Battle of Kannauj

Timeline

1. 1540Kannauj region · Uttar PradeshAfter the Battle of Chausa in 1539, Humayun briefly recovered Delhi, but Sher Shah Suri quickly reorganized his forces and advanced east. In early 1540 both sides maneuvered along the Ganges plain toward Kannauj, forming a standoff near Bilgram, each gathering infantry, cavalry, and war elephants in preparation for a decisive battle.
2. 1540Bilgram · Uttar PradeshOn 17 May, Sher Shah used tactics such as a feigned retreat to lure the enemy, flanking attacks, and war elephant charges to rout Humayun's main force at Bilgram. The Mughal line collapsed, large numbers of soldiers fled or were captured, and Humayun himself narrowly escaped capture; the battle became the decisive engagement in the transfer of power in North India.
3. 1540From North India toward Sindh and Persia · IndiaAfter his defeat, Humayun abandoned Delhi, Agra, and other core cities, fleeing west with his family and the remnants of his forces. He wandered through Sindh and other places before finally taking exile in Safavid Persia, losing control of most of India's territory; the Mughal Empire fell into a long low period, not recovering until 1555.