Babur

Early Life and Background
•    Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire in India. His original name was Zahiruddin Muhammad.
•    He was related to Timur from his father’s side and to Genghis Khan through his mother.
•    Babur succeeded his father Umar Shaikh Mirza as the ruler of Farghana.
•    Soon after becoming ruler, he was defeated by a distant relative and lost his kingdom, after which he spent some time as a wanderer.
Establishment of Power in Kabul
•    Later, he captured Kabul from one of his uncles and established his base there.
•    From Kabul, Babur developed an interest in conquering India and launched four expeditions between 1519 and 1523.
Political Situation in India
•    At the time of Babur’s invasion, India had several powerful rulers: the Muslim rulers of Delhi, Gujarat, Malwa, Bengal, and the Deccan.
•    Major Hindu powers included Rana Sangha of Mewar and the Vijayanagar Empire.
Conquest of North India
•    In 1525, Babur marched from Kabul to conquer India.
•    He first captured Lahore by defeating its governor Daulat Khan Lodi.
•    He then faced Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi, in the First Battle of Panipat on 21 April 1526, where Ibrahim Lodi was killed.
•    Babur’s victory was mainly due to his effective cavalry and artillery.
•    After this victory, he occupied Delhi and sent his son Humayun to seize Agra.
•    He then proclaimed himself “Emperor of Hindustan.”
Consolidation of Mughal Power
•    Babur further strengthened his rule by defeating Rana Sangha in the Battle of Khanua near Agra in 1527.
•    After this victory, he assumed the title “Ghazi.”
•    In 1528, he captured Chanderi from the Rajput ruler Medini Rai.
•    In 1529, he defeated the Afghans in the Battle of Gogra in Bihar, which helped him consolidate his power in India.
Death
•    Babur died at Agra in 1530 at the age of 47.
Personality and Literary Contributions
•    Babur was considered a great statesman and capable ruler with notable achievements.
•    He was also a scholar of Arabic and Persian, while Turki was his mother tongue.
•    He wrote his memoirs Tuzuk-i-Baburi in Turki, which gives a vivid description of India.
•    In this work, he honestly recorded his successes and failures.
•    Babur was also interested in nature and described the flora and fauna of India in his writings.