Introduction

• During the Mughal period, a new class of historiography, known as official histories or namah, emerged in India under Persian influence.
• Akbar introduced the practice of commissioning officials or others to write the history of his empire, granting them access to state records for this purpose.
• This practice continued until the reign of Aurangzeb, who stopped it in his eleventh regnal year.
• In addition to official histories, biographical works of great historical interest were also produced during this period.
• The historians of this period were not entirely dependent on chroniclers; some contemporary independent historians also contributed.
• The historians of the Mughal period did not develop a specific philosophy of history from which lessons could be drawn, and they focused mainly on political history, neglecting cultural, religious, and social aspects.
• Mughal historians differed from those of the Sultanate period in terms of social status, class, outlook, style, and approach.
• The element of personal gain or reward that was prominent in the Sultanate period was less noticeable in Mughal historiography.
• A significant change in Mughal historiography was the secularization of history. While the divine element was still present, the humanistic aspect of history became more prominent.
• This chapter will discuss some of the prominent historians of the Mughal period and their contributions to medieval historiography.

Literature Sources

Zahir-Al-Din Muhammad (Babur) – Baburnama

• Baburnama, also known as Tuzk-e-Babri, refers to the memoirs of Zahir-ud-Din Muhammed Babur (1483-1530), the founder of the Moghul Empire and great-grandson of Timur.
• It is an autobiographical work originally written in Chagatai language, the spoken language of the Andijan-Timurids, referred to by Babur as “Turk” (meaning Turkic).
• Babur’s prose is heavily Persianised in sentence structure, morphology, and language, with many Persian phrases and smaller poems included.
• During Babur’s reign, the Baburnama was translated into Persian by a Moghul courtier, Abdul Rahim, in 1589-90.
• The Baburnama can be divided into three parts:
  • The first part covers Babur’s accession to the throne of Fargana and ends with his flight to India.
  • The second part provides a detailed account of his last invasion of India.
  • The third part focuses on his transactions in India.
• There are gaps in the memoirs, covering only 18 years of Babur’s 47-year life.
• In his memoirs, Babur gives detailed accounts of land, climate, vegetation, trade, industry, and the social and political conditions of the people.
• Babur praises India’s natural beauty, calling it a “remarkably fine country” with different hills, rivers, forests, animals, and plants compared to other countries.
• He mentions the economic prosperity and wealth of India, noting the abundance of gold and silver, and that food-grains, clothes, and merchandise were cheap and available in abundance.
• On political conditions, Babur states that India was divided into small kingdoms, with the Emperor of Delhi ruling most of Hindustan, while five Muslim Kings and two Hindu Kings ruled the hilly areas.
• Babur’s observations were keen, and his writing style was pleasant and forthright. He describes even the minutest details with meticulous care, making readers feel as if they were witnessing the events firsthand.
• Prof. Lanepool praises Babur’s honesty and competence as a chronicler, stating that his memoirs are sufficient proof even without other evidence.
• Prof. Elliot also considers Babur’s Memoirs to be one of the best and most faithful pieces of autobiography.
• Despite their usefulness, Babur’s memoirs are intertwined with his opinions, sentiments, judgments, and philosophy of life, which color his observations.
• Babur’s predilections influence his descriptions, making readers feel like they are experiencing the events from his perspective, moving with the speed of his life and stopping to reflect on his surroundings.
• Babur combined chronology with a deep understanding of geography, helping him assess the resources, climate, and habits of people in a given place.
• Due to its rich content, Babur’s Memoirs are considered priceless records of historical significance that remain valuable over time.