Battle of Tarain
What happened
Muhammad of Ghor (also called Mu'izz al-Din), sultan of the Ghurid Empire, fought Prithviraj Chauhan, a Rajput king of the Chahamana dynasty, whose commander Govind Rai led his army in the first battle. Two battles were fought at Tarain, today's Taraori in Haryana, India, about 110 km north of Delhi. In the first, in 1191, Prithviraj's army won and Muhammad of Ghor was wounded and went home. A year later Muhammad returned, offered a truce, then attacked before dawn, and his mounted archers wore down the Rajput army until it broke.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The second battle opened northern India to Ghurid conquest and weakened Rajput power. It laid the foundation for the Delhi Sultanate.
What came next
Prithviraj Chauhan was captured and later killed, though sources disagree on exactly how and when. The Ghurid general Qutb al-Din Aibak went on to defeat Prithviraj's brother Hariraja.
Did you know?
After the first battle, a small Ghurid garrison held the fort of Tabarhindah against Prithviraj for thirteen months before it was captured.
Timeline
- 14 January 1191Prithviraj Chauhan defeats Muhammad of Ghor in the first battle.
- 1191-1192A Ghurid garrison holds Tabarhindah for thirteen months.
- 1192Muhammad of Ghor defeats Prithviraj in the second battle.
- 31 January 1216A third battle at Tarain is won by Iltutmish of the Delhi Sultanate.