| Battle of Haldighati | |||||||
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| Part of Mughal conquests | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Mughal Empire | Mewar | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Raja Man Singh | Maharana Pratap Singh | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Low[1] | Very High[1] | ||||||
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The Battle of Haldighati was fought between the Mughal Empire and the forces of Rajput kingdom Mewar on 18 June 1576 at Haldighati Pass which lies 44 km north of Udaipur in Rajasthan, India.[1]
Renewed conflicts began between the Mughals and the Rajputs. after the coronation of Maharana Pratap of Mewar in the year 1572. Maharana Pratap vowed to continue the war against the Mughal Emperor Akbar, since they had successively captured many forts after the sieges of Chittorgarh, Ranthanbhor and Dungarpur. Maharana Pratap described the Mughals as invaders and refused to recognize the Akbar as the ruler of India, although his brother Shakti Singh was in service of Akbar.[1] The Mughals made attempts to negotiate with Maharana Pratap, but he roundly rebuffed every such attempt to make peace with Akbar.[1]
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As the Mughals surrounded Mewar, Akbar sent his most experienced generals to subdue the Muslim Gujarat Sultanate and contain the presence of the Portuguese. Sensing the Mughal Emperor's preoccupation with the wars in Gujarat, Maharana Pratap like his father Udai Singh before him led ferocious attacks and raids upon the caravans carrying weapons and supplied to Mughal forces in Gujarat.
The Mughal Emperor immediately mobilized his forces and set out on an expedition to set up command in the Sufi city of Ajmer. Once Akbar had reached Ajmer he gathered thousands of his troops and initiated his campaigns against Maharana Pratap of Mewar. The Mughal Emperor then sent one of his most capable commanders Raja Man Singh[1] to initiate the blockade of Mewar and await for Akbar to arrive with superior forces. Raja Man Singh was given command of almost 22,000 Mughal warriors almost 10 Cannons and War elephants, including complete seniority over the younger commander Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan.
On 10 June 1576 Raja Man Singh and his large Mughal force set out from Ajmer[1] and annexed territories near the Banas River and then made his way into the plains of Khamnur. When Maharana Pratap realized that the Mughals have blocked the main strategic entrance and exit of the Mewar region, he immediately set out with 3000 Rajputs including his commander Ramdas Rathor.
18 June 1576 the two armies met at Haldighati, near the town of Gogunda. Maharana Pratap divided his army into 3 Cavalry divisions in a major attempt to rout Raja Man Singh's Mughal encampment. The Rajputs led by Maharana Pratap and Ramdas Rathor began a massive Cavalry charge from three sides in his attempt to decimate Raja Man Singh's Mughal encampment. Raja Man Singh ordered the Mughal forces to remain a single unit and avoid decentralization under lesser commanders. The Mughal's respond with cannon fire and even a hail of arrows.[1]
However, Maharana Pratap and his Rajputs overran the Mughal front center Sowars and almost surrounded Raja Man Singh's forces. After suffering subsequent casualties the Mughal reserve cavalry positioned behind Raja Man Singh's front, led by Ghazi Khan Badakshani and Mehtar Khan began to flank the incoming Rajputs on four tactical sides. When the circumferential Mughal flanks began to enter the battle front Bayduni ordered Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan to halt all mounted archers and artillery from grapeshot's.
When right commanded Ghazi Khan Badakshani's Sowars killed Ramdas Rathor and when they nearly began their assault on the Rajput main center, Maharana Pratap began a tactical retreat. The Rajputs were then perused by Mehtar Khan and his mounted archers who later also retreated back to the Mughal camp after inflicting a demoralizing effect upon the Rajputs.
Maharana Pratap then sent almost 15 of his War elephants to break the ranks of the Mughal cavalry as the Mahout attacked the Mughals they were cut down by the mounted archers and mainly the Matchlock infantry. According to the Akbar-nama elephants collided with elephants on the battlefield, but Mughal elephants unlike their counterparts had "Sword Tusks" and were almost completely armored in Chain Mail and steel plates.[3]
Observing the Mughal preoccupation with the War elephants Maharana Pratap charged and suffered even heavier casualties when Raja Man Singh also led to a massive charge that inflicted severe injuries upon Maharana Pratap himself fought with matchless courage with mighty moghul army and escaped from the battlefield along with his heavily wounded horse. A Rajput rider then adorned the umbrella of Maharana Pratap and devised a diversion that eventually led to his death but allowed Maharana Pratap to escape. The battle of Haldighati, lasted only four hours.[1]
The battle of Haldighati had a considerable impact on the Mughal Empire, the Mughal Emperor Akbar, who had not participated in the battle became interested in religious debates in Fatehpur Sikri, Ajmer and Agra. Raja Man Singh emerged as the preeminent general in the Mughal Empire, becoming the first Rajput to reach such heights. Ghazi Khan Badakshani would continue to internally strengthen the Mughal army. Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan would become a general and adviser to Akbar's son Jahangir.
Pratap retreated into the hilly wilderness of the Aravalli hills and continued his struggle.[1] His one attempt at open confrontation having thus failed, Pratap resumed the tactics of guerrilla warfare.[1] Using the hills as his base, Pratap harassed the large Mughal forces in their encampments. He ensured that the Mughal occupying force in Mewar never knew peace: Akbar dispatched three more expeditions to ferret Pratap out of his mountainous hideouts, but they all failed.[1] During this era, Pratap received much financial assistance from Bhamashah, a well-wisher.[1] The Bhil tribals of the Aravalli hills provided Pratap with their support during times of war and their expertise in living off the forests during times of peace.[1] Thus the years passed. Pratap died of injuries sustained in a hunting accident.[1] He died at Chavand, on January 29, 1597, aged 56.[1] It is said that as he lay dying, Pratap made his son and successor, Amar Singh, swear to maintain eternal conflict against the Mughals.[1] Maharana Pratap's son, Amar Singh, fought several battles against the Mughals but he conditionally accepted them as rulers.