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Second Battle of Tarain [1192 AD] - Background, Events & Aftermath [UPSC History Notes]
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The Second Battle of Tarain was fought near Tarain, modern Taraoari, in Haryana. The battle was fought between the Ghurid army led by Muhammad Ghori, Rajput Chahamans and their allies led by Prithvi Raj Chauhan in 1192. The second Battle of Tarain resulted in the defeat of the Rajputs and opened North India to future invasions and domination by Turkic tribes.
This topic is important from the perspective of UPSC IAS examination falls under General Studies Paper 1 and particularly under the Medieval History section and General Studies Paper-1 of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus.
This article will discuss the Second Battle of Tarain, its event, background, aftermath and consequences.
Second Battle of Tarain, 1192
The Second Battle of the Tarain was fought in 1192 by the Ghurid forces against the Rajput Confederacy. This battle was fought near the Tarain, known as Taroari, in Haryana, India. The battle ended in victory for invading Ghurid armies. This battle is widely regarded as a major turning point in the history of medieval India because it resulted in the large scale destruction of the Rajput forward in North India for a time and firmly established a Muslim presence which led to the establishment of the Delhi sultanate.
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Second Battle of Tarain, 1192 – Background
Since being defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan in the First Battle of Tarain in 1191, Muhammad Ghori returned to the Ghazni. He publicly humiliated and fired the captains and commanders of his army who behaved miserably during the fight against Tarain. He committed to renouncing all luxuries until he sought revenge for his defeat. He started to restructure his forces with this in mind, emphasising firepower, mobility, and discipline.
Prithviraj Chauhan was delighted about his Tarain success. He should have strengthened his boundaries and sent requests to neighbouring kingdoms to field a stronger Army should the Ghurid make another effort since he was confident he had shown the supremacy of his soldiers.
Mohammed Ghori marched in the summer of 1192 with 52,000 cavalry soldiers, or half of the Ghurid Army. When he arrived in Peshawar, he forgave his fired officers and urged them to rejoin his army.
Only a month had lapsed since Rajput forces had taken control of the Bhatinda fort when Mohammed Ghori recaptured it. Muhammad Ghori requested Prithvi Raj Chauhan to accept him as suzeraity again, but he declined.
Prithvi Raj Chauhan once more marched out to meet Muhammad Ghori, but this time he had raised a lot of men because the size of his army was less than he had expected because he had dispatched his commanders in earlier months.
Although contemporary records overstated the number of troops and elephants in Prithvi Raj Chauhan's armies, Prithvi Raj Chauhan informed Muhammad Ghori on the Tarain fields that he was prepared to let the Ghurid king return to his country without a fight, but that if he did not, he would be destroyed. He requested that he keep Bathinda while claiming to accede to his demands.
As this happened, Ghurid soldiers analyzed the Rajput forces and prepared for war. Prithvi Raj Chauhan was deceived into thinking he was safe, which prevented him from going on his scouting trip. The Rajput camp where they were camped was the target of a surprise attack by the Ghurid army as they marched by.
Rajputs needed time to overcome their initial shock because night fights were against their military traditions. They routed the Ghurid cavalry that was coming at them. The Second Battle of Tarain was about to start when the Rajputs realised that the Ghurids had already established a battle formation while following the raiding force.
Second Battle of Tarain – Events
Following are the given events of the Second Battle of Tarain:
- The Rajput forces were well – disciplined, so the Ghurids did not want to engage in melee combat with them. The ghurids army was formed into five units and four of the units percent to attack the enemy flank and rear.
- According to historical sources, Muhammad Ghori directed a light cavalry force of 10000 mounted areas divided into four divisions and surrounding the Rajput forces on the four sides. He instructed all the soldiers not to engage in combat when the enemy advanced to attack and instead feigned a retreat to exhaust the Rajput elephants, horses and infantry.
- Muhammad Ghori changed his tactics, he employed a tactic that had been the mainstay of horse archers for centuries which is the fiegned retreat. The remaining Ghurid forces attacked, and some Rajput troops fled while others stood their ground and fought to their last breath. The Ghurid forces had emerged victorious, and Muhammad Ghori got his revenge from the earlier battle.
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Second Battle of Tarain – Aftermath
According to historical sources, it is said that Prithviraj Chauhan was captured and executed. In contrast, all other medieval sources state that Prithviraj was taken to Capital Ajmer, where Muhammad planned to reinstate him as a Ghurid vassal.
After some time, Prithviraj rebelled against Muhammad Ghori and was killed for ‘treason’.
Prithviraj Chauhan’s fate, his kingdom fell to the Ghurid forces, easily subjugating the entire Gangetic plain in less than a decade and reaching as far as Bengal.
The second Battle of the Tarain is significant among the Turkish and Arab invasions of India in the sense that though the Ghurid Kingdom would not be able to last, the Islamic presence that it had brought in its wake endured that it would have a permanent base which will influence the cultural dynamics and history of the Indian subcontinent from that point of time.
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Second Battle of Tarain – Consequences
The Second Battle of Tarain was destructive. It was proven disastrous for the Rajputs and their political prestige suffered a serious setback. The consequences of the Second Battle of Tarain are given as follows:
In 1193, Muhammad Ghori’s General Qutub – Din – Aibak took over Ajmer and established Ghurid rule in Northern and Central India.Prithvi Raj Chauhan’s son moved to Ranthambore and laid the foundation of the Chauhan kingdom there.
In 1194, the Battle of chandawar took place in which Qutub -Din-Aibak work defeated Jayachandra.
In conclusion, the battle of Tarain and Chandawar laid the foundation for establishing the Turkish role in India.
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FAQs On The Second Battle of Tarain
What was the leading cause of the Second Battle of Tarain?
The leading cause of the Second Battle of Tarain was that Muhammad Ghori wanted to avenge his defeat at the hands of King Prithviraj Chauhan.
Who won the second battle of Tarain?
Muhammad Ghori won the second Tarain battle against King Prithviraj Chauhan.
What happened after 2nd battle of Tarain?
According to historical sources, Prithviraj Chauhan was taken to the capital at Ajmer, where Muhammad planned to reestablish him as a Ghurid vassal. Prithviraj Chauhan was captured and killed.
What was the Second Battle of Tarain?
The Second Battle of the Tarain was fought in 1192 by the Ghurid forces against the Rajput Confederacy.
Did Prithviraj Chauhan defeat Ghori?
In 1191 AD, Prithviraj led a coalition of Rajput kings that defeated Muhammad Ghori's Ghurid army near Taraori.