Template:Infobox military conflict Template:Campaignbox Early Mughal-Sikh Wars
The Battle of Kartarpur occurred on 25 April 1635.Template:WhenTemplate:Efn It started when the Mughal Empire attacked the town of Kartarpur, and was the last major battle of the Mughal-Sikh Wars of Guru Hargobind's period of Guruship.Template:Cn The Mughal force was repulsed by the Sikh defenders.[1]
Events
Painda (or Painde) Khan, ex-general of the Sikh troops, convinced Wazir Khan, the governor of Lahore, to send a force against Guru Hargobind in Kartarpur. The expedition was commanded by Kale Khan, assisted by Khans Qutub (Qutab or Kutub, the faujdar of Jalandhar) and Painda.[2]Template:Rp Painda was accompanied by his son-in-law, Asman Khan.[3]Template:Rp
Qutub sent Anwar Khan with gifts to Guru Hargobind, which were rejected. Anwar challenged Hargobind to a game of chaupar. After being defeated, Anwar insulted the Guru's predecessors, and in return was beaten and sent away.[3]Template:Rp
Kartarpur was defended by Bhai Bidhi Chand with Guru Hargobind and his eldest son Baba Gurdita supporting him.[1]
According to historian Max Macauliffe, Hargobind had "eighteen hundred regular fighting men who were supplied by his friends in Kartarpur", whilst "twenty thousand imperial troops ... advanced" against the city.[3]Template:Rp
The Mughal troops attacked at night and were met with heavy resistance. Anwar Khan was felled by an arrow from Bidhi Chand. In the morning, after serious losses overnight, Painda and Asman entered the field determined to capture the Guru.[3]Template:Rp Bhai Lakhu and Qutub Khan exchanged arrows, knocking each other to the ground in turn, after which Qutub took Lakhu's head with his sword.[3]Template:Rp
Guru Hargobind met and slew Painda in combat. He enjoined the dying Painda to recite the kalma (shahada), and shaded his body from the sun with his shield.[2]Template:Rp [3]Template:Rp Gurdita felled Asman, his childhood friend, with an arrow.[3]Template:Rp
Qutub[3]Template:Rp and Kale[2]Template:Rp [3]Template:Rp were also killed, supposedly in single combat with Hargobind.[3]Template:Rp After their last leader fell, the remaining Mughal troops fled.[2]Template:Rp [3]Template:Rp
Macauliffe relayed "it is said" that the losses were seven hundred Sikhs and several thousand to twelve thousand Mughals.Template:Efn
This was the first and only battle that future Guru Tegh Bahadur had fought, and due to his valor and swordsmanship he earned the title 'Tegh' meaning large sword.
Aftermath
After the battle, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib travelled to Giractpur (Kirtapur) via Bhawarati (Phagwara). At Palahi village near Phagwara, he was set upon by royal forces under Ahmad Khan, and suffered considerable losses.[2]Template:Rp He remained in Kiratpur until his death.[2]Template:Rp
Notes
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedMacauliffe1909
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