Battle of Attock (1787)
The Battle of Attock was fought on September 1787 between Sikh forces and Afghan forces led by Bakshi Madad Khan.
| Battle of Attock | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Afghan-Sikh Wars | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Dal Khalsa |
 Durrani Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Unknown |
Bakshi Madad Khan | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | 21,700[1] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Background
Timur Shah Durrani, the emperor of the Durrani Empire decided to start his fifth campaign of Punjab. In the last campaign which took place in December 1785, Timur entered the lands of India to meet the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, who had been frantically inviting him.[1][2][3][4]
The Rajput princes had been constantly appealing to Timur Shah for assistance against Mahadji Sindhia. On a persistent request from Maharaja Bhakt Singh, Timur Shah set Bakshi Madad Khan in September 1787 at the head of 15,000 horse, 5,000 foot and 1,700 camel riders.[1]
Battle
Their path was blocked at Attock by the Sikhs. Bakshi did not cross the river and marched along the western bank of river Indus. The Sikhs followed on the other side of the river and finding the Sikhs ready to oppose, Bakshi eventually gave up and retreated to Kabul.[1]
Aftermath
During the winter of 1788, Timur Shah invaded India again.[1]
References
- Hari Ram Gupta (1982). History Of The Sikhs Vol. IV The Sikh Commonwealth Or Rise And Fall Of Sikh Misls. pp. 439–443.
- Patwant Singh (2007). The Sikhs. ISBN 9780307429339.
- Birendra Varma (1968). English East India Company and the Afghans, 1757-1800. p. 47.
- Patna University Journal. Vol. 19. 1964. p. 73.