Babur the First Mughal Emperor

Babur the First Mughal Emperor

• Babur’s full name = Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur.
• Father’s name = Umar Shaikh Mirza.
• Babur was the fifth-generation descendant of Timur on his father’s side and the fourteenth-generation descendant of Genghis Khan on his mother’s side.
• Babur ascended the throne of Fergana in 1494 AD at the age of 12.
• He was unable to capture his ancestral land, “Samarkand” (Shaibani Khan prevented him).
• Babur belonged to the “Chaghatai” branch of the Turkic race.

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• He was called “Qalandar” due to his honesty.
• The year Babur first invaded India = 1518–19 AD.
• The place where Babur first invaded India = Bajaur.
• It was in this battle that Babur used gunpowder for the first time.
• The person who introduced cannons to India = Babur.
• Babur’s second invasion was against “Sialkot” (1520 AD).
• At this juncture, Daulat Khan, the Governor of Punjab, invited Babur to invade India.
• A message inviting Babur to invade India was also sent by “Rana Sanga,” the ruler of Mewar.
• Those who invited Babur to invade India = Daulat Khan (Governor of Punjab), Alam Khan (uncle of Ibrahim Lodi), and Rana Sanga (of Mewar).
• Accepting this invitation, Babur invaded the territory of “Ibrahim Lodi,” who was ruling Delhi at the time.
• Babur’s fifth invasion of India = The First Battle of Panipat.
• Babur invaded India five times.
• Kabul and Kandahar were once again incorporated into India.
• The ruler who integrated the regions of Kabul and Kandahar into the Indian empire after the Kushans was Babur.
• The commanders of Babur’s artillery and infantry were Ustad Ali and Mustafa.
• Babur was skilled in writing poetry.
• The languages ​​known to Babur were Persian and Arabic.
• Babur’s autobiography is *Tuzuk-i-Baburi* (also known as *Baburnama*), written in the Turkish language.
• The two Hindu kingdoms mentioned by Babur in his *Tuzuk-i-Baburi* were Mewar and Vijayanagara (ruled by King Krishnadevaraya).
• In his autobiography *Tuzuk-i-Baburi*, Babur also recorded details about animals, plants, trees, flowers, and fruits.
• *Tuzuk-i-Baburi* was translated into Persian (under the title *Baburnama*) by Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan.
• The person who translated *Tuzuk-i-Baburi* into English was Madame Beveridge.
• Another work by Babur is *Risal-i-Usaz* (Babur’s letters).
• Babur obtained the Koh-i-Noor diamond from Raja Vikramajit, the King of Gwalior, and gifted it to Humayun.
• Babur introduced the practice of laying out gardens in a systematic, orderly fashion in India.
• Babur passed away in Agra in 1530 AD.
• Initially, his body was buried at a place called “Aram Bagh” in Agra; later, his remains were exhumed and reburied in Kabul.
• “Mir Baqi” built the “Babri Masjid” (Babur’s Mosque).
• Babur the First Mughal Emperor

First Battle of Panipat

• Year: 1526 AD (April 21)
• Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi.
• The rule of the Delhi Sultans came to an end.
• Mughal rule began.
• Key factor in Babur’s victory: Artillery.
• Methods used by Babur: Rumi (or Ottoman) method.
• Tactical strategy used by Babur: Tulughma warfare method.
• Babur the First Mughal Emperor

Battle of Khanwa

• Year: 1527 AD
• Defeated Rana Sanga (Sangram Singh) of Mewar.
• Babur assumed the title “Ghazi” following this victory.
• Babur declared the Battle of Khanwa a “Jihad.”

Battle of Chanderi

• Year: 1528 AD (January 29)
• Babur defeated Medini Rai, the Rajput king of Malwa.
• Babur the First Mughal Emperor

Battle of Ghaghra

• Year: 1529 AD
• Babur defeated the allied Afghan forces led by Mahmud Lodi, the brother of Ibrahim Lodi.
• Babur the First Mughal Emperor

Titles & Honors

• Padshah (Badshah): Assumed in Kabul (1507), abandoning the traditional Timurid title Mirza.
• Qalandar: Bestowed by locals for his immense generosity; distributed silver coins to every resident of Kabul after the victory at Panipat.
• Ghazi: Adopted after defeating Rana Sanga at Khanwa.
• Babur the First Mughal Emperor

Important Contributions of Babur

• Introduced effective use of gunpowder artillery and field tactics in the major battles of North India.
• Used Tulughma (flanking/division of forces) and Araba (cart-based defensive arrangement) tactics.
• Autobiography: Baburnama (Tuzuk-i-Baburi), originally written in Chagatai Turkish.
• Babur was also known for his interest in poetry, gardens, nature and literature.
• Created a new poetic style in Persian called Mubaiyan.
• Babur the First Mughal Emperor

Scholars’ views on Babur

• Stanley Lane-Poole = Described Babur as “the most fascinating personality in all of Eastern history.”
• Vincent Smith = Described Babur as “the most brilliant Asiatic prince of his age, worthy of a high place among the sovereigns of any age or country.”
• Annette Beveridge = Stated that Babur’s autobiography “is fit to rank with the *Confessions* of St. Augustine and Rousseau.”

Timeline of Babur

• 14 February 1483 = Birth of Babur.
• 1495 = Babur ascended the throne of Fergana at the age of 12.
• 1505 = Babur captured Kabul.
• 1505 = The year Babur undertook his first invasion of India.
• 1526 = First Battle of Panipat. Defeated Ibrahim Lodi; Mughal rule began in India.
• 1527 = Battle of Khanwa. Defeated Rana Sanga.
• 1528 = Battle of Chanderi. Defeated Medini Rai, the King of Chanderi.
• 1529 = Battle of Ghaghara. Defeated the Afghan confederate forces.
• 1530 = Death of Babur.
• Babur the First Mughal Emperor