Babur / Mughal Empire

Babur / Mughal Empire

Babur

Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire in India. He was born on 14^th February A.D. 1483 in Farghana. He was the eldest of three sons of Umar Sheikh Mirza, a small chieftain of Farghana. The father of Babur was an ancestor of brave Timur and his mother Qutlugh Nigar Khanam belonged to Mongols. Thus Babur was born of Turk-Mongol wedlock, hence he had the ferocity of a Mongol and the courage and ability of a Turk.

Umar Sheikh Mirza was an ambitious chief and he was not contented with his small principality of Farghana. He was not having cordial relations with his eldest brother Ahmad Mirza who was the ruler of Samarkand and Bukhara. He was also having bad relations with his brothers-in-law, Mahmood Khan and Ahmad. So long as his father-in-law Yunus Khan survived, none dared attack his territory, but just after his death his relatives and opponents began to invade Samarkand but Umar Sheikh Mirza defended his principality bravely.

Tuzuk-i-Baburi informs us that when Umar Sheikh Mirza was staying at Akhashi, he died in the prime of his life on June 8, A.D. 1494 as a result of an accident when he was enjoying pige on-flying and a wooden platform fell upon him due to strong wind. At the time of the sudden and untimely death of Umar Sheikh Mirza, Babur was quite young but, being the eldest; he was called upon to resume the responsibility of the fief of Farghana at the age o f eleven. He not only inherited the fief of Farghana from his father but also the perpetual rivalries and conflicts with his kith and kin who were ruling over the neighboring regions of Farghana.

Just after resuming power, Babur endeavored to safeguard Farghana with the help of his grandmother Aisan Daulat Begum and other faithful officials. First of all Babur tried to make Ahmad Mirza agree for a treaty as he was prepared to act as a Feduatory of Ahmad Mirza but his proposal was rejected outright by Ahmad Mirza and he had to retreat without waging war against Babur. It added to the power, prestige and popularity of Babur.

Babur, the young and energetic ruler of Farghana, was very much anxious to establish his sway over Samarkand which once had been the imperial capital of his ancestors. He was a man of strong will and firm determination.

Babur was an ambitious person, so he could not be contented with his rule over the kingdom of Kabul for a long time. He failed to achieve great success in Central Asia, so he directed his attention to India. He had already heard the stories of the riches and wealth of India, and conquest of Kabul brought him close to Indian Territory. Hence he decided to invade India as and when an opportunity came his way. Before making an invasion against India Babur once again consolidated his army.

After devastating the Afghans and establishing his control over Pubjab, Babur marched upon Delhi. The unsatisfied nobles of the court of Ibrahim Lodi also sent promises of secret assistance to him. It is also stated that Rana Sanga of Mewar also sent an invitation to him for a joint invasion of Delhi. Babur was very much pleased to receive such invitations as it assured him of his success. Ibrahim Lodi had well realized that there was no way out except to wage war against the Mughals, so he sent Hamid Kahan, the Subdear of Hisar Firoza, to check the enemy but he was defeated by Humayun on February 25, A.D. 1526 Babur felt great pleasure on this victory and conferred the district of Hisar Firoza on Humayun and he took this victory as a very good omen for further successes in India.

After the battle of Khanua, Humayun was dispatched to Kabul for there was possibility of a rebellion. But Babur was disappointed at Humayun’s failures against the Uzbegs and he decided to proceed to Kabul himself and even went up to Lahore but he could not go beyond it due to his ill-health which was the result of his ceaseless campaigns, administrative liabilities and drinking excesses. Just a few months before his death Baur declared Humayun his successor to the throne and asked him to be liberal towards his brothers and kinsmen. Babur breathed his last on December 26, A.D. 1530 and was buried in Ram Bagh on the bank of river Yamuna in Agra, but later on, according to his last wish, his body was taken to Kabul and buried on the side of a hill near Kabul, a place of his own choice.

Milan Tomic

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