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The Battle of Chausa (1539) and the Battle of Kannauj (1540) were significant events in Indian history during the early 16th century. These battles took place between Emperor Humayun of the Mughal Empire and Sher Shah Suri, an emerging Afghan leader. Both battles played an important role in shaping the political changes of that time.
In this blog, we will learn about the causes that led to these battles, the main events that took place, and their overall impact on Indian history. This will help us better understand the developments during the Mughal period and the rise of Sher Shah Suri.
Contents
Background of the Conflict
After the death of Emperor Babur, his son Humayun became the ruler of the Mughal Empire. At the same time, an Afghan leader named Sher Khan (later known as Sher Shah Suri) was becoming powerful in eastern India. Humayun wanted to stop Sher Khan from growing stronger, while Sher Khan was preparing to challenge the Mughal Empire.
| Battle of Chausa | Battle of Kannauj | |
| Date | 26 June 1539 | 17 May 1540 |
| Place of the Battle | Chausa of Bihar | Kannauj of Uttar Pradesh |
| Forces Involved | Sher Shah Suri Vs Mughal Emperor Humayun | Sher Shah Suri Vs Mughal Emperor Humayun |
| Won By | Sher Shah Suri | Sher Shah Suri |
Battle of Chausa: Event and Outcome
The Battle of Chausa was a battle fought between the Sur Dynasty and the Mughal emperor Humayun. The battle was fought at Chausa in Bihar on June 26, 1539. The Sur emperor, Sher Shah Suri, won the battle.
- Humayun extensively travelled through the Grand Trunk road, which passes through south Bihar and is under the jurisdiction of Sher Khan.
- Humayun was forced to go through the Ganges again to reach Chausa, which is on the border between Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where Sher Khan also arrived.
- The two armies remained there for three months, facing each other, between April and June 1539 AD.
- Peace talks were held, but nothing came out of them.
- Sher Khan deliberately prolonged the battle and employed a strategy in place. He waited for the rains to start, which eventually started.
- On June 25, he signalled to the Mughals that he would capture a tribal ruler in Bihar. But on the following morning i.e. on June 26, he returned and launched a 3-pronged attack against the Mughal army.
- The entire Mughal army was wiped out. Humayun then jumped into the Ganges, navigated it with a water carrier, and escaped.
After this battle, Sher Khan declared himself to be the Emperor with the title “ Sher Shah”. Thereafter, Sher Shah returned to Kannauj, after also conquering Bengal. Humayun’s liberal policies and his pardon of his rebellious brothers made it impossible for them to unite.
Battle of Kannauj: Event and Outcome
The Mughal Army was again led by the Mughal Emperor Humayun, but they were unable to overcome the Afghans, except for an early victory.
- In order to consolidate his power over Bengal, Sher Shah destroyed the forces of Humayun that were stationed there.
- Finally, to resolve his conflicts, he marched his forces on Agra, thus consolidating his rule over the entire eastern India. Sher Shah also possessed Kalpi and Kannauj
- On the other hand, Humayun was unhappy with any help from his brothers, so he moved his forces to lower ground by crossing the south bank.
- However, the rains began to fall, but Humayun didn’t care and made the same mistake he made at Chausa.
- The two armies faced each other for around a month without any fighting, but as the rains started to fall Humayun’s camp was flooded with so much rain that all his weapons and ammunition had been destroyed.
- Sher Shah looked forward to this opportunity and finally on the 17th of May 1540 A.D., when he saw that the Mughals were moving their camps, he attacked.
- The attack caused chaos and resulted in the destruction of the entire Mughal Army.
- Humayun fought a brave battle but lost and was forced to flee.
After the battle of Bilgram, Humayun almost went on the run. He reached Agra but Sher Shah chased him with a large army. Humayun learned about the defeat at Delhi and Agra only when he reached Lahore.
Humayun’s brother ran into him in Lahore, but because of their selfish ambitions, they were unable to unite against Sher Khan. Hindal, his younger brother, wanted to take over Sindh, while Kamran was busy planning the security of the Punjab and Afghanistan. Kamran’s brother stopped him from travelling to Kashmir, so he went to Sindh through Lahore. Eventually, Humayun fled from India to seek refuge with the Persian Shah.
Causes of Humayun’s Failure against Sher Shah
The reasons for Humayun’s defeat against Sher Shah in the battles of Chausa and Kannauj are as follows:
- Humayun’s neglect of the welfare of his people during his reign from 1530 to 1540, which led to empty treasuries and public discontent.
- Humayun’s failure to understand the Afghan authority and Sher Shah’s deceptive tactics.
- The cohesive nature of Afghan tribes in north India and their ability to unite under effective leaders like Sher Shah Suri.
- The Mughals’ numerical disadvantage was without the support of local lords and zamindars due to Humayun’s strained relationships with his brothers and alleged character flaws.
- Humayun’s strategic errors, such as the poorly planned Bengal campaign and his misinterpretation of Sher Shah’s intentions.
- Humayun’s failure to recapture territory after his defeat at Chausa and his defensive approach, which diminished his reputation.
- During the Battle of Kannauj, Humayun’s mistakes, such as choosing a low-lying camp and remaining inactive for an extended period, ultimately led to his defeat when Sher Shah launched a sudden attack.
Humayun’s failure to retake the territory from Kanauj to Banaras after his defeat at Chausa in 1539 was compounded by his defensive strategy, which lowered his standing. Additionally, he failed to effectively utilize his artillery when Sher Shah Suri unexpectedly attacked.
FAQs
The main reason was the growing power of Sher Shah Suri (then Sher Khan) in eastern India. Humayun, the Mughal emperor, aimed to stop Sher Shah from expanding his influence. The conflicts at Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (1540) were direct outcomes of this power struggle.
Sher Shah Suri won both battles. He defeated Humayun at Chausa in 1539 and again at Kannauj in 1540. These victories allowed him to establish the Sur Empire and become the ruler of northern India.
After losing the Battle of Kannauj, Humayun fled India and spent nearly 15 years in exile. He later received help from the Persian ruler Shah Tahmasp I and returned to reclaim the Mughal throne in 1555.
Relevant Blogs
This was all about the Battles of Chausa and Kannauj. For more content related to the different battles fought in India, visit our articles like this, you can get Study notes on the Modern History of India here. Also, you can visit our general knowledge page on Indian History!
