The Decisive Battles of World History

o With their inferior cavalry and slower horses, the Rajputs

would not be able to chase their opponents very far, and

Mohamad’s horse archers would once again turn, charge, and

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x The plan took advantage of the strengths of Mohamad’s army

and exploited the weaknesses of the Rajput. It was also a classic

confrontation between a smaller, highly disciplined force that used

hit-and-run tactics and a large, unwieldy one that relied on brute

force and numbers.

x Finally, Mohamad ordered a general retreat, his men pretending that

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took the bait and rushed headlong after their apparently running

foes, losing cohesion in their own ranks in their eagerness to get at

their tormentors.

x This was the moment Mohamad had been waiting for; he ordered

into battle his reserve division of 12,000 heavily armored horsemen.

They smashed into the disordered Rajput ranks and began slashing

with their swords. The other four divisions wheeled back to join the

slaughter, and the battle became a bloody rout.

Outcomes
x With this victory and several follow-up campaigns, Mohamad of
Ghor took control of many of the cities and kingdoms of northern
India, including Ajmer and Delhi, establishing a permanent Muslim
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monarchs in Delhi that would rule until they were deposed by
Mongol invaders in 1290.

x The Second Battle of Tarain was a decisive one in world history

because it secured a permanent Muslim presence in India. For the

next 800 years, up to the 21st century, there would be tension and

sometimes outright war between Hindus and Muslims.