Editing Hemu (section)

=== Battle of Tughlaqabad ===
{{Main article|Battle of Tughlaqabad}}

[[Tardi Beg Khan]], who was Akbar's governor in Delhi, wrote to his masters who were camped at [[Jalandhar]], that Hemu had captured Agra and intended to attack the capital Delhi, which could not be defended without reinforcements. While the main army could not be spared due to the belligerent presence of Sikandar Shah Suri, Akbar's regent, Bairam Khan, realising the gravity of the situation, sent his most capable lieutenant, Pir Muhammad Sharwani, to Delhi. Meanwhile, Tardi Beg Khan had also ordered all the nearby Mughal nobles to muster their forces at Delhi. A council of war was convened, and it was decided that the Mughals would stand and fight Hemu. Plans were made accordingly.{{sfn|Tripathi|1960|p=174}}

After winning Agra, Hemu, who had set off in pursuit of the city's governor, reached [[Tughlaqabad]], a village just outside Delhi where he ran into Tardi Beg Khan's forces. The Mughals, while outnumbered, put up a gallant fight against Hemu's forces, which, according to Bada'uni,{{sfn|Chandra|2004|p=91}} included 1000 [[war elephants]], 50,000 cavalry, 51 cannons, and 500 [[Falconet (cannon)|falconets]].{{sfn|Sarkar|1960|p=67}} [[Jadunath Sarkar]] describes the battle thus:{{sfn|Sarkar|1960|p=67}}

{{quote|The Mughal army was thus drawn up: Abdullah Uzbeg commanded the Van, Haidar Muhammad the right wing, Iskandar Beg the left, and Tardi Beg himself the centre. The choice Turki cavalry in the van and left wing attacked and drove back the enemy forces before them, and followed far in pursuit. In this assault, the victors captured 400 elephants and slew 3,000 men from the Afghan army. Imagining victory already gained, many of Tardi Beg's followers dispersed to plunder the enemy camp, and he was left in the field very thinly guarded. All this time Hemu had been holding 300 choice elephants and a force of select horsemen as a reserve in the centre. He promptly seized the opportunity and made a sudden charge upon Tardi Beg with this reserve. At the impetuous advance of the huge beasts and the dense cavalry behind them, many of the Mughal officers fled away in terror without waiting to offer a defence. At last Tardi Beg himself took the same course.}}

Hemu's push was also bolstered by the timely arrival of fresh reinforcements from Alwar under the command of Haji Khan.{{sfn|Tripathi|1960|p=174}} When the previously victorious Mughal vanguard and left wing returned from their pursuit, they realised the day was lost and dispersed without offering a fight. Hemu took possession of Delhi after a day's battle on 7 October 1556.{{sfn|Sarkar|1960|p=67}}