Babur – The Founder of Mughal Dynasty

Babur was the descendent of the Timur and Chingiz Khan as well. He ascended the throne of small principality of Farghana after the death of his father Umar Shaikh in c. 1494, at the age of twelve years. With in next ten years, Babur won and lost Samarqand twice. He was in a long struggle with the Timurid-Uzbeks and Timurid-Iranians before he was marched towards India. He wandered in Transoxiana without kingdom for some time.

Babur’s March Towards India

He had always dream of conquering India as he consider the kingdom of India as his inheritance because India was exploited by Timur who was an ancestor to Mughal’s. By beginning his desire of conquering India by starting conquering the parts of Punjab to which he laid hereditary claim. After conquering Bhita, he sent envoy to Ibrahim Lodhi who was stopped by Daulat Khan Lodhi, governor of Lahore, and didn’t allow him to proceed further and returned him. As a result, Lahore was subjugated by Babur first before he went for Ibrahim Lodhi.  

Struggle Between Babur and Ibrahim Lodhi (First Battle of Panipat)

The struggle between Babur and Ibrahim was not sudden development but it was the culmination of the struggle going on from the years. After reducing the Daulat Khan to obedience, He went to conquer other parts of western India. He successfully conquered Lahore, Sialkot, Kalanaur and Dipalpur. After that his focus was only Ibrahim and Hence, both sides met at battleground of Panipat in c. 1526 AD.

The army of Ibrahim Lodhi was huge in number in comparison to the Babur’s army. Ibrahim Lodhi was an ambitious and a younger King who was lack in military tactics. He was in no comparison of Babur who was a well-known military leader and was famous for his military tactics. So, Ibrahim failed to understand the military tactics of Babur and lost the battle. He choose to apply Turkish and Iranian military tactics in this battle. Ibrahim fought well and died while fighting. Babur criminated him with due respect.

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Challenges to Babur after Winning the 1^st Battle of Panipat

After winning the battle, He came to Delhi and have read Khutbah in his name and reached to Agra to great peoples and nobles. He distributed the treasure among family, nobles, soldiers which included tribesmen of Afghan, Hazara, Arab and Biluch, students and even traders. After that, two major problems arise before Babur, first was Rana Sanga and other was Eastern Afghans.

Rana Sangha was the ruler of Mewar who captured fort of Kundhar near to Ranthambore but was far away from conquer the Ranthambore. While the eastern Afghans took over Kannauj with 40k to 50k men. Thus, He had defeated Afghan in battle of Kannauj. Next, Rana Sanga faces Babur at Khanua, near Fatehpur Sikri in February, 1527. Rana Sanga was joined by the other Rajas of Rajasthan such as Harauti, Jalor, Rao Ganga of Marwar, Raimal and Ratan Singh of Merta etc.

Medina Rao of Chanderi in Malwa also joined Rana and also included Mahmud Lodhi, the younger son of Sikander Lodhi. Babur adopted the Ottoman style against Rana Sanga which he also did against Ibrahim Lodhi. It does not seem that Rana Sanga learnt from the battle of Panipat. Thus, Rana and his allies were hemmed in. Despite heavy resistance, the Rana suffered a disastrous defeat. He also marched to Chanderi as Medina Rao was also an ally of Rana Sanga. Babur also planned to subjugate other kingdom of Rajputs and to capture Rana Sanga but Rana Sanga was murdered through poisoning by his own sardars.

Although He ruled for s shorter time but important development happened in India after coming him. The introduction of muskets and cannons in India generally associated with him. New military tactics were introduced by Babur in India. He defines the duties of nobles. The war against Sanga was declared as Jihad (religious war) and he took the title of “ghazi” after winning the war. He was liberal in his religious outlook.

Thus, the coming of Babur to coming bring number of new changes in India.