• Babur’s invasion of India in 1519 aimed at securing submission from Sultan Ibrahim, based on ancestral claims and historical conquests.
• His early attempts failed due to the resistance and contempt of the local Afghan rulers.
• Babur’s lineage traced back to Chingiz Khan and Timur, renowned conquerors who shaped his ambitions and strategies.
• Chingiz Khan’s Mongol legacy and Timur’s Turkic heritage influenced Babur’s military tactics and cultural practices.
• Babur’s reliance on Mongol cavalry in battle, despite their tendency towards betrayal and looting, reflects the complexities of his alliances.
• Babur’s emulation of Timur’s values and practices led him to create the Mughal Empire in India after defeating Sultan Ibrahim in 1526.
• Elite women in Babur’s dynasty, such as his grandmother Esän Dawlat Begim and daughter Gulbadan Begum, wielded significant influence and agency.
• Babur’s adherence to Islamic principles, Sufi mysticism, and reliance on divine signs and guidance shaped his worldview and decision-making.
• Timur’s court culture, marked by artistic patronage, Persian influence, and courtly refinement, influenced Babur’s aspirations for cultural and military excellence.
• Babur’s life and achievements were deeply intertwined with his Mongol-Turkic heritage, Islamic faith, and aspirations for imperial glory, culminating in his conquest of North India and the establishment of the Mughal Empire.

BABUR’S YOUTH AMONG RIVAL TIMURIDS, MONGOLS, UZBEKS, AND SAFAVIDS

• Babur’s claim to Timur’s legacy of imperium was not unique; Central Asian tradition favored collective sovereignty among a ruler’s recognized male descendants.
• In Central Asian rulership, primogeniture (inheritance by the eldest son) was uncommon; instead, multiple sons from different wives competed for power and territories.
• Babur’s father, ‘Umar Shaikh Mirza, struggled to maintain power over Fergana, facing challenges from bellicose relatives and invaders.
• Babur’s early life was marked by precarious rule over Fergana, which he primarily viewed as a source of funds for his ambitions rather than a strong territorial base.
• Babur’s army consisted of diverse ethnic groups and mercenaries rather than a national or territorially-based force.
• Babur’s interests extended beyond warfare; he appreciated architecture, literature, arts, and culinary delights, composing poetry and creating pleasure gardens.
• The rivalry between Timurids and Uzbeks, along with the emergence of the Safavid dynasty in Iran, shaped the political landscape of Mawarannahr during Babur’s time.
• Babur’s life was characterized by alternating periods of success and hardship, including predatory raids, brief conquests, and struggles for survival.
• Despite setbacks and near-death experiences, Babur remained resilient, displaying pragmatism, ambition, and an appreciation for cultural refinement throughout his tumultuous youth.

BABUR’S KABUL YEARS AND FAMILY

• Babur seized Kabul from his cousin-in-law in 1504 with the support of 200 Turks and Mongols, expanding his domain to include Ghazni.
• Despite initially considering Kabul and Ghazni insignificant, Babur later valued Kabul highly and chose it as his burial place.
• Kabul served as Babur’s base for predatory raids and territorial expansion, although it faced resistance from Afghan ethnic groups and had limited resources.
• Babur led punitive raids to sustain his forces, relying on spoils to reward his followers and retain their loyalty.
• Babur struggled to control surrounding territories and faced opposition from his own half-brothers who vied for power in Kabul.
• Babur strategically formed alliances with local leaders and used political marriages to solidify his authority and secure his dynasty’s future.
• Babur’s wives came from diverse backgrounds, reflecting his life stages and the cultural dynamics of his household.
• Babur’s marriages were not always successful or harmonious, with some wives failing to bear him male heirs.
• Babur’s rule in Kabul was marked by military and administrative developments, including the adoption of new military technologies and the study of Islamic law.
• Babur’s incursions into India began in 1505, leading to deeper raids and conquests over the following years.
• In 1526, Babur successfully invaded India, mobilizing forces from Kabul, Badakhshan, and his Pashtun allies to establish his presence in South Asia.

BABUR’S INITIAL CONQUEST OF 1526

• Babur faced Sultan Ibrahim’s daunting army during his final invasion of Hindustan in 1526, with Ibrahim having a standing army of 100,000 and nearly a thousand elephants.
• Babur’s force consisted of Indo-Afghans, Hindu allies like Raja Vikramajit from Gwalior, Turks, Mongols, Arab and Baluch mercenaries, and martial adventurers attracted by the prospect of plunder.
• Sultan Ibrahim’s regime was undermined by his own inexperience, miserliness in hiring troops, and lack of energetic leadership during marches and battles.
• Babur effectively deployed his limited resources and received support from Afghan settlers in India who turned against Ibrahim.
• Babur’s core force included his personal followers and his eldest son, Humayun, who proved to be a capable commander.
• Babur innovated in military technology by employing specialists in gunpowder weaponry and deploying light cavalry effectively.
• At the Battle of Panipat in April 1526, Babur used muskets and cannon to anchor his army’s center and employed a tulughma maneuver with his light cavalry to scatter Ibrahim’s troops.
• Babur’s military tactics, along with the fragility of Ibrahim’s army and regime, led to Babur’s victory at Panipat, allowing him to enter Delhi and Agra.
• Babur explored major landmarks and institutions in Delhi, including Sufi tombs, royal tombs, and mosques, and distributed wealth and gifts generously.
• Babur faced challenges in gaining the gratitude of the Hindustani populace, who exhibited antagonism and resistance, leading Babur to gradually subdue fortresses and extract submission, tributes, and revenues from regional rulers and landholders.