Many legendary and fierce battles have been fought in India, leaving behind rich history for us to read and remember. Conquerors fought to gain ownership of the wealth of the Indian subcontinent. Many battles influenced and impacted India that we are living in today. Here is a list of the greatest battles fought in Indian history:
1. The Battle Of Hydaspes
The king of Macedonia, Alexander the Great, began his journey to conquer India in May, 326 BC. He finally fought against the king of Punjab, Maharaja Porus, on the riverbank of Hydaspes. This battle is regarded as one of the most difficult and costly battles that Alexander the Great had ever fought, due to the tremendous resistance and trouble that the army of Macedonia faced while going up against King Porus and his army.
The battle happened because Alexander the Great was curious and wanted to explore Asia, and King Porus was the ruler of the greatest region at that time. Another reason why Alexander the Great wanted to conquer this part of the subcontinent was that Punjab and Sindi territories were very important parts of central Asia, and conquering these would have made his kingdom more powerful than the Greek kingdom.
Also Read Heritage Trains In India That Are Worth A Ride On
This battle opened up India to Greek politics and its cultural influences which are being seen in the present Indian culture till today. This adds to the historical significance of this battle.
2. Battle Of Panipat
The battle of Panipat is very significant in Indian history because it was the key to the establishment of the Mughal empire in Delhi. The battle was led by Babur, the first Mughal emperor, on April 21st, 1526. Babur spent his youth wandering about Central Asia. He won and lost many battles that eventually made him into the great ruler that he was. Ibrahim Lodi was ruling over most parts of North India, but he was an unpopular ruler.
The nobles who were unpleased with his reign invited Babur. Interestingly enough, Babur had an army of 15,000 men only, which was very less in comparison to the 40,000 men in Lodi’s Army. However, the secret weapon of 24 pieces of artillery helped him defeat Lodi’s huge army and achieve victory in the Battle of Panipat.
Also Read Celebrating Monsoon: Most Famous Indian Monsoon Festivals
3. Battle Of Kalinga
The bloody battle of Kalinga is one of the most historically popular and legendary battles fought in India. It was fought by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (a.k.a Ashoka the Great) and the ruler of the state of Kalinga. The reason for the battle is unknown and there are many speculations about it.
The battle took place in the year 261 BC. Ashoka the Great won the stiff battle, but over 1 lakh men lost their lives and many were imprisoned as well. It is said that the River Daya became red with the blood of the dead people. King Ashoka took over the northern parts of Andhra Pradesh.
Also Read 10 Must-Visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites In India That Will Leave You Awestruck
4. Battle Of Plassey
On 23rd June 1757, the battle of Plassey was fought and then the British Empire was established. In this battle, the Bengal province was attacked by the Britishers, and then the Britishers took over other provinces of India. They opened a trading post in Calcutta, continued ruling the rest of India, and eventually had more resources and power than the Bengal ruler. Winning the battle of Plassey led them to acquire a great amount of wealth and dominance over India.
Starting with the war waged by Alexander the Great to other historic battles like the battle of Panipat, each one of them has influenced the country in many ways. Some battles were even fought as early as 327 BC, and history goes up to the recent Indo-Pak battles.
For more related posts, visit Discover.
Battle of Hydaspes though, the only battle in the life of Alexander The Great where he was almost defeated by then King Porus on the lndian soil. Even Alexander was impressed by the way king porus and his army fought, though Alexander’s army outnumbered the army of king of Punjab, but eventually making them to return from India.