First Battle of Tarain

The First Battle of Tarain, also known as the First Battle of Taraori, was fought in 1191 at the town of Tarain (Taraori), near Thanesar in present-day Haryana, approximately 150 kilometres north of Delhi.

The battle pitted the armies of Muhammad of Ghor, conqueror of the Ghaznevid Kingdom of northwestern India, against the armies of Prithviraj III, a handsome Rajput of the Chauhan clan who ruled the most powerful kingdom in northern India.

Muhammad's conquests had brought his kingdom right to the border of Prithviraj's, and in 1191 Muhammad captured a fortress, either Sirhind or Bathinda in present-day Punjab state, on Prithviraj's northwestern frontier. Prithviraj's army, led by his vassal Govinda-raja of Delhi, rushed to the defense of the frontier, and the two armies met at Tarain.

The armies clashed, and Muhammad and Govinda-raja met in personal combat. Govinda-raja lost his front teeth to Muhammad's lance, but wounded Muhammad with a spear to his upper arm. Muhammad was wounded and retreated from the field, and his army, fearing their leader dead, broke off in retreat. The Rajput army chose not to pursue them, and instead moved north to free their fortress.

Muhammad retreated to his capital at Ghazni, and the following year led an army to challenge Prithviraj at the Second Battle of Tarain.