Battle of Chausa

Introduction
The Battle of Chausa was a notable military engagement between the Mughal
emperor, Humayun, and the Afghan, Sher Shah Suri. It was fought on 26 June
1539 at Chausa, 10 miles southwest of Buxar in modern-day Bihar, India. Sher
Shah was victorious and crowned himself Farid al-Din Sher Shah.

While Humayun was on one of his expeditions Sher Khan strengthened his
forces against Humayun.
After capturing Bengal Humayun returned towards Agra. Afghan forces of
Sher Khan had already occupied Munger and had imprisoned its Mughal
governor, Khan-i-Khanan Dilawar Khan and had also blocked the narrow defiles
of Teliagarhi which were situated on the southern bank of the Ganga.
At Munger Humayun crossed the Ganga to its southern bank and took the old Grand
Trunk Road which passed through south Bihar which was under complete control of Sher
Khan and reached Chausa. (at the boundary between Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on the
confluence of River Karmanasa and Ganges.) Later Sher Khan also reached there with
his troops.

In the battlefield of Chausa, the imperial army was checked by Sher shah. The
two forces camped opposite each other, but none of the two warranted an
attack for almost three months. During these months the Mughal forces
suffered scarcity of food and supply, leading death of cattle and horses. In
this desperate situation, Humayun opened the negotiations and arrangement
for a treaty was made.
As per this treaty, Sher Shah was to retain Bengal and parts of Bihar. In
return, he would give recognition to emperor and accept his suzerainty.

However Sher Khan made a surprise attack on the Mughals from three
directions. He was aided by his son Jalal Khan, and his greatest general
Khawas Khan, just before dawn on June 26, 1539 CE.

The Mughal forces were completely routed and put to flight. Finally the
Mughal army was defeated.

Humayun was saved by a Bhisti i.e water carrier across the river Ganga.
After the battle Sher Khan defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun and
declared himself the Sultan and assumed the title of Farid al-Din Sher Shah.
Sher Khan then marched to Bengal and brought Bihar and Bengal under his
control by deposing the Mughal governor Jahangir Beg and then returned to
Kannauj.