The First Battle of Tarain is also known as the First Battle of Tararoi which was fought in 1191. It was fought in the town of Tarain, near Thanesar ( at present day Harayana , approximately 150 km. north of Delhi).
The battle was fought between the armies of Muhammad of Ghor , who was the conqueror of the Ghaznevid kingdom of northwestern India and the armies of Prithviraj III, A Rajput of the Chauhan dynasty.
The first move was taken by Muhammad of Ghor who captured till the border of Prithviraj`s kingdom. In 1191 Muhammad captured either the Sirhind or Bhatinda fortress (which is now in Punjab) in Prithviraj`s northwestern frontier. The next step was taken by Prithviraj who along with his vassal Govinda-raja of Delhi rushed to save the frontier and the two armies met at Tarain.
The Rajput armies first defeated the two wings of the Muslim army. The Muslim army fledwhile Muhammad still remained in the center with the rest of the Turk soldiers. It was then Govind-raja and Muhammad of Ghor came face to face. The two were injured with repeated clashes. Muhammad could not recover from the blowand fainted from the shock. Fearing that their leader had died the army surrendered to Prithviraj and Muhammad was made a prisoner. He was brought in chains to Pihorgarh, Prithviraj`s capital. Muhammad of Ghor begged for mercy and Prithviraj inspite of repeated warnings from his ministers pardoned him.
Muhammad returned to his capital at Ghazni and the following year challenged Prithviraj once again in the Second Battle of Tarain.
