Battle of Chandawar, Background, Causes, Events, Consequences

The Battle of Chandawar (1194 CE) was a decisive conflict that marked a turning point in North Indian history. Fought between Muhammad Ghori and Raja Jaychand of Kannauj, it followed Ghori’s victories in the Battles of Tarain and was crucial for expanding Ghurid power into the fertile Ganga Valley.

The battle of Chandawar took place near Chandawar (modern Firozabad) on the banks of the Yamuna River, where Jaychand’s powerful army clashed fiercely with Ghori’s well-trained forces led by Qutb-ud-din Aibak. The death of Jaychand sealed the fate of the Gahadavala dynasty, leading to the fall of Kannauj and paving the way for Turkish dominance in North India, which culminated in the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate.

Battle of Chandawar Background

Muhammad Ghori always had his eagle eyes fixed on the grand Indian dynasty and its wealth. 

• Henceforth, he did not want to rob India of its wealth, but also conquer major lands here.
• Before the battle of Chandawar, which took place in 1194, Ghori had faced the First Battle of Tarain in 1191 and the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192. He defeated the great Prithviraj Chauhan in the second battle.
• Thereon, after the victory in the second battle of Tarain, Ghori decided to return to Ghazni.
• But he did not surrender his possessions; instead left those in the hands of Qutb-ud-Din Aibak with 50, 000 men army.
• Qutb-ud-Din Aibak was highly ferocious and captured Kol, Delhi, and Meerut in the meantime and established Delhi as the centre of his governance.
• It was before the main Battle of Chandawar 1194, that Muhammad Ghori decided to take charge of the Ajmer fort and the Gahadavala Empire.
• They defeated small groups and won battles. But the main army under Jaychand was still to be destroyed.

Battle of Chandawar Causes

In the short span of a few years, there was one more battle involving Muhammad Ghori. What led to it in such a short span can be summarised as below.

• Muhammad Ghori’s ambition to expand Ghurid rule: After defeating Prithviraj Chauhan in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192 CE), Muhammad Ghori wanted to extend his rule into the Ganga Valley.
• Strategic importance of Kannauj: Kannauj was a powerful and wealthy kingdom, controlling key trade routes.
  • Muhammad Ghori needed to defeat Raja Jaychand to gain control over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
• Rajput resistance to Muslim rule: Raja Jaychand stood as one of the last prominent Rajput rulers to resist Muhammad Ghori’s territorial expansion.
  • He was not directly involved in the battles of Tarain, but he stood against Ghurid expansion.

‹ ›

Battle of Chandawar Events

Maharaj had learnt that Ghori wished to conquer his lands and not just raid them for wealth. So he had started preparations for D-day or the Battle of Chandawar.

• Maharaja Jaychand of Varanasi, a formidable ruler of his era, commanded an immense army comprising hundreds of soldiers and elephants.
• Thus, upon secret information that Maharaj was on alert regarding the situation of Chandawar, Muhammad Ghori also returned to  India.
• The battle took place at Chandawar (present-day Firozabad), situated on the banks of the Yamuna River near Agra.
• The Muslim army led by Qutb-ud-Din Aibak attacked several times, but Jaychand and his large army gave a tough fight to the Ghurids.

• In most of the contemporary accounts, Jaychand was close to victory when an arrow hit him in the eye, killing him during the battle of Chandawar. 
• He fell off his elephant, was trampled, and after the battle could only be identified by the gold caps on his teeth. 
• With their leader gone, the army of Jaychand broke and fled, taking heavy casualties during the pursuit. 
• Other historical writings say that Jaychand had to flee from the battle of Chandawar in 1194. He thereafter founded a new dynasty near the Kumaon Hills. Although there is no proof of what ensued.

Battle of Chandawar Outcomes

After the battle of Chandawar was fought and won by the Muslim army, they took control of 300 live elephants, plundered the Gahadavala realm treasury, and established their rule in the Asni fort.

• Death of Raja Jaychand & Fall of Kannauj: Jaychand was killed, and Kannauj was annexed by Muhammad Ghori.
  • This marked the end of the Gahadavala Dynasty’s power.

• Expansion of Turkish Rule: Muhammad Ghori extended his control over the Ganga Valley, including Benares (Varanasi), Bihar, and Bengal.
  • Bakhtiyar Khilji, a general of Muhammad Ghori, later advanced into Bihar and Bengal, destroying Nalanda University.
  • This is how the Battles of Tarain and Chandawar laid the foundations of Turkish rule in North India.
  • The expansion was briefly threatened in 1205 after Muhammad suffered a serious defeat at Andkhui.

• Weakening of Rajput Resistance: After the fall of Delhi (1192 CE) and Kannauj, no strong Rajput kingdom remained in North India.

This paved the way for Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Muhammad Ghori’s trusted general, to lay the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate in 1206 CE.