In A.D. 1739, Nader Shah of Persia invaded the Mughal empire and Karnal was the scene of the famed Battle of Karnal in which Nader Shah decisively defeated Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah.
Muhammad Shah with an enormous army occupied a strongly fortified camp at Karnal but he yielded to the invader as his supplies were cut off from the open country by Shah and were starved into submission.
The tactic defeat drastically weakened the Mughal Empire, while the Persian Empire prospered and subsequently hastened British Empire establishment in India.

Sikhs appeared on the scene in the 18th century.
The importance of Karnal grew in the time of Raja Gajpat Singh of Jind State who after its capture in A.D. 1763 built the boundary wall and a fort and under whose rule the town increased considerably in size.
On January 14, 1764 Sikh Chiefs defeated and killed Zain Khan Sirhindi, the Durrani Governor, and took possession of the whole of Sirhind province as far south as Panipat including Karnal.
In A.D. 1739, Nader Shah of Persia invaded the Mughal empire and Karnal was the scene of the famed Battle of Karnal in which Nader Shah decisively defeated Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. Muhammad Shah with an enormous army occupied a strongly fortified camp at Karnal but he yielded to the invader as his supplies were cut off from the open country by Shah and were starved into submission. The tactic defeat drastically weakened the Mughal Empire, while the Persian Empire prospered and subsequently hastened British Empire establishment in India.
Sikhs appeared on the scene in the 18th century. The importance of Karnal grew in the time of Raja Gajpat Singh of Jind State who after its capture in A.D. 1763 built the boundary wall and a fort and under whose rule the town increased considerably in size. On January 14, 1764 Sikh Chiefs defeated and killed Zain Khan Sirhindi, the Durrani Governor, and took possession of the whole of Sirhind province as far south as Panipat including Karnal.
Karnal