Battle of Sonipat

Battle of Sonipat
Part of Mughal-Sikh Wars

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur War Memorial in Khanda, Sonipat
Date1709
Location
Result Sikh victory[1]
Belligerents
Khalsa (Sikhs) Mughal Empire
Commanders and leaders
Strength
500[2] Unknown

The Battle of Sonipat was fought between Sikhs and the Mughal Empire in 1709. It was the first significant battle during Banda Singh Bahadur's conquests.

Prelude

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In 1708, Banda Singh Bahadur became the Jathedar of the Khalsa Army and he was sent to Punjab by Guru Gobind Singh to fight against the Mughal Empire.

Battle

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Khanda, Sonipat village witnessed the Battle of Sonipat against the Mughals and won the battle under the military leadership of Banda Singh Bahadur.[3][4] He first camped at Khanda village, with an army of 500, and then marched to Sonipat, attacked the town, and threw an open challenge to the Mughal Empire.[5] The Mughal Faujdar of Sonipat was utterly unprepared and he was routed[6] in the battle and was defeated.

Pillage of Sonipat

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The Sikhs then plundered the Provincial Mughal Treasury and villages at Sonipat.[7]

Aftermath

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After the Sonipat conquest, Banda Singh Bahadur reached Samana, Punjab and attacked the town. Sikhs won battle against Mughals in Samana.[8]

References

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  1. ^ History of Islam, p. 506, at Google Books
  2. ^ Gupta, Hari (2007). History of the Sikhs Vol II Evolution of the Sikh Confederacies. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 8. ISBN 978-81-215-0248-1.
  3. ^ Sagoo, Harbans Kaur (2001). Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty. Deep & Deep Publications. ISBN 978-81-7629-300-6.
  4. ^ "Guts and Glory: The Man Who Vowed to Avenge Guru Gobind Singh's Death, Took on Mughals". News18. 21 November 2021. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
  5. ^ Sagoo, Harbans (2001). Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty. Deep & Deep Publications.
  6. ^ Frances Pritchett. "XIX. A Century of Political Decline: 1707-1803". Columbia.edu. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  7. ^ Sikhs In The Eighteenth Century. p. 28.
  8. ^ Dhillon, Harish (2013-05-01). First Raj of the Sikhs: The Life and Times of Banda Singh Bahadur. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 978-93-81398-39-5.