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ZAHIRUDDIN MUHAMMAD BABUR

EARLY LIFE, CONQUESTS AND
ACHIEVEMENTS

SUBMITTED TO: DR RANJU

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR; DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

SUBMITTED BY: MARIYUM FATIMA

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
SEMESTER 4
CLASS ROLL NO: 481
FORM ID: F-2022-558
 REGISTRATION NUMBER: 22PWC01089
EXAMINATION ROLL NUMBER: 22HIS01089

ZAHIRUDDIN MUHAMMAD BABUR

Throughout Indian history, events and developments in Central Asia had a
deep and abiding impact on India. As we have seen, during the 10th and the
12th centuries, developments in Central Asia led to the advent of the
Ghaznavids, and then of the Ghurids into India. Similarly, developments in
Central Asia during the 15th and early 16th centuries, led to a new Turkish
incursion into India, this time in the shape of Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur.
Imagine a young boy, barely twelve years old, thrust onto the throne of a
fragmented kingdom. This was the reality for Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur,
better known as Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire. Born in 1483 in the
Ferghana Valley (present-day Uzbekistan), Babur's early life was a whirlwind of
conflict and conquest, shaping him into the formidable leader who would
change the course of Indian history. Babur's lineage was a potent blend of
Mongol and Turkish nobility. He was a direct descendant of both Timur the
Lame and Chenghis Khan, inheriting a warrior spirit that pulsed through his
veins. Growing up amidst courtly intrigue and skirmishes for power, Babur
learned the art of diplomacy and warfare at a young age. He was a charismatic
military leader who not only conquered large parts of India, often with ruthless
efficiency but also embodied personal qualities of wisdom and forgiveness. His
strength of personality created a more unified identity for his Muslim followers
and played a considerable role in bringing Persian culture into India.
Babur moved into the Punjab and, helped by division amongst the Indian
rulers, he took Lahore in 1524. In 1526, he marched on to Panipat, where he
met the large army of Ibrahim Lodi. Despite being heavily outnumbered,
Babur’s superior tactics enabled him to comprehensively beat the opposition
army of 100,000 men and 100 elephants. Babur encircled Lodi’s army and fired
artillery from all sides. Babur’s superior tactics and discipline of his army was a
landmark victory in his move into India. He remarked in his journal. After
hearing of the death of Ibrahim Lodi, Babur asked to be taken to his body. Lodi
was an opponent who Babur admired for his bravery and honour. Babur took it
upon himself to ensure Lodi was given a respectful burial for a king. Babur
continued to be successful – fighting off rebellions and battles from challengers
such as the Hindu king, Rana Sanga. In 1527, with the effective use of cannons
and superior tactics, he beat Rana Sanga’s army and the following year he
completed his triumph with another comprehensive victory over Rana Sanga at
the Battle of Chanderi.
Babur is rightly considered the founder of the Mughal Empire, even though the
work of consolidating the empire was performed by his grandson Akbar. Babur,
moreover, provided the magnetic leadership that inspired the next two
generations.
Babur was a military adventurer of genius and an empire builder of good
fortune, with an engaging personality. He was also a gifted Turkish poet, which
would have won him distinction apart from his political career, as well as a
lover of nature who constructed gardens wherever he went and
complemented beautiful spots by holding convivial parties. Finally, his prose
memoirs, the Baburnama have become a renowned autobiography. They were
translated from Turkish into Persian in Akbar’s reign (1589), were translated
into English, Memoirs of Babur, in two volumes, and were first published in
1921–22. They portray a ruler unusually magnanimous for his age, cultured,
and witty, with an adventurous spirit and an acute eye for natural beauty.
Babur’s dominions were now secure from Kandahar to the borders of Bengal,
with a southern limit marked by the Rajput desert and the forts of
Ranthambhor, Gwalior, and Chanderi. Within that great area, however, there
was no settled administration, only a congeries of quarreling chiefs. An empire
had been gained but still had to be pacified and organized. It was thus a
precarious heritage that Babur passed on to his son Humayun.
 PIC: ZAHIRUDDIN MUHAMMAD
BABUR

BABUR’S CONQUESTS
CONQUESTS OF SAMARKAND AND KABUL :
In 1497, Babur managed to recapture Samarkand, but he was unable to hold
onto the city for long. He then turned his attention to Kabul, which he captured
in 1504. Kabul would become Babur’s base of operations for his subsequent
conquests.
 PIC: CONQUEST OF SAMARKAND AND
KABUL

CONQUESTS OF INDIA:
The dream of conquering India had never been far from Babur’s mind. While
he was wandering in Transoxiana without a kingdom, his imagination had been
fired by hearing tales about Timur’s exploits in India, and he had decided to
recover the areas in the Punjab ceded to Timur and held by his descendants
for long. In 1519, Babur made his first attempt to conquer India. He crossed the
Khyber Pass and defeated the forces of Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi, at the
Battle of Panipat. However, Babur was unable to consolidate his control over
India and was forced to retreat back to Kabul. In 1526, Babur made his second
attempt to invade India. He defeated Ibrahim Lodi again at the Battle of
Panipat, this time decisively. Babur then marched to Delhi and Agra,
establishing the Mughal Empire in India.
 PIC: Conquest of india by babur

BABUR AND RANA SANGHA:

Rana Sangha of Mewar was a great Rajput warrior. He gave the
toughest resistance to Babur’s expansion plans. On March 16, 1527, Rana
Sangha, along with rulers of Marwar, Amber, Gwalior, Ajmer and Chanderi
and Sultan Mahmood Lodi (whom Rana Sangha had acknowledged as ruler of
Delhi) met Babur in a decisive contest at Kanhwa, a village near Agra. The aim
was to prevent the imposition of another foreign repression
of Babur succeeded over them by using similar tactics as in the Battle of
Panipat. Then, he took on the title of “Ghazi”. In the year 1528, Chanderi was
captured by Babur from Rajput king Medini Rai. On May 6, 1529, Babur met
the allied Afghans of Bihar and Bengal on the banks of Gogra, near Patna and
defeated them. With this battle, Babur occupied a considerable portion of
northern India.

PIC: BABUR AND RANA SANGA

CULTURAL AMALGAMATIONS OF BABUR:

Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, stands as a fascinating figure in
Indian history, embodying a unique cultural amalgamation. His life and legacy
showcase the complex interplay of various influences that shaped the Indian
subcontinent during his reign:
 PIC: CULTURAL AMALGAMATIONS BY
BABUR

 TURKISH AND MONGOL HERITAGE:

Babur's lineage itself reflects a blend. His father was a Timurid
prince, belonging to a dynasty with Turkish and Mongol roots. This heritage
instilled in Babur a love for warfare, horsemanship, and nomadic traditions.

 PERSIANATE REFINEMENT:
Babur grew up in Ferghana Valley, where Persian culture held sway. He
received a classical education, mastering Persian language and literature. This
influence is evident in his refined taste for poetry, art, and architecture. His
passion for beauty and practicality is evident in the structures he left behind,
such as the Kabul Bagh and the Ram Bagh in Agra.
  Islamic Faith and Practices:
Islam played a central role in Babur's life. He was a devout Muslim, and his
faith guided his governance and worldview. His memoirs, the Baburnama, are
peppered with religious reflections and invocations.

 Accommodation with Indian Culture:

Despite his foreign origins, Babur actively sought to integrate with Indian
culture. He married into Rajput families, adopted elements of local
administration, and embraced aspects of Indian art and music. This policy of
inclusivity helped stabilize his rule and fostered cultural exchange.

 Creation of a Syncretic Culture:

Babur's reign laid the foundation for a Mughal culture that blended various
influences. This is evident in Mughal architecture, which seamlessly integrates
Persian, Timurid, and Indian elements. The Mughal gardens, literature, and
cuisine also reveal this cultural amalgamation. However, it's important to
acknowledge that Babur's cultural amalgamation was not without its
complexities. His conquests and imposition of Mughal rule undoubtedly had
disruptive consequences for certain communities and cultural practices.

Overall, Babur's legacy as a cultural amalgamator is multifaceted. He embodied

a unique blend of Turkish, Mongol, Persian, and Indian influences, and his reign
laid the groundwork for a rich syncretic Mughal culture.

THE MEMOIRS OF BABUR

The “Memoirs of Babur” or Baburnama are the works of the great great great
grandson of Timur (Tamerlane), Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur (1483-1530).
As their most recent translator declares, “said to ‘rank with the Confessions of
St. Augustine and Rousseau, and the memoirs of Gibbon and Newton. Babur’s
memoirs are the first and until relatively recent times, the only true
autobiography in Islamic literature”. The Baburnama tells the tale of the
prince’s struggle first to assert and defend his claim to the throne of
Samarkand and the region of the Fergana Valley. After being driven out of
Samarkand in 1501 by the Uzbek Shaibanids, he ultimately sought greener
pastures, first in Kabul and then in northern India, where his descendants were
the Mughal dynasty ruling in Delhi until 1858.

PIC: THE MEMOIRS OF BABUR OR

BABURNAMA
The memoirs offer a highly educated Central Asian Muslim’s observations of
the world in which he moved. There is much on the political and military
struggles of his time but also extensive descriptive sections on the physical and
human geography, the flora and fauna, nomads in their pastures and urban
environments enriched by the architecture, music and Persian and Turkish
literature patronized by the Timurids. The selections here- all taken from his
material on Fergana- have been chosen to provide a range of such
observations from the material he recorded at the end of the 1490s and in the
first years of the sixteenth century. It should be of some interest to compare
his description of Samarkand with that of the outsider, Clavijo, from a century
earlier.
Interspersed in the text are illustrations, some being contemporary views of
places Babur describes; the others (which may be enlarged by clicking on the
thumbnails) taken from the miniatures of an illustrated copy of the
Baburnama prepared for the author’s grandson, the Mughal Emperor Akbar. It
is worth remembering that the miniatures reflect the culture of the court at
Delhi; hence, for example, the architecture of Central Asian cities resembles
the architecture of Mughal India. Nonetheless, these illustrations are
important as evidence of the tradition of exquisite miniature painting which
developed at the court of Timur and his successors. Timurid miniatures are
among the greatest artistic achievements of the Islamic world in the fifteenth
and sixteenth centuries.

Babur's legacy stretches far beyond his military conquests. He laid the
foundation for a powerful empire that ushered in an era of unprecedented
prosperity and cultural exchange in India. The Mughals adopted elements of
Indian society, religion, and art, creating a unique Indo-Islamic syncretic
culture. The grandeur of Mughal architecture, evident in iconic structures
stands as a testament to Babur's vision and influence.

Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur was a complex and captivating figure. He was a

skilled warrior, a shrewd administrator, and a man of refined taste. His life story
is an epic saga of ambition, resilience, and cultural confluence. Babur's legacy
transcends the battlefield; it is woven into the very fabric of India's rich history
and identity. As we delve deeper into his remarkable journey, we gain a deeper
understanding of the forces that shaped not just an empire, but a vibrant and
multifaceted civilization.

Babur, the lion-hearted warrior who carved the Mughal Empire from the
steppes of Central Asia, succumbed to illness in Agra on December 26, 1530, at
the age of 47. His final days were shrouded in a melancholic mist, a stark
contrast to the fiery campaigns that marked his youth. Though fever ravaged
his body, his mind remained sharp, perhaps reflecting on the tapestry he had
woven - a vast kingdom stitched together with battles and alliances.

Babur's life was a whirlwind of ambition and hardship. He ascended the

Ferghana throne at 12, only to lose it and reclaim it five times over.
Undeterred, he set his sights on India, culminating in the decisive victory at
Panipat in 1526. Yet, even as he established his dominion, rebellion and illness
gnawed at his heels. In his final days, surrounded by family, he might have
pondered the fate of his fledgling empire, a legacy poised to rewrite India's
history.

Babur's death was a turning point, not just for the Mughals, but for the entire
subcontinent. The seeds he sowed would blossom into a magnificent dynasty,
one that would leave an indelible mark on art, architecture, and culture. Yet,
amidst the grand narrative, it's worth remembering the human story - the
warrior king, weary from battle, finding solace in his loved ones as the curtain
fell on his extraordinary life.

PIC: REPRESENTATION OF THE DEATH SCENE

OF BABUR