Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur
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Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur: Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire in India. He came from the race of Mongols which had created havoc across Asia and Europe a few centuries ago. He was also related to the family of Taimur from his mother’s side. Umar Sheikh Mirza: Umar Sheikh Mirza was a man of restless energy. He ruled the northern part of Marwara-un-Nahar (Transoxiana). He was not on good terms with his elder brother, Ahmed Mirza, the ruler of Samarqand and Bukhara and brothers-in-law Mahmud Khan and Ahmed Khan. As long as his father-in-law, Yunus Khan Mongol was alive, the rivalries were kept in control. When he died in 1487, Ahmed Khan and Mahmud Khan invaded Farghana and its capital town of Andijan. Leaving Babur incharge of capital, Umar Sheikh Mirza marched to the town of Akshi where he died on 8 June 1494. Early Life of Babur: Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur was the eldest son of Umar Sheikh Mirza. He was born in 14 February 1483 in Andijan. A few years before the birth of Babur, Umar Sheikh Mirza had transferred his capital from Andijan to Akshi. Umar Sheikh Mirza died on 8 June 1494. Babur memoir says that he fell off the roof of his house while flying pigeons and died instantly. Accession and Early Difficulties: Thus, Babur ascended the throne of Farghana at the age of 11. Soon after his accession, his small principality came under attack from all sides by his uncles: Ahmed Mirza and Sultan Mahmud Khan. Babur sent a message to his uncle Ahmed Mirza to the effect that after the conquest of Farghana, he would hand it over to someone else; why not, then entrust the work to him. But the offer was rejected and it led to war. But mainly with the support from his grandmother Aishya Daulat Begum and with the firmness of his subjects, Babur was able to ward off these attacks. Years of Struggle and quest for Samarqand: Babur invaded Samarqand in 1497 when he was just 15 years of age. He was aided in his campaign by a split in the camp of Timurid ruler Baisanghar Mirza whose brother had joined Babur. But his illness and a conspiracy in his own ranks forced him retreat. Meanwhile, his begs installed his younger brother Jahangir Mirza to the throne of Farghana. Babur was obliged to abandon the throne of Samarqand after one hundred day also. He was not left with only a tract of Khojend. When Babur was busy dealing with his internal problems, Uzbek chief Shaibani Khan was invited by the Uzbek wife of Baisanghar Mirza to invade Samarqand and giving her son land somewhere else. Shaibani Khan immediately marched and captured Bukhara and the entire region of Marwara-un-Nahar (Transoxiana). It was in this background that Babur invaded Samarqand for the second time in 1501. Babur captured Samarqand again in 1501 with the help of its citizens but could not hold it because of the lack of resources. Uzbek chief Shaibani Khan defeated Babur in the battle of Sar-i- Pul (1502). It was in this battle that Uzbeg chief used Tulghuma (wheeling military tactics) which Babur adopted and used against Ibrahim Lodhi in 1526. Babur and Shaibani Khan agreed to come to terms and though Babur has not mentioned it in his autobiography, one of the terms was the marriage of Babur’s eldest sister, Khanzada Begum to Shaibani Khan. Even this marriage alliance could not bring lasting peace between the Timurid states and the Uzbek khanate. Ultimately, the Mongol Khans decided to eliminate the Uzbek threat and marched with a large army to counter the forces of Shaibani Khan. But Shaibani Khan defeated the Mongols in the battle of Archian (1503). The defeat of the Mongols established Uzbek supremacy in Transoxiana. After Babur’s retreat from Samarqand in 1501, Shaibani Khan defeated the ruler of Qunduz, Khusrav Shah and dispersed his army. Many of his troops now joined Babur. Then, he turned his attention towards east and captured Kabul in 1504. In 1507, he annexed Heart, Kandhar and Badkshan. Babur book (Babarnama) says: “I captured Herat without using my artillery.” In 1507, he assumed the title Padshah which was to be adopted by all the Mughal Emperors from Humayun to Bahadur Shah Zafar. Babur journeyed to Herat at the invitation of Sultan Hussain Baiqara and wanted him to join in campaign against Uzbek chief Shahbani Khan. But Hussain Baiqara died and Babur’s journey came to nothing. Shaibani Khan realized the danger and invaded the last Timurid state in the area. Babur adopted the title Padshah to raise the morale of his kinsmen in 1507. After the annexation of Khurasan and Transoxiana, the Uzbek Khanate came dangerously close to the borders of Safavid Iran. Shah Ismail Safavi marched against Shaibani Khan and defeated him in the battle of Merv in 1510. It was this defeat of Uzbek that prompted Babur to invade Samarqand for the third time in 1510. The first to adopt the title Sultan was Mahmud Ghaznavi. The first to adopt the title Sultan among the rulers of India was Shamshuddin Iltutmish. Babur invaded Samarqand with the help of a Persian army in 1510 but he left the city and retreated in 1513. He captured and lost Samarqand thrice. Soon after the death of Shaibani Khan, Babur entered into an alliance with Shah Ismail Safavi. The river Oxus had become the de facto border between the Uzbeks and the Safavids. Shah Islamil demanded from Babur that he substitute the Shah’s name in Khutba. But he was permitted to issue his own coins in Afghanistan. But Uzbeks regrouped and defeated Babur near Bukhara in the battle of Kul-i-Malik. Babur thus lost Samarqand in 1513. Babur biography (Tuzuk-i-Baburi) says: “Ever since the days I subdued Kabul, I was bent upon annexing Punjab.” Babur has written in Babarnama soon after his conquest of Kabul in 1505, he marched into India and captured the town of Jalalabad. He led five invasions into Punjab. Invasion of India: 1. First invasion in June 1519 and annexed Bajaur with the help of his artillery and Bhera on Jhelum after defeating Yusafzai tribe. 2. Second invasion in September 1519 and annexed Peshawar. He sent an ambassador to Delhi who was detained by Daulat Khan Lodhi. 3. Third invasion in 1520 and annexed Sialkot and Sayyidpur. He met Guru Nanak here. 4. His fourth invasion was against Punjab as the estranged governor Daulat Khan Lodhi invited Babur to invade India. Ibrahim Lodhi had already defeated Daulat Khan and drove him away from Punjab. Babur captured and plundered Lahore. 5. He was joined by Daulat Khan at Dipalpur but Babur kept Punjab for himself and offered Jalandhar and Sultanpur to Daulat Khan. Daulat Khan treacherously advised Babur to divide his army into two wings But his son Dilawar Khan, acting against his father’s wishes informed Babur of his hostile designs. Babur assigned Sultanpur to Dilawar Khan, Jalandhar to Daulat Khan and Dipalpur to Alam Khan. 6. As soon as Babur’s back was turned, Daulat Khan defeated Dilawar Khan and Alam Khan and seized Sultanpur and Dipalpur. Alam Khan escaped to Kabul and entered into a pact with Alam Khan whereas Babur agreed to support Alam Khan’s claim to the throne of Delhi and he would leave Punjab to Babur. 7. Babur’s financial difficulties prompted him to invade India. The main income from Kabul was from Tamgha on imports and exports. 8. Many Mongol and Timurid begs and princes had joined Babur soon after the defeat of Shah Islamil Safavi at the battle of Chaldiran (1514). Babur’s objective in the beginning was to conquer those parts of India to which he had laid hereditary claim and which had been conquered by Taimur. Babur annexed Lahore, Jalandhar and Sultanpur. Daulat Khan changed sides and made peace with Ibrahim Lodhi. He began to conspire against Babur but his son Dilawar Khan divulged his father’s intentions to Babur. In return, Babur made Dilawar Khan the governor of Sultanpur. Dilawar Khan became the first noble to be bestowed upon the greatest Mughal title Khan-i-Khana. 9. It was during his fifth invasion that the first Battle of Panipat was fought. Evolution of Babur’s military techniques: 1. From Uzbeks, he learnt the art of Tulghuma which consisted in turning the enemy’s flanks and charging him simultaneously from front and rear. 2. From the Afghans and the Mongols, he learnt the art of ambush, luring the enemy away to a place previously marked and then falling upon him. 3. From the Persians, he learnt the use of artillery. As A matter of fact, Babur made use of fire-arms, not artillery. 4. From Turkish kinsmen, he learnt the use of mobile cavalry. 5. In 1514, Babur employed master gunner Ustad Ali and Mustafa. Factors that led to the Battle: One day when Babur was a guest of the head of the village of Dikhkat during his days of wandering, he heard the story of Taimur’s invasion of India from 111 years old mother of the village headman. It was there that he formed the resolution of repeating the exploits of Taimur. 1. Several estranged Indian rulers like Daulat Khan Lodhi, Rana Sanga and Alam Khan Lodhi invited Babur to invade India with the hope that he would return to Kabul like his predecessors. 2. Both political divisions and disunity captivated Babur. 3. Babur had no hope in Central Asia.