As I think we’ve mentioned before, Panipat has seen three major battles since the 16th century. I don’t think I’m doing the other two battles a disservice if I say that this first one was the most significant of the three, because it established the Mughal Empire in northern India. With the exception of a brief interlude … Continue reading Today in South Asian history: the First Battle of Panipat (1526)
Tag: india
Today in South Asian history: the Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
As the title says, the battle we’re talking about today was the third, and final (so far, at least), major battle fought near the northern Indian city of Panipat. Usually when a place is the site of three major battles, particularly when those battles take place over the (relatively) compressed period of about 250 years, the … Continue reading Today in South Asian history: the Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
Today in South Asian history: Nader Shah sacks Delhi (1739)
The story of the late middle/early modern Islamic world is dominated by the three so-called “Gunpowder Empires”—the Ottomans with their vast empire circling the Mediterranean; the Safavids in Iran and, at various times, parts of the Caucasus and Central Asia; and the Mughals in South Asia. They're called “gunpowder empires” because two former University of … Continue reading Today in South Asian history: Nader Shah sacks Delhi (1739)
Today in South Asian history: the Battle of Diu (1509)
The appearance of Portuguese explorers in India in 1498 was, it’s safe to say, a world-altering event. When Vasco da Gama proved that it was possible for European ocean-going vessels to reach India by going around Africa, it meant changes not only for Europe and India, but for the kingdoms in between, whose economies had … Continue reading Today in South Asian history: the Battle of Diu (1509)
Today in South Asian history: the Battle of Talikota (1565)
Muslim control over the Indian subcontinent, especially in areas south of modern Pakistan, was always somewhat precarious. Whatever Muslim dynasty happened to be in power at any given time was guaranteed to be part of a religious minority ruling over a vast number of Hindu subjects. The Mughal Empire, which ruled northern India, modern Pakistan, … Continue reading Today in South Asian history: the Battle of Talikota (1565)
Today in South Asian history: the Indo-Pakistani War and Bangladesh Liberation War both end (1971)
India and Pakistan have fought no fewer than four major wars since the two nations came into being in 1947. Where their 1971 war stands out from the others is that it had nothing (directly, at least) to do with the disputed region of Kashmir. In fact, the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War was really the final … Continue reading Today in South Asian history: the Indo-Pakistani War and Bangladesh Liberation War both end (1971)
Badly-drawn colonial borders are still a problem
Hey, I've moved! If you enjoy this post you can find more of my writing at Foreign Exchanges, a Substack newsletter covering a variety of topics in history and foreign affairs. Check it out today and become a subscriber! WARNING: VERY LONG A couple of months ago there was a piece in The Atlantic by … Continue reading Badly-drawn colonial borders are still a problem
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