First Battle

of Panipat
The First Battle
of Panipat, on
21 April 1526,
was fought
between the
invading forces
of Babur and
the Lodi
Empire.
Panipat
Location
The battle was
fought on 21 April
1526 near the small
village of Panipat,
an area that has
been the site of a
number of decisive
battles for the
control of
Northern India
since the twelfth
century.
Background

 It is estimated that Babur's forces numbered around

15,000 men and had between 20 to 24 pieces of field
artillery.. The Lodi fighting force was around 30,000 to
40,000 men in total.
Battle
 Babur secured his right flank
against the city of Panipat,
while digging a trench covered
with tree branches to secure his
left flank. In the center, he
placed 700 carts tied together
with ropes. Between every two
carts there were breastworks
for his matchlockmen

 When Ibrahim's army

arrived, he found the approach
to Babur's army too narrow to
attack. While Ibrahim
redeployed his forces to allow
for the narrower front, Babur
quickly took advantage of the
situation to flank (tulghuma)
the Lodi army
Victory of Babur
 Ibrahim Lodi died on the field of battle along with
15,000 of his troops. Vikramajit, ruler of Gwaliyar,
was killed as well. The battle of Panipat was
militarily a decisive victory. Politically it gained
Babur little, and initiated a new phase of his
establishment of the Mughal empire.
Use of Cannons
 Babur's guns proved decisive in battle, firstly because
Ibrahim Lodi lacked any field artillery, but also
because the sound of the cannon frightened Lodi's
elephants, causing them to trample Lodi's own men.