Battles has been an important factor in creating states and empires throughout history and, equally so, in destroying them. Major advances in science, technology, and engineering have been brought about through necessity during times of war/battles. In UPSC preparation, you must be aware of some such landmark battles in Indian and world history. Here is a curated list of important battles -
Battle | Year | Location | Fought Between | Conclusion/Result |
Battle of Hydaspes (Jhelum) | 327-26 BC | Alexander invades India. Defeats Porus. | ||
Conquest of the Nanda Empire | 321-320 BC | Dhana nanda vs Chandragupta Maurya | Conquest of the Nanda Empire under Dhana Nanda by a force under Chandragupta Maurya | |
The Seleucid–Mauryan War | 303 BC | Chandragupta Maurya defeats the Greek King Seleucus. | ||
The Kalinga War | 262 BC | Ashoka vs. Kalinga empire | Conquest of Kalinga by Ashoka. The Kalinga War prompted Ashoka to devote the rest of his life to ahimsa (non-violence) and to dharma-Vijaya (victory through dharma). After the conquest of Kalinga, Ashoka ended the military expansion of the empire and began an era peace, harmony, and prosperity. | |
Battle of Tarai 1 | 1191 | Muhammad Ghori and Prithviraj Chauhan | Prithviraj won | |
Battle of Tarai 2 | 1192 | Ghori won, PC killed, Ghori established first Muslim kingdom in India | ||
1st Battle of Panipat | 1526 | Ibrahim Lodi vs. Babur | Babur won, end of Delhi Sultanate | |
Battle of Chausa | 1539 | Humayun and Sher Shah Sur | Sher shah sur won | |
Battle of Baligram | 1540 | |||
2nd Battle of Panipat | 1556 | Akbar vs Hemu | Akbar won | |
Battle of Tailkota or Battle of Rakasa-Thangadi or Battle of Bannihati | 1565 | Vijaynagara (Ram raya) vs combined forces of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Bidar, and Golkonda | Defeat of Ram Raya. Considered as the end of Vijayanagar Empire (though kingdom existed another century under Aravidu dynasty) | |
Battle of Haldighati | 1576 | Rana Pratap vs Mughal led by Man Singh | Rana Pratap severely defeated (during Akbar's reign) | |
Battle of Dharmat | 1658 | Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh | Part of succession war of Shah Jahan's sons | |
Treaty of Purandar | 1665 | Shivaji Maharaj vs. Jaya singh | Jaya singh defeated Shivaji Maharaj. Treaty of Purandar - major setback for Maratha kingdom. 23 Forts handed over to Mughals. | |
Battle of Karnal | 1739 | Near Delhi | Nader Shah of Persia and Muhammad Shah (Mughal) | Nader won in 3 hrs. Captured Delhi --> Already declining Mughal dynasty was critically weakened to such an extent as to hasten its demise. Kohinoor diamond taken away by Nader |
First Carnatic War | 1746-48 | Ended with Treaty of Aix-La Chapelle - ending the Austrian War of Succession. | ||
Second Carnatic War | 1749-54 | Inconclusive | ||
Third Carnatic War or the Battle of Wandiwash | 1758-63 | Ended with the Treaty of Peace of Paris (1763). English became the supreme European power in the Indian subcontinent. | ||
Battle of Plassey | 1757 | East India Company (EIC) headed by Robert Clive vs. the Nawab of Bengal (Siraj-Ud-Daulah) | EIC won. Historic turning point for British in India; it established political and military supremacy of British in Bengal. | |
3rd Battle of Panipat | 1761 | Maratha vs. Ahmed Shah Abdali | Marathas defeated by Abdali. | |
Battle of Buxar | 1764 | British East India Company (led by Hector Munro) vs the combined armies of Mir Qasim (Nawab of Bengal); Shuja-ud-Daulah (Nawab of Awadh); and Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II | English won. Treaty of Allahabad, 1765 - Established British supremacy in North India. British defeated Mughal empire - landmark event! | |
1st Anglo-Maratha War | 1780s | Inconclusive. 20 years peace. Treaty of Salbai. | ||
2nd Anglo-Maratha | ||||
3rd Anglo-Maratha | ||||
Battle of Kangla Tongbi (Battle of Lion Box) | 1944 | Imphal, Manipur | Ordnance personnel of 221 Advance Ordnance Depot (AOD) against Japanese forces | It is considered one of the fiercest battles of World War II. Japanese to withdraw |
*Note - The list will be updated with more details. Keep visiting!
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