Thread by @prathgodbole

On 16 March 1527 was a very interesting battle in Indian history. Battle of Khanwa (Rajasthan), between Rana Sanga and Babur.
Babur won but it was quite close. Short 🧵 on the campaign and battle-

In April 1526, Babur won at the 1st battle of Panipat, defeating Ibrahim Lodi and capturing Delhi and then Agra.

While these armies fought, Rana Sanga was intervening in the Gujarat sultanate in a civil war. By the time it ended, Babur had taken Delhi.

2

This triggered a race between Rana Sanga and Babur to seize the remains of the sultanate. Babur's army was at Agra, and the Rana's in Mewar. Between both was the fort of Bayana. Strategically key for campaigns in either direction. Mewar's army got there 1st.

3

Babur's vanguard was ambushed and destroyed. Bayana fell to Mewar. The two armies soon closed in near present day RJ border. The Mughal army was still in the dark and had no preparations. if Mewar attacked right away, likely Babur's army wouldve been rekt.

4

There were Lodi survivors from Panipat in the Rana's army. Quite likely Rana knew attacking the Mughals head-on with their artillery was suicidal, so next 2 weeks, they tried to cut off Mughal supply lines while Mughals used this time to dig trenches, arrange carts like Panipat
5

Finally on March 16, Rana concluded there was no choice but pitched battle. The Mughal army numbered around 25k, and Mewar army somewhere between 10-20k. Don't go by the claimed 2 lakh, its nonsense.

6

The Mughal artillery was concentrated in the center. Mewaris attacked both wings with more troops, staying away from the Mughal trump card- the artillery. However, both Mughals managed to hold.
Babur tried a risky move- ordered his idle center to attack w.o safety of carts.

7

This worked, as the Mewar army's center was depleted and most sent to the wings. this was risky, as a failure wouldve meant total rout for the Mughals.

despite pushing back mewar center, the line held. it broke only when the rana was hit and unconscious.

8

this wasn't bad generalship, nor purely a technological edge. battles are won and lost all the time due to a host of factors. the real hit for Mewar was the loss of Rana from being poisoned by internal fights, months after the battle.

9/9