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Animals and Empires
Context:
In the annals of history, animals have played roles far beyond companionship, shaping battles, influencing empires, and even inspiring legends.
From oxen that helped secure a throne to camels that saved a province, animals have had a profound yet often overlooked impact on human events.
A Battle of Wits in the Deccan
- In the 15th century, Firuz Shah, the Bahmani Sultan of the Deccan, suspected that his brother, Ahmad, aspired to his throne.
- To preempt any moves by Ahmad, he dispatched an army to capture him.
- Ahmad, however, understood he was outnumbered but possessed sharp strategic insight.
- Behind his limited cavalry, he lined up rows of oxen, each with soldiers mounted atop.
- This gave the illusion of a massive cavalry force.
- Firuz’s generals, upon seeing Ahmad’s supposed army, panicked.
- Ahmad’s smaller, resourceful force emerged victorious, and he soon ascended to the throne—an achievement he owed, in part, to a herd of bullocks.
The Swift Camels of Akbar
- In 1573, when Gujarat revolted against the Mughal Empire, it seemed likely the region would be lost.
- However, Emperor Akbar surprised the rebels by arriving with reinforcements after a gruelling nine-day, nonstop journey—one that usually took two months.
- His swift arrival, made possible by camels covering up to 200 kilometres a day, turned the tide.
- This unexpected twist allowed the Mughals to hold onto one of India’s wealthiest provinces, facilitating further conquests.
Elephants: The Power and the Peril
- Elephants were prized for their ability to break enemy ranks in battle, although they required substantial maintenance, including food, water, and dedicated attendants.
- In Odisha, rulers even styled themselves as “Gajapatis,” or Lords of the Elephant.
- Yet, these powerful creatures were highly sensitive to noise and often panicked at the sound of cannon fire.
- To keep them calm, elephants were sometimes given sedatives and alcohol.
- As gunpowder weapons became more common, elephants lost their battlefield role but remained significant in ceremonial contexts.
Horses: The Ultimate War Companions
- The horse, however, holds perhaps the most influential place in military history.
- Originally domesticated for milk, the horse became central to the way of life for Central Asian peoples, who mastered horseback archery.
- Although Central Asia had a small population compared to India and China, it boasted half the world’s horses, many of superior quality.
- This enabled its people to become formidable conquerors and suppliers of warhorses, shaping military power far beyond their numbers.
- Certain horses earned fame alongside their masters.
- The chestnut-coloured Copenhagen, for example, carried British officer Arthur Wellesley during his most celebrated military victory, the Battle of Waterloo, for 18 continuous hours.
- Today, Copenhagen is remembered with a gravestone in England, a testament to its service in changing the course of European history.
Unsung Heroes: Goats and Hares
- Lesser animals have also played critical, albeit understated, roles.
- In 1509, as Krishnadevaraya prepared to ascend the throne of Vijayanagara, his half-brother, determined to eliminate him, ordered Krishnadevaraya be blinded.
- A minister, however, faked the blinding by presenting the eyes of a slaughtered goat instead.
- The half-brother died, believing his lineage was safe, and the throne passed to Krishnadevaraya—thanks, in part, to the sacrificial goat.
- Legends about animals also influenced city foundations.
- According to one story, the first ruler of Vijayanagara chose Hampi as his capital after a hare he was hunting bit his hounds at a certain spot.
- Similar stories are told about the founding of Ahmednagar and Malacca, where a hare symbolised a mystical source of strength and courage.
Execution and Accidents
- Animals also played darker roles in history.
- They were used as instruments of punishment, with criminals sometimes tied to elephants or horses, which would then tear them apart by moving in different directions.
- Strange accidents involving animals are also recorded, such as the death of Kerala Varma, a revered scholar and the “Father of Modern Malayalam Prose.”
- In 1914, while riding in a car, his driver swerved to avoid a stray dog, causing an accident that led to Varma’s death two days later.
