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The Second Battle of Panipat between Akbar and Hemu was fought in:
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Answer: Option D — 1556
Detailed Solution
The Second Battle of Panipat was fought on 5 November 1556 between the forces of the young Mughal emperor Akbar and Hemu (Hem Chandra Vikramaditya), the Hindu general and chief minister of the Sur ruler Adil Shah.
Background: Humayun had regained Delhi from the Sur dynasty in 1555, but he died in January 1556 after falling down the stairs of his library (Sher Mandal) in Delhi. Akbar, then just 13 years old, was crowned at Kalanaur in Punjab under the guardianship of his regent, Bairam Khan. Taking advantage of the situation, Hemu, who had won many battles for the Surs, captured Agra and Delhi, defeating the Mughal governor Tardi Beg Khan. He crowned himself in Delhi and took the title "Vikramaditya".
At Panipat, Hemu's army, with a large force of elephants, was at first winning. But Hemu was struck in the eye by an arrow and fell unconscious. His leaderless army panicked and fled. Hemu was captured and beheaded. This victory restored Mughal rule in North India and established Akbar's empire.
The three famous Battles of Panipat (in present-day Haryana):
First Battle of Panipat (21 April 1526): Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi and founded the Mughal Empire. Babur used field artillery and the "tulughma" tactic.
Second Battle of Panipat (5 November 1556): Akbar (under Bairam Khan) defeated Hemu.
Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761): Ahmad Shah Abdali (Durrani) of Afghanistan defeated the Marathas under Sadashivrao Bhau. It weakened Maratha power and helped the rise of the British.
Bairam Khan acted as Akbar's regent until 1560, after which Akbar took full control.
Why not the other options?
- ✗1526 is the First Battle of Panipat.
- ✗1576 is the Battle of Haldighati between Akbar's forces (led by Man Singh) and Maharana Pratap.
- ✗1761 is the Third Battle of Panipat.
Quick tip
Remember: Panipat I = 1526 (Babur vs Ibrahim Lodi); Panipat II = 1556 (Akbar/Bairam Khan vs Hemu); Panipat III = 1761 (Abdali vs Marathas); Haldighati = 1576.
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Mughal Empire — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Mughal Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur in 1526 and reached its height under Akbar. This topic covers the Mughal emperors from Babur to Aurangzeb and the later Mughals, the Sur interlude under Sher Shah Suri, Mughal administration (the mansabdari and jagirdari systems), revenue systems, architecture, painting and literature. Common questions ask about important battles (Panipat, Khanwa, Haldighati), Akbar's policies such as Din-i-Ilahi and the abolition of the jizya, Sher Shah's reforms such as the rupiya coin and the Grand Trunk Road, and the builders of famous monuments. For example, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort in Delhi. Practise the Mughal Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.