Important Battles

ATTACK ON SOMNATH TEMPLE
Date: January 8, 1026 Weather: Cold

TERRAIN: Flanked on one side by sea and a lightly wooded forest on the other. Desert less than 50 miles northwest (direction taken by the attacking force).

STRATEGY: Mahmud of Ghazni marched from Multan with 30,000 cavalry and a multitude of volunteers eager for plunder. Mahmud employed a combination of swordsmen and archers on horseback in an arc with a deep defensive force in the middle. The surprise attack resulted in a shower of arrows from archers and was followed by a ladder-borne mounting of the temple ramparts. The king of Somnath fled with his entourage while the temple was protected by 50,000 poorly armed faithful with little military training. Mahmud scored with surprise, cavalry charge, better logics and motivation of jihad.

SIGNIFICANCE: The temple's ruthless plunder was a psychological setback to Hindustan. It set an example of India as a very rich but very poorly defended place-ripe for loot.

THE SECOND BATTLE OF TARAIN
Date: 1192 Weather: Moderate

TERRAIN: Flat. Western extremity of the Gangetic plains.

STRATEGY: Prithviraj Chauhan, the king of Delhi was complacent after his success in the First Battle of Tarain in 1191 where he had defeated Mohammed Ghauri. This time Prithviraj was hamstrung as his two chief generals were unavailable. Ghauri attacked the rear lines of Prithviraj which were completely outflanked. Though Prithviraj's cavalry launched a very effective counter-attack, forcing Ghauri's retreat, the Rajput ruler didn't press home the advantage. The flanks of Prithviraj's forces were attacked by Ghauri's light cavalry. The sideways disruption caused a sudden halt and hesitation in Prithviraj's advance, and chaos in the rear which was moving forward. Tactically it was brilliant-it resulted in denial of space to Prithviraj which neutralised his numerical superiority. Once boxed in his troops were massacred.

SIGNIFICANCE: The battle established the sultanate in Delhi.