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Mughal Empire — Babur and Humayun
Babur (1526–1530) — The Founder
Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur was a descendant of Timur (from his father’s side) and Genghis Khan (from his mother’s side). Born in 1483 in Ferghana (modern Uzbekistan), he became ruler of Ferghana at age 12.
Early Career in Central Asia
| Event | Year | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Became ruler of Ferghana | 1494 | Age 12 |
| Captured Samarkand | 1497 | Lost after 100 days |
| Captured Samarkand again | 1501 | Lost to Uzbeks under Shaibani Khan |
| Captured Kabul | 1504 | Established rule over Afghanistan |
| Failed to recover Samarkand | 1511–1512 | Final defeat; turned attention to India |
Babur’s Indian Campaigns
| Battle | Year | Opponent | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bajaur and Bhira | 1519 | NW frontier tribes | Opened route to India |
| Lahore | 1524 | Daulat Khan Lodi | Captured; but returned when Daulat Khan rebelled |
| First Battle of Panipat | April 21, 1526 | Ibrahim Lodi | Decisive Mughal victory; Delhi Sultanate ended |
| Battle of Khanwa | March 17, 1527 | Rana Sanga of Mewar | Decisive Mughal victory; Rajput power checked |
| Battle of Chanderi | 1528 | Medini Rai | Victory; Rajput resistance crushed |
| Battle of Ghaghra | 1529 | Afghan chiefs under Mahmud Lodi | Victory; the last major battle; Afghan threat neutralized |
First Battle of Panipat (April 21, 1526)
Forces
| Side | Commander | Strength | Key Weapons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mughals | Babur | ~12,000–15,000 | Matchlocks, field artillery (cannons), tulughma tactics |
| Lodis | Ibrahim Lodi | ~100,000 + 1,000 elephants | Traditional Indian warfare |
Babur’s Tactical Innovations (Ottoman Model)
Babur introduced gunpowder warfare to India on a significant scale:
- Artillery (Tope): Cannons under Ustad Ali Quli (Ottoman artillery expert); positioned behind a line of 700 carts tied together with rawhide ropes (Araba system)
- Matchlockmen (Tufangchis): Protected behind the cart line; fired in volleys
- Tulughma: Flanking maneuvers; cavalry attacks from the rear and sides
- Combined arms: Artillery + matchlocks + cavalry working together
Result
- Ibrahim Lodi killed in battle along with 15,000+ of his troops
- Babur occupied Delhi and Agra the same day
- The Koh-i-Noor diamond came into Mughal possession
Battle of Khanwa (March 17, 1527) — The Real Foundation
This battle against Rana Sanga of Mewar was more significant than Panipat. Rana Sanga had united most Rajput rulers under his banner (Rajasthan, Malwa, Gujarat, and Afghan chiefs).
- Babur declared a Jihad (holy war) against the Rajputs to motivate his troops
- He renounced wine; broke his wine cups in public
- Promised to remit tamgha (trade tax) on Muslims
- Deployed the same Ottoman tactics (artillery + tulughma)
- Result: Rana Sanga defeated; wounded but escaped; died soon after
- After Khanwa, Babur assumed the title of Ghazi (warrior of faith)
Babur’s Personality and Legacy
The Man
- A fascinating personality: warrior, poet, naturalist, autobiographer
- Wrote Baburnama (Tuzuk-i-Baburi) in Chagatai Turkish — one of the world’s great autobiographies
- Candid about his flaws (drinking, ambitions, failures)
- Keen observer of nature; described flora, fauna, and geography of India
- Loved gardens; built Aram Bagh in Agra (first Mughal garden in India)
- Disliked India: “It is a country of few charms” — missed Central Asian melons and streams
Death
- Died in December 1530 at Agra (age 47)
- According to tradition, he prayed for his son Humayun’s life during his illness; “walked around the bed” offering his own life
- Buried initially at Aram Bagh; later re-interred at Bagh-e-Babur in Kabul (his wish)
- His tomb in Kabul remains a symbol of Mughal origins in Central Asia
Humayun (1530–1540, 1555–1556) — The Fugitive
Nasir-ud-din Muhammad Humayun inherited an empire that was not yet consolidated. His 10-year reign (first phase) was marked by constant warfare and eventual exile.
Character
- Brave but indecisive; generous to a fault; addicted to opium
- Believed in astrology (organized administration according to planetary days)
- Shared his throne with brothers (Kabul to Kamran, Mewat to Hindal, Sambhal to Askari) — a fateful mistake
- Military commander but poor strategist; missed opportunities
Challenges
| Challenge | Opponent | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Bahadur Shah of Gujarat | Defeated (1535) | Humayun captured Gujarat but lost it when he left |
| Sher Khan (Sher Shah Suri) | Bihar | Humayun besieged Chunar fort (1532) but accepted Sher Khan’s submission |
| Battle of Chausa (1539) | Sher Shah | Humayun badly defeated; army destroyed |
| Battle of Bilgram/Kannauj (1540) | Sher Shah | Final defeat; Humayun fled India |
The 15-Year Exile (1540–1555)
Humayun’s exile is one of history’s great reversal stories:
| Phase | Location | Events |
|---|---|---|
| 1540–1543 | Sindh | Wandered in Sindh; married Hamida Banu Begum; son Akbar born at Amarkot (1542) |
| 1543–1544 | Persia | Sought refuge with Shah Tahmasp of Safavid Persia; converted to Shia Islam (temporarily) |
| 1545–1553 | Afghanistan | With Persian help, captured Kandahar (1545) and Kabul (1545); Kamran blinded |
| 1553–1555 | Waiting in Kabul | Watched Sur Empire decline after Sher Shah’s death |
Recovery of India (1555)
- With Bairam Khan’s assistance, Humayun invaded India
- Defeated Sikandar Sur (Sur ruler) at Battle of Sirhind (1555)
- Recovered Delhi and Agra after 15 years of exile
Death (1556)
- Died in January 1556 by falling down the stairs of his library (Sher Mandal) in Delhi while hurrying to evening prayers (or after hearing the call to prayer)
- Akbar was 13 at the time
- His tomb in Delhi (built by his widow Haji Begum) is a magnificent precursor to the Taj Mahal
Humayun’s Tomb — Architectural Milestone
- Built between 1562–1572 by Hamida Banu Begum (Akbar’s mother)
- Architect: Mirak Mirza Ghiyas (Persian)
- First garden tomb in the Indian subcontinent (precursor to the Taj Mahal)
- Red sandstone with white marble; double dome
- Charbagh garden layout (Persian paradise garden)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Significance of the Early Mughal Period
- Babur introduced gunpowder warfare and established Mughal rule in India
- Baburnama provides one of the most detailed portraits of early 16th-century India
- Humayun’s failure demonstrated that an unconsolidated empire could be easily lost
- Humayun’s exile shaped Akbar’s future policies (toleration, alliance with Rajputs)
- The Persian influence on Mughal court culture was strengthened during exile