s might but Bairam Khan decided in favor of war. Akbar’s army marched towards Delhi.(16)

On November 5, 1556 both armies met at the battlefield of Panipat. Akbar and his guardian Bairam Khan did not participate in the battle and were stationed 8 miles away from the battlefield.(17)

Bairam Khan did not permit the 13 year old king to participate in the fight, instead providing him with a special guard of 5000 faithful and elite troops, stationed at a safe distance far behind the battle lines.(18)

Course of action was to flee towards Kabul in case the M0ghul Army was routed in the battlefield. Hemu led his army himself.(19)

Hemu’s army using elephants charged at the M0ghuls throwing their right and left flanks into distress. The M0ghul forces were pressed repeatedly by elephants to break their lines. Hemu was commanding his forces from atop an elephant.(20)

The M0ghul forces faced reverses, but moved aside, rode towards the end and started a rear attack. Their superior archery shook Hemu’s cavalrymen and dislodged many men from the backs of their elephants.(21)

As the day passed, the M0ghul centre held on. During the ensuing action, Hemu with his chieftains charged his elephants towards the central command of the Mughal forces.(22)

The rear attack although effective wasn't enough to halt Hemu’s center thrust. It just slowed down the inevitable. The elephants were hard pressing the M0ghul center which would've fallen sooner or later. Hemu was personally leading the center strike.(23)

It seemed Hemu was on the winning track and Akbar’s army would lose. In the midst of battle, a freak arrow struck Hemu’s eye. He pulled out the arrow ordering the battle to go on whilst screaming battle cries, later falling unconscious.(24)

At the peak of battle, Hemu’s army otherwise in a better position, lost their supreme commander.(25)

Post unconsciousness, he fell from his elephant. Not seeing Hemu at the command post, Hemu’s army pressed the panic button going into disarray, eventually defeated without their king.(26)

Several hours after the war ended, a dead Hemu was located and brought to Akbar’s camp. Bairam Khan was desirous that Akbar should slay the Hindu king himself to establish his right on the title of “Gh@zi”. Bairam Khan later behe@ded the king himself.(27)

Thus passed away the last Hindu emperor to hold Delhi!(28)