Cavalry vs Elephants

[NapoleonComple]

Is there a situation in history where melee cavalry got the upper hand against an elephant charge? From what I've read, elephants almost universally throw cavalry formations into chaos, unless light foot or archery can panic or kill the elephants first.

The elephants seem vulnerable at first glance. I would have thought a rider's lance would have been an effective weapon against an elephant.

 

[Abdul Goatherd]

Not that I've heard of.

Generally speaking, horses are nervous animals, biologically programmed to flight. Unless they're hyper-trained to be around elephants, I don't imagine they'd want to stick around, much less go into a charging herd of them. Just the shaking ground should be enough to send a horse fleeing - they really don't like to be unsure-footed.

 

[LizarDAMN]

I'd guess when humans needed special tactics (which ment probably special training), horses would need much more. Is there any account in India about anti-elefant warfare that included cavalry?

 

[Abdul Goatherd]

I'd guess when humans needed special tactics (which ment probably special training), horses would need much more. Is there any account in India about anti-elefant warfare that included cavalry?

Second Panipat (1556) I think, comes closest to what the OP is suggesting.

 

[Andre Bolkonsky]

Is there a situation in history where melee cavalry got the upper hand against an elephant charge? From what I've read, elephants almost universally throw cavalry formations into chaos, unless light foot or archery can panic or kill the elephants first.

The elephants seem vulnerable at first glance. I would have thought a rider's lance would have been an effective weapon against an elephant.

Yes.

On the Pellenor Fields outside Gondor the elite cavalry of Rohan bested the Oliphants of Harad by sheer elan and horsemanship.

It is a beautiful story with a tragic, yet happy, ending. Some think it might make a good movie one day.

 

[NapoleonComple]

Yes.

Outside Gondor the elite cavalry of Rohan bested the Oliphants of Harad by sheer elan and horsemanship.

It is a beautiful story with a tragic, yet happy, ending.

I knew someone was going to bring this up.

 

[Andre Bolkonsky]

I knew someone was going to bring this up.

Then I am glad to have been of service to you this day.

 

[NapoleonComple]

Second Panipat does seem to be an example. It looks like the elephants were flanked.

Second Battle of Panipat - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Interestingly, the elephants seem to have withdrawn rather than been killed outright. And they were trapped against terrain (a ravine in this instance). So elephants can lose to cavalry, as long as they are trapped, outflanked and being harried by missile fire all at the same time. Still wouldn't like to be the horsemen.

 

[InvisibleBison]

Yes.

On the Pellenor Fields outside Gondor the elite cavalry of Rohan bested the Oliphants of Harad by sheer elan and horsemanship.

It is a beautiful story with a tragic, yet happy, ending. Some think it might make a good movie one day.

Not so!

But wherever the mumakil came there the horses would not go, but blenched and swerved away; and the great monsters went unfought

 

[elektrizikekswerk]

So elephants can lose to cavalry, as long as they are trapped, outflanked and being harried by missile fire all at the same time.

I guess it's quite clear - independent to the weapon system in use - that if you have a sufficiently big tactical advantage you can beat an otherwise superior foe.

 

[Kovax]

The aversion of horses to elephants was overcome by training and by raising the horses with elephants in the vicinity, so they overcame their fears of them. That prevented panic, but it's still a pretty tough matchup. Once the cavalry was able to operate in proximity to camels and elephants, those units ceased to be viable on the field of battle as counters to horses. By that point in time, the species of African Forest Elephants being used was rapidly becoming extinct due to capture for war purposes. A few such animals were sent by Rome with their invasion of the British Isles, because the local cavalry there had no such training or experience against them.

While it's extremely difficult to kill an elephant in battle, they could be injured, and would usually flee. That's something a horseman with a bow or javelin can do (an elephant is a big target), as long as the horse remains manageable in the presence of the elephant. It's hard to hit even such a massive target if your horse is panicking and running away. Training makes all the difference.

 

[OnvreOrrivle]

Second Panipat does seem to be an example. It looks like the elephants were flanked.

Second Battle of Panipat - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Interestingly, the elephants seem to have withdrawn rather than been killed outright. And they were trapped against terrain (a ravine in this instance). So elephants can lose to cavalry, as long as they are trapped, outflanked and being harried by missile fire all at the same time. Still wouldn't like to be the horsemen.

So if you want to win against elephant with horses you need terrain advantage

 

[NapoleonComple]

So if you want to win against elephant with horses you need terrain advantage

'You can't win Nellie the Elephant! I have the high ground!'
'You underestimate the reach of my trunk!'

 

[DarthJF]

During Mongol invasion of Vietnam, Mongol army led by Aju, Subutai's grandson, defeated Vietnamese elephant army in their first encounter, when Mongols firing arrows at the elephants' feet made them flee in panic.

I don't think there's usually much point in trying to put melee cavalry against elephants. It's just less risky and more effective to barrage them with missile fire.