Mughal Empire

Babur

Babur was the founder of the Mughal empire which was established in 1526 after Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the first battle of Panipat.

Thus a new epoch and a new empire in India began, lasting for nearly three centuries beginning from 1526 to 1857. Six major rulers of this dynasty, Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, known as the “Great Mughals”, left their mark on Indian
history.
The empire declined after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707.

# All about Emperor Babur : 

  • Babur ascended the throne at Farghana (Uzbekistan), in 1494 at the age of twelve after the death of his father.
  • The situation in Central Asia was not stable and Babar had to face a lot of resistance from the nobility itself.
  • Although he was able to capture Samarqand but very soon he had to retreat because of desertion of some of his nobles. He also lost Farghana to the Uzbegs.
  • After years of wandering he seized Kabul in 1504.
  • During this whole period he had plans of moving towards Hindustan. And finally from 1517 onwards he made decisive moves towards India.
  • Meanwhile in India there was conflict between some Afghan chiefs with Ibrahim Lodi. Prominent among them was Daulat Khan Lodi, the Governor of a large part of Punjab.
  • The Rajput king of Mewar Rana Sanga was also asserting his authority against Ibrahim Lodi and was trying to increase his area of influence in north India.
  • Both of them sent word to Babur to invade India. Invitations from Rana Sanga and Daulat Khan Lodi might have encouraged Babur’s ambitions.
  • Between 1519 and 1524 he invaded Bhera, Sialkot and Lahore.
  • Finally, in 1526 Ibrahim Lodi and Babur’s forces met at Panipat .
  • Babur had an active army of only 12000 soldiers while Ibrahim’s army had an estimated strength of 100,000 soldiers. When face to face in the battle field Babur’s tactics were unique. He effectively applied the Rumi (Ottoman) method of warfare.
  • Cannons were an important addition in sixteenth-century warfare. Babur used them effectively in the first battle of Panipat.

Mughal empire

– use of cannons in first battle of panipat

  • Babur had conquered Delhi and Agra, but he still had to suppress the Rajputs and the Afghans.
  • Babur decided to take on Rana Sanga of Chittor, who as ruler of Mewar, had a strong influence over Rajasthan and Malwa.
  • The forces of Babur and Rana Sanga met at Khanwa, a place near Fatehpur Sikri. Rana Sanga was defeated in 1527 and once again the superior military tactics of Babur succeeded. With the defeat of Rana the biggest challenge in north India was shattered. (Battle of khanwa 1527).
  • Though the Mewar Rajputs received great shock at Khanwa, Medini Rai at Malwa was still threatening to challenge the authority of Babur.
  • In the neat year Babur defeated Medini Rai in Chanderi. (Battle of Chanderi 1528).
  • In the subsequent year Babur encountered Afghans(Ibrahim Lodi’s brother Mohammad Lodi) , and defeated them in Battle of Ghagra 1529.
  • Babur died in the year 1530AD.
  • He was a scholar of Persian and Arabic languages.
  • He wrote his autobiography, Tuzuk-i-Baburi in Turki language. Later it was translated into Persian and other languages.