Babur

Birth name:	Zāhir ud-Dīn Mohammad
Family name:	Timurid
Title:	Emperor of Mughal Empire
Birth:	February 14, 1483
Place of birth:	Andijan
Death:	December 26, 1530
Place of death:	Agra
Burial:	Bagh-e Babur
Succeeded by:	Humayun
Marriage:	Ayisheh Sultan Begum Bibi Mubarika Yusufzay Dildar Begum Gulnar Agacheh Gulrukh Begum Maham Begum Masumeh Begum Nargul Agacheh Sayyida Afaq Zainab Sultan Begum
Children:	Humayun, son Kamran Mirza, son Askari Mirza, son Hindal Mirza, son Gulbadan Begum, daughter Fakhr-un-nisa, daughter

Zāhir ud-Dīn Mohammad, commonly known as Bābur (February 14, 1483 – December 26, 1530) (Chaghatay/Persian: ظﮩیرالدین محمد بابر; also spelled Zahiruddin, Zahiriddin, Muhammad, Bobur, Baber, Babar, etc.), was a Muslim Emperor from Central Asia who founded the Mughal dynasty of India. He was a direct descendant of Timur, and believed himself to be a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother.^[1] Following a series of set-backs he succeeded in laying the basis for one of the most important empires in Indian history, the Mughal Empire. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Timurid can refer to several entities, related to Timur: Timurid Dynasty Timurid Empire Timurid Emirates This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... The Mughal Empire (Persian: ‎ , Urdu: مغلیہ سلطنت, Hindi: मुग़ल साम्राज्य), self-designation GurkānÄ«, گوركانى was an empire that at its greatest territorial extent ruled eastern parts of Khorasan (including Afghanistan) and most of the Indian subcontinent, then known as Hindustan, including most of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. ... February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events The São Tomé settlement is founded. ... Andijan is the capital of the Andijon province, which includes the Ferghana Valley Andijan (Andijon in Uzbek; also Andizhan, Andizan, Андижан) is the fourth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and the capital of the Andijan Province. ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 361st in leap years. ... June 25 - Augsburg confession presented to Charles V of Holy Roman Empire. ... Agra   (Hindi: , Urdu: ‎), (IPA: ) finds mention in the epic Mahabharata when it was called Agrabana are Paradise. ... For other places with the same name, see Kabul (disambiguation). ... Nasiruddin Humayun (March 6, 1508 – February 22, 1556), second Mughal Emperor, ruled in India from 1530–1540 and 1555–1556. ... Bibi Mubarika Yusufzay was the wife of Mughal emperor Babur. ... Nasiruddin Humayun (March 6, 1508 – February 22, 1556), second Mughal Emperor, ruled in India from 1530–1540 and 1555–1556. ... Kamran Mirza, sometimes known simply as Kamran, (born 1509, Kabul; died 1557, Makkah) was the second son of Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events The São Tomé settlement is founded. ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 361st in leap years. ... June 25 - Augsburg confession presented to Charles V of Holy Roman Empire. ... The Chagatai language is an extinct Turkic language spoken in Central Asia. ... Persian (Local names: فارسی Fârsi or پارسی Pârsi)* is an Indo-European language spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan as well as by minorities in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, India, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... The Mughal Empire was the dominant power in the Indian subcontinent between the mid-16th century and the end of the 17th century. ... Statue of Timur in Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan TÄ«mÅ«r bin Taraghay Barlas (Chagatai Turkic: تیمور - TÄ“mōr, iron) (1336 – February 1405) was a 14th-century warlord of Turco-Mongol descent[1][2][3][4], conqueror of much of Western and central Asia, and founder of the Timurid Empire (1370–1405... For other uses, see Genghis Khan (disambiguation). ... The Mughal Empire (Persian: ‎ , Urdu: مغلیہ سلطنت, Hindi: मुग़ल साम्राज्य), self-designation GurkānÄ«, گوركانى was an empire that at its greatest territorial extent ruled eastern parts of Khorasan (including Afghanistan) and most of the Indian subcontinent, then known as Hindustan, including most of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. ...

[edit] Background

Zahiruddin Muhammad was born on February 14, 1483^[2] in the town of Andijan, in the Fergana Valley which is in modern Uzbekistan. He was the eldest son of Umar Shaykh Mirza,^[3] ruler of the Fergana Valley, who he described as "short and stout, round-bearded and fleshy faced",^{[citation needed]} and his wife Qutlugh Nigar Khanum. Although Babur hailed from the Barlas tribe which was of Mongol origin, his tribe had embraced Turkic^[4] and Persian culture^[5][6] (see Turco-Mongol, Turco-Persian), converted to Islam and resided in Turkestan and Khorasan. His mother tongue was the Chaghatai language (known to Babur as Tōrkī, "Turkish") and he was equally at home in Persian, the lingua franca of the Timurid elite^[7]; he wrote his famous memoirs, the Baburnama, in the former language, that of his birthplace. February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events The São Tomé settlement is founded. ... Andijan is the capital of the Andijon province, which includes the Ferghana Valley Andijan (Andijon in Uzbek; also Andizhan, Andizan, Андижан) is the fourth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and the capital of the Andijan Province. ... The Fergana Valley or Ferghana Valley (Uzbek: , Kyrgyz: Фергана өрөөнү, Tajik: водии Фaрғонa, Russian: , Persian: ‎) is a region in the Tian Shan mountain ranges of Central Asia spreading across eastern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. ... Mirza The title Mirza(ميرزا), from Persian languages during the Moghul Emperor times of India, means, literally, a Prince. ... Qutlugh Nigar Khanum (Also spelled Kutlak Nigar Khanum) was a Turkman noble and a descendent of Genghis Khan. ... Barlas or Birlas, a Mongolian nomadic conferdeation in Central Asia, was the chief tribe of the Timurid emperors who ruled much of Central Asia, Iran, and Hindustan. ... This article is about the various peoples speaking one of the Turkic languages. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The Turco-Mongols were the aristocratic, nomadic horsemen who served as rulers and conquerors in the Turco-Persian society. ... The Turco-Persians were an originally nomadic ethnic group that eventually conquered most of central, western, and south Asia in the 15th and 16th centuries. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Nader Afshars tomb in Mashad. ... The Chagatai language (Ottoman Turkish:جغتای ; ÇaÄŸatay in modern Turkish) is an extinct Turkic language which was once widely spoken in Central Asia and most of Khorasan region. ... Persian (Local names: فارسی Fârsi or پارسی Pârsi)* is an Indo-European language spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan as well as by minorities in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, India, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... Lingua franca, literally Frankish language in Italian, was originally a mixed language consisting largely of Italian plus a vocabulary drawn from Turkish, Persian, French, Greek and Arabic and used for communication throughout the Middle East. ... Bāburnāma (Chaghatay/Persian: ‎ ; literally: Book of Babur or Letters of Babur) are the memoirs of Zāhir ud-DÄ«n Mohammad Zāhir ud-DÄ«n Mohammad Bābur (1483-1530), the founder of the Mughal Empire and the great-great-great-grandson of Timur. ...

Hence Babur, though nominally a Mongol (or Mughal in Persian), drew much of his support from the Turkic and Iranian peoples of Central Asia, and his army was diverse in its ethnic makeup, including Persians (Tajiks or Sarts, as they were called by Babur),^[8] Pashtuns, and Arabs as well as Barlas and Chaghatayid Turco-Mongols from Central Asia.^[9] Babur's army also included Kizilbash fighters, a militant religious order of Shi'a Sufis from Persia who later became one of the most influential groups in the Mughal court. Persian (Local names: فارسی Fârsi or پارسی Pârsi)* is an Indo-European language spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan as well as by minorities in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, India, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... For information about all peoples of Iran, see Demographics of Iran; for Central Asian Persians, see Tajiks. ... This article is about the Central Asian Persians known as Tajiks. ... Sarts was a name for various sedentary Turkic tribes of Turkistan that settled by Syr Darya, known as Ak-sart in old times. ... The Pashtuns (also Pushtun, Pakhtun, or ethnic Afghan; in referring to the period of the British Raj or earlier, sometimes Pathan) are an ethnic/religious group of people, living primarily in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India who follow Pashtunwali, their indigenous religion. ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب ) are an ethnic group found throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ... Kizilbash (Turkish: Kızılbaş, Azerbaijani: Qızılbaş, Persian: قزلباش Qezelbāsh) - Red Heads - name given to a wide variety of extremist Shiite militant groups (ghulāt) who helped found the Safavid Dynasty of Iran. ... Shī‘a Islam, also Shi‘ite Islam, or Shi‘ism (Arabic ) is the second largest denomination of the Islamic faith. ... Sufism is a mystic tradition that found a home in Islam and encompasses a diverse range of beliefs and practices dedicated to Allah, divine love and the cultivation of the heart. ...

Babur is said to have been extremely strong and physically fit. Allegedly, he could carry two men, one on each of his shoulders, and then climb slopes on the run, just for exercise. Legend holds that Babur swam across every major river he encountered, including twice across the Ganges River in North India.^[10] This bridge across the Danube River links Hungary with Slovakia. ... This article is about the river. ... Dark green region marks the approximate extent of northern India while the regions marked as light green lies within the sphere of north Indian influence. ...

A scene from the Baburnama.

Image File history File links Baburn4. ... Image File history File links Baburn4. ...

[edit] Babur's name

Zahir-ud-din is more commonly known by his nickname, "Babur"; a word for beaver of Indo-European origins.^[8] Babur's cousin, Mirza Muhammad Haydar, wrote: + Za DIK luvre - Species C. canadensis C. fiber Beavers are semi-aquatic rodents native to North America and Europe. ...

Chagatai Khan (alternative spellings Çağatay in Turkic Chagata, Chugta, Chagta, Djagatai, Chaghtai) was the second son of Genghis Khan. ...

[edit] Military career

In 1494, at only twelve years of age, Babur obtained his first power position, succeeding his father as ruler of Fergana, in present-day Uzbekistan.^[12] His uncles were relentless in their attempts to dislodge him from this position as well as many of his other territorial possessions to come.^[13] Thus, Babur spent a large portion of his life shelterless and in exile, aided only by friends and peasants. In 1497, Babur attacked the Uzbek city of Samarkand and after seven months succeeded in capturing the city.^[14] Meanwhile, a rebellion amongst nobles back home approximately 350 kilometers (200 miles) away robbed him of Fergana.^[14] As he was marching to recover it, Babur's troops deserted in Samarkand, leaving him with neither Samarkand nor Fergana. 1494 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fergana Fergana or Farghana (Uzbek: Fargona [Фарғона], Russian: Фергана) is a city (1999 population: 182,800), the capital of Fergana Province in eastern Uzbekistan, at the southern edge of the Fergana Valley in southern Central Asia, cutting across the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. ... Exile (band) may refer to: Exile - The American country music band Exile - The Japanese pop music band Category: ... In a detail of Brueghels Land of Cockaigne (1567) a soft-boiled egg has little feet to rush to the luxuriating peasant who catches drops of honey on his tongue, while roast pigs roam wild: in fact, hunger and harsh winters were realities for the average European in the... 1497 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ... The Fergana Valley or Ferghana Valley (Uzbek: , Kyrgyz: Фергана өрөөнү, Tajik: водии Фaрғонa, Russian: , Persian: ‎) is a region in the Tian Shan mountain ranges of Central Asia spreading across eastern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ...

Portrait of Muhammad Shaybani, who defeated Babur in Samarkand in 1501

By 1501, he was again to regain control of Samarkand, but was shortly thereafter defeated by his most formidable enemy, Muhammad Shaybani, khan of the Uzbeks.^[14][15] Samarkand, his lifelong obsession, was lost again. Escaping with a small band of followers from Fergana, for three years Babur concentrated on building up a strong army, recruiting widely amongst the Tajiks of Badakhshan in particular. In 1504, he was able to cross the snowy Hindu Kush mountains and capture Kabul.^[14] With this move, he gained a wealthy new kingdom and re-established his fortunes and assumed the title of padshah. In the following year, Babur united with Husayn Bayqarah of Herat, a fellow Timurid and distant relative, against the usurper Muhammad Shaybani.^[16] However, the death of Husayn Bayqarah in 1506 delayed that venture. Babur instead occupied his allies' city of Herat, spending just two months there before being forced to leave due to diminishing resources.^[16] Nevertheless, he marvelled at the intellectual abundance in Herat, which he stated was "filled with learned and matched men."^[17], and became acquainted with the work of the Uyghur poet Mir Ali Shir Nava'i, who encouraged the use of Chagatai as a literary language. Nava'i's profiency with the language, which he is credited with founding,^[18] may have influenced Babur in his decision to use it for his memoirs, Tazk-e-Babri. Image File history File links Shaybani. ... Image File history File links Shaybani. ... Portrait of Muhammad Shaybani Abu I-Fath Muhammad Shaybani Khan (c. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ... 1501 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1501 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ... Portrait of Muhammad Shaybani Abu I-Fath Muhammad Shaybani Khan (c. ... KHAN is a film directed by Karan Johar and produced under the Dharma Productions banner. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ... This article is about the Central Asian Persians known as Tajiks. ... Badakhshan is a region comprising parts of northeastern Afghanistan and of Tajikistan. ... 1504 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Hindu Kush or Hindukush (هندوکش in Persian) is a mountain range in Afghanistan as well as in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. ... For other places with the same name, see Kabul (disambiguation). ... Padishah, Badishah, or Badshah is a title sometimes applied to to a several historic monarchs, notably the rulers of Iran, the Ottoman Empire, and the Moghul Empire. ... Husayn Bayqarah (1438 - May 4, 1506), was a Timurid ruler of Herat from 1469 to his death, with a brief interruption in 1470. ... Herāt (Persian: ‎ ) is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. ... Flag of the Timurid Empire according to the Catalan Atlas c. ... Look up Usurper in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1506 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Herāt (Persian: ‎ ) is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. ... The Uyghur (also spelled Uighur; Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر; Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) are an ethnic group of Central Asia. ... now. ... The Chagatai language is an extinct Turkic language which was once widely spoken in Central Asia. ... A literary language is a register of a language that is used in writing, and which often differs in lexicon and syntax from the language used in speech. ...

The Šāh-e Zinda Mosque, built during the fourteenth century by Timur in Samarkand

A brewing rebellion finally induced him to return to Kabul from Herat. He prevailed on that occasion, but two years later a revolt among some of his leading generals drove him out of Kabul. Escaping with very few companions, Babur soon returned to the city, capturing Kabul again and regaining the allegiance of the rebels. Muhammad Shaybani was defeated and killed by Ismail I, Safavid ruler of Persia, in 1510,^[19] and Babur used this opportunity to attempt to reconquer his ancestral Timurid territories. Over the following few years, Babur and Shah Ismail I would form a partnership in an attempt to take over parts of Central Asia. In return for Ismail's assistance, Babur permitted the Safavids to act as a suzerain over him and his followers.^[20] Conversely, Shah Ismail reunited Babur with his sister Khānzāda, who had been imprisoned by and forced to marry the recently-deceased Shaybani.^[21] Ismail also provided Babur with a large wealth of luxury goods and military assistance, for which Babur reciprocated by adopting the dress and outward customs of the Shi'a Muslims.^{[citation needed]} The Shah's Persia had become the bastion of Shia Islam, and he claimed descent from Imam Musa al-kazim, the seventh Shia Imam. Coins were to be struck in Ismail's name, and the Khutba at the Mosque was also to be read in his name. In effect, Babur was supposed to be holding Samarkand as a vassal territory for the Persian Shah, though in Kabul, coins and the Khutba would remain in Babur's name. Download high resolution version (800x693, 157 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (800x693, 157 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Statue of Timur in Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan TÄ«mÅ«r bin Taraghay Barlas (Chagatai Turkic: تیمور - TÄ“mōr, iron) (1336 – February 1405) was a 14th-century warlord of Turco-Mongol descent[1][2][3][4], conqueror of much of Western and central Asia, and founder of the Timurid Empire (1370–1405... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ... For other places with the same name, see Kabul (disambiguation). ... Herāt (Persian: ‎ ) is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. ... Portrait of Muhammad Shaybani Abu I-Fath Muhammad Shaybani Khan (c. ... Shah Ismail I, the founder of the Safavid State. ... The Safavids were a long-lasting Turkic-speaking Iranian dynasty that ruled from 1501 to 1736 and first established Shiite Islam as Persias official religion. ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ... Year 1510 (MDX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Shah is a Persian term for a monarch (king or emperor) that has been adopted in many other languages. ... Shah Ismail I, the founder of the Safavid State. ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... Suzerainty refers to a situation in which a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which allows the tributary some limited domestic autonomy but controls its foreign affairs. ... Portrait of Muhammad Shaybani Abu I-Fath Muhammad Shaybani Khan (c. ... Shī‘a Islam, also Shi‘ite Islam, or Shi‘ism (Arabic ) is the second largest denomination of the Islamic faith. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Al-Imām MÅ«sā al-KāzÌ£im (Arabic: ‎ ; Persian: Emam Musa Kazem) (November 10, 745 – September 4, 799) Born MÅ«sā ibn-Ja‘far ibn-MuhÌ£ammad (Arabic: ‎ ) was the Seventh ShÄ«a Imām (he is not accepted by the Ismailis as the seventh Imam). ... The Shia Imam is considered by the Shia sect of Islam to be the rightful successor to Muhammad, and is similar to the Caliph in Sunni Islam. ... Khutba (خطبة) is an Arabic term referring to the Islamic sermon delivered either before the Friday Salah (see: Jumuah) and after the Eid Salat. ...

With this assistance, Babur marched on Bukhara, where his army were apparently treated as liberators, Babur having greater legitimacy as a Timurid, unlike the Uzbegs. Towns and villages are said to have emptied in order to greet him, and aid and feed his army. At this point Babur dismissed his Persian aide, believing them no longer required. In October 1511 Babur made a triumphant re-entry into Samarkand, his ten year absence ended. Bazaars were draped in gold, and again villages and towns emptied to greet the liberator. Dressed as a Shia, Babur stood out starkly amongst the masses of Sunnis who had thronged to greet him. The original belief was that this show of Shi'ism was a ploy to garner Persian help which would soon be dropped. While it was indeed a ploy, Babur did not think it wise to drop the charade. His cousin, Haidar, wrote that Babur was still too fearful of the Uzbegs to dismiss the Persian aid. Though Babur did not persecute the Sunni community, to please the Persian Shah, he did not drop the show of collaboration with the Shia either, resulting in popular disapproval and the re-conquering of the city by the Uzbegs eight months later. 1511 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ...

[edit] Conquest of northern India

Writing in retrospect, Babur suggested his failure in attaining Samarkand was the greatest gift Allah bestowed him. Babur had now resigned all hopes of recovering Fergana, and although he dreaded an invasion from the Uzbeks to his West, his attention increasingly turned towards India and its lands in the east especially the Ayuthhia empire and Peninsular Malaya. Fergana Fergana or Farghana (Uzbek: Fargona [Фарғона], Russian: Фергана) is a city (1999 population: 182,800), the capital of Fergana Province in eastern Uzbekistan, at the southern edge of the Fergana Valley in southern Central Asia, cutting across the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. ...

Babur claimed to be the true and rightful Monarch of the lands of the Sayyid dynasty. Babur believed himself the rightful heir to the throne of Timur, and it was Timur who had originally left Khizr Khan in charge of his vassal in the Punjab, who became the leader, or Sultan, of the Delhi Sultanate, founding the Sayyid dynasty. The Sayyid dynasty, however, had been ousted by Ibrahim Lodhi, a Ghilzai Afghan, and Babur wanted it returned to the Timurids. Indeed, while actively building up the troop numbers for an invasion of the Punjab he sent a request to Ibrahim; "I sent him a goshawk and asked for the countries which from old had depended on the Turk," the 'countries' referred to were the lands of the Delhi Sultanate. rulers of Indias Delhi sultanate (c. ... The Delhi Sultanate (دلی سلطنت), or Sulthanath-e-Hind (سلطنتِ ہند) / Sulthanath-e-Dilli (سلطنتِ دلی) refers to the various Muslim dynasties that ruled in India from 1210 to 1526. ... Ibrahim Lodhi (died April 21, 1526) was the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. ... The Ghilzais (also known as Khiljis or Ghaljis) are one of two largest groups of Pashtuns, along with the Durrani tribe, found in Afghanistan with a large group also found in neighboring Pakistan. ... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 Punjab (Persian: ‎, meaning Land of the five Rivers) (c. ... Binomial name Accipiter gentilis (Linnaeus, 1758) The Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis; from OE. góshafuc goose-hawk) is a medium large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. ... The Delhi Sultanate (دلی سلطنت), or Sulthanath-e-Hind (سلطنتِ ہند) / Sulthanath-e-Dilli (سلطنتِ دلی) refers to the various Muslim dynasties that ruled in India from 1210 to 1526. ...

Following the unsurprising reluctance of Ibrahim to accept the terms of this "offer," and though in no hurry to launch an actual invasion, Babur made several preliminary incursions and also seized Kandahar - an essential strategic city if he was to fight off attacks on Kabul from the West while he was occupied in India. The siege of Kandahar, however, lasted far longer than anticipated, and it was only almost three years later that Kandahar, and its Citadel (backed by enormous natural features) were taken, and that minor assaults in India recommenced. However, during this series of skirmishes and battles an opportunity for a more extended expedition presented itself. It was an attack on the Gakhar stronghold of Pharwala in 1521 that led to the beginning of the end for Ibrahim Lodhi. This article is about the city in Afghanistan. ... The Gakhars ( Gakkhars, Gurkkhars, Gurkhars) have been suggested, by the British archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham to have been Indo-Sassanians in origin. ... Events January 3 - Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther in the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem. ...

The section of Babur's memoirs covering the period between 1508 and 1519 is missing; during these years Shah Ismail I suffered a reasonably large defeat when his large cavalry-based army was obliterated at the Battle of Chaldiran by the Ottoman Empire's new weapon, the matchlock musket. Both Shah Ismail and Babur, it appears, were swift in acquiring this new technology for themselves. Somewhere during these years Babur introduced matchlocks into his army, and allowed an Ottoman, Ustad Ali, to train his troops, who were then known as Matchlockmen, in their use. Babur's memoirs give accounts of battles where the opposition forces mocked his troops, never having seen a gun before, because of the noise they made and the way no arrows, spears, etc appeared to come from the weapon when fired. Shah Ismail I, the founder of the Safavid State. ... The Battle of Chaldiran was a military conflict that occurred on 23 August 1514 and ended with a decisive military victory of the Ottoman Empire over the Safavids. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... The Matchlock was the first firearm to have a trigger mechanism for firing. ... The Matchlock was the first firearm to have a trigger mechanism for firing. ... The Ottoman Turks were the ethnic subdivision of the Turkish people who dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. ...

These guns allowed small armies to make large gains on enemy territory. Small parties of skirmishers who had been dispatched simply to test enemy positions and tactics were making inroads into India. Babur, however, had survived two revolts, one in Kandahar and another in Kabul, and was careful to pacify the local population after victories, following local traditions and aiding widows and orphans.

[edit] The battle with Ibrahim Lodhi

Main article: First battle of Panipat

However, while the Timurids were united, the Lodhi armies were far from unified. The first battle of Panipat took place in northern India, and marked the beginning of the Mughal Empire. ...

Ibrahim was widely detested, even amongst his nobles, and indeed it was several of his Afghan nobles who were to invite Babur's intervention. Babur assembled a 12,000-man army, and advanced into India. This number actually increased as Babur advanced as members of the local population joined the invading army. The first major clash between the two sides was fought in late February 1526. Babur's son, Humayun (then aged 17), led the Timurid army into battle against the first of Ibrahim's advance parties. Humayun's victory was harder fought than the previous skirmishes, but it was still a decisive victory. Over one hundred prisoners of war were captured along with around eight war elephants. However, unlike after previous battles, these prisoners were not bonded or freed; by decree from Humayun, they were shot. In His memoirs Babur recorded the incident thusly: "Ustad Ali-quli and the matchlockmen were ordered to shoot all the prisoners, by way of example; this had been Humayun's first affair, his first experience of battle; it was an excellent omen!". This is, perhaps, the earliest example of execution by firing squad. Ibrahim Lodhi (died April 21, 1526) was the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. ... Nasiruddin Humayun (March 6, 1508 – February 22, 1556), second Mughal Emperor, ruled in India from 1530–1540 and 1555–1556. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... Indian war elephant, relief at Mathura, 2nd century BC War elephants were important, although not widespread, weapons in ancient military history. ... The Executions of the Third of May by Francisco Goya Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in times of war. ...

Ibrahim Lodhi advanced against him with 100,000 soldiers and 100 elephants; and though Babur's army had grown, it was still less than half the size of his opponents, possibly as few as 25,000 men. This was to be their main engagement, the First battle of Panipat, and was fought on April 21, 1526. Ibrahim Lodhi was slain and his army was routed; Babur quickly took possession of both Delhi and Agra - That very day Babur ordered Humayun to ride forward to Agra (Ibrahim's former capital) and secure its national treasures and resources from looting. Here Humayun found the family of the Raja of Gwalior, the Raja himself having died at Panipat, sheltering from the invaders, fearing the dreadful nature of the 'Mongols' from the stories that preceded their arrival. After guaranteeing their safety they gave their new ruler a famous jewel, then the largest known diamond in the world - the Koh-i-Noor or 'Mountain of Light'. This was presented in hopes that the family would remain a part of Indian nobility, and whether it was because of the gift or not, the family did remain a noble family, though now serving the Timurids. Ibrahim Lodhi (died April 21, 1526) was the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. ... The first battle of Panipat took place in northern India, and marked the beginning of the Mughal Empire. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... January 14 - Treaty of Madrid. ... Ibrahim Lodhi (died April 21, 1526) was the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. ... Delhi   (Hindi: , Urdu: ‎, Punjabi: ) is the second-largest metropolis in India after Mumbai with a population of 13 million. ... Agra   (Hindi: , Urdu: ‎), (IPA: ) finds mention in the epic Mahabharata when it was called Agrabana are Paradise. ... The Koh-i-noor (Telugu: కోహినూరు; Persian: کوہ نور,Urdu: کوہ نور Hindi: कोहिनूर Mountain of Light; also spelled Kohinoor, Koh-i-Noor or Koh-i-Nur) is a 105 carat (21. ...

Babur, meanwhile, marched onward to Delhi itself, reaching it three days after the battle. He celebrated his arrival with a festival on the river Jumna, and remained there at least until Friday (Jum'ah), when Muslim congregational prayers were said and he heard the Khutba, (sermon), read in his name in the Jama Masjid of that time, a sign of the assumption of sovereignty. He then marched on to Agra to rejoin Humayun. Upon arrival Babur was presented with the Koh-i-Noor, and Babur reports that "I just gave it back to him", adding, "its value would provide two and a half days' food for the whole world". The Triveni Sangam, or the intersection of Yamuna River and Ganges River. ... The Friday prayer (or Jumuah) is a congregational prayer that Muslims hold Fridays just after noon. ... Khutba (خطبة) is an Arabic term referring to the Islamic sermon delivered either before the Friday Salah (see: Jumuah) and after the Eid Salat. ... The Jama Masjid is a mosque near Crawford Market in the South Mumbai region of Mumbai, India. ...

[edit] Battles with Rajputs

Babur as Emperor, receiving a courtier

Although master of Delhi and Agra, Babur records in his memoirs that he had sleepless nights because of continuing worries over Rana Sanga, the Rajput ruler of Mewar. The Rajputs had, prior to Babur's intervention, succeeded in conquering some of the Sultanate's territory. They ruled an area directly to the southwest of Babur's new dominions, commonly known as "Rajputana". It was not a unified kingdom, but rather a confederacy of principalities, under the informal suzerainty of Rana Sanga, head of the senior Rajput dynasty. Image File history File links Image_of_babur. ... Image File history File links Image_of_babur. ... A courtier is a person who attends upon, and thus receives a privileged position from, a powerful person, usually a head of state. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Rajput (from the Sanskrit tatpurusha compound , son of a king) is a Caste among Hindus in India, Pakistan and Nepal. ... Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. ... Rajputana (or Raj(prut)tana), which means Land of the Rajputs rajput love old rotten cheese wanna see whitch cheese we like go to this web page http://home. ... A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a Monarch with the title of prince or princess (a synonym is princedom) or (in the widest sense) a Monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince. ... Suzerainty refers to a situation in which a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which allows the tributary some limited domestic autonomy but controls its foreign affairs. ...

The Rajputs had possibly heard word of the heavy casualties inflicted by Lodhi on Babur's forces, and believed that they could capture Delhi, and possibly all Hindustan, bringing it back into Hindu Rajput hands for the first time in almost three hundred and fifty years when Muhammad of Ghor defeated the Rajput Chauhan King Prithviraj III in 1192. Hindustan (Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान [Hindustān], Urdu: [Hindostān], from the (Sanskrit) Hindū + -stān, archaic Hindoostan) and the adjective Hindustani may relate to various aspects of four geographic areas: Hindustan: Land of the Hindus. ... Muhammad of Ghor (Persian:محمد شہاب الدین غوری) also Muhammad Ghori,Mohammad Ghauri, etc. ... Chauhan or Chahaman(a) is a clan that ruled parts of Northern India in the Middle Ages. ... Statue of Prithvi Raj Chauhan at Ajmer Prithviraj Chauhan (c. ... // Events The Third Crusade ends in disaster. ...

Furthermore, the Rajputs were well aware that there was dissent within the ranks of Babur's army. The hot Indian summer was upon them, and many troops wanted to return home to the cooler climes of Central Asia. The Rajputs' reputation for valour preceded them, and their superior numbers no doubt further contributed to the desire of Babur's army to retreat. Babur resolved to make this an extended battle, and decided to push further into India, into lands never previously claimed by the Timurids. He needed his troops to take the battle to the Rajputs. Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... Fortitudo, by Sandro Botticelli Courage, also known as fortitude, is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation. ...

Despite the unwillingness of his troops to engage in further warfare, Babur was convinced he could overcome the Rajputs and gain complete control over Hindustan. He made great propaganda of the fact that for the first time he was to battle non-Muslims, the Kafir. He had his men line up and swear on the Qur'an that none would "think of turning his face from his foe, or withdraw from this deadly encounter so long as life is not rent from his body". He also began to refer to himself as a Ghazi, or "Holy Warrior," a title used by Timur when he fought in India. An Australian anti-conscription propaganda poster from World War One U.S. propaganda poster, which warns against civilians sharing information on troop movements (National Archives) The much-imitated 1914 Lord Kitchener Wants You! poster Swedish Anti-Euro propaganda for the referendum of 2003. ... This article is about an Islamic term. ... This article or section seems to contain too many quotations for an encyclopedia entry. ... Ghazi (March 21, 1912 - April 4, 1939) was king of Iraq from 1933 to 1939. ...

The two armies fought each other forty miles west of Agra at Khanwa. In a possibly apocryphal tale referred to in Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, Babur is supposed to have sent about 1,500 choice cavalry as an advance guard to attack Sanga. These were heavily defeated by Sanga's Rajputs. Babur then wanted to discuss peace terms. Sanga sent his general Silhadi (Shiladitya) to the parley. Babur is said to have won over this general by promising him an independent kingdom. Silhadi came back and reported that Babur did not want peace and preferred to fight. The Battle of Khanwa began on March 17, 1527 and, as Tod puts it, "While the issue was still doubtful" Silhadi and his army left the field. Whatever the truth of this tale, it seems plausible that a treacherous Tomara who led the vanguard of Sanga's army at Khanwa went over to Babur, causing Sanga to retreat and costing him a likely victory. Within a year he was dead, probably poisoned by one of his own ministers, and a major rival to Babur had been removed ^[22]. In return for the payment of regular tribute Babur allowed the Rajput princes to remain in control over their principalities, and maintain their customs and traditions. Silhadi was a powerful Tomar Rajput chieftain of the northeast Malwa in the early decades of sixteenth century. ... The Battle of Khanua (1527) was the second of the series of three major battles, victories in which gave Mughal warlord Zaheer-ud-din Babur overlordship over north India. ... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in leap years). ... January 5 - Felix Manz, co-founder of the Swiss Anabaptists, was drowned in the Limmat in Zürich by the Zürich Reformed state church. ... The Tomar/a, or Tanwar/a or Toor/a, is a northwestern Indian Rajputs clan. ...

[edit] Consolidation

Babur was now the undisputed ruler of Hindustan (a term which at that time referred to northwestern India and the Gangetic Plain), and he began a period of further expansion. Each of the nobles or Umarah whom he appointed was granted leave to set up his own army, or militia, and, to facilitate Babur's expansionist aims, many were granted lands yet to be conquered as jaghirs, freeing Babur from many of the problems involved in raising troops. Meanwhile he granted his own sons the provinces furthest away from his new centre of operations: Kamran was given control over Kandahar, Askari was to control Bengal and Humayun was to govern Badakhshan, perhaps the most remote province of Babur's expanding empire. A Jaghir was a governance bestowed on Indian regional governors by their emperors. ... Bengal (Bengali: বঙ্গ Bôngo, বাংলা Bangla, বঙ্গদেশ Bôngodesh or বাংলাদেশ Bangladesh), is a historical and geographical region in the northeast of South Asia. ... Badakhshan is a region comprising parts of northeastern Afghanistan and of Tajikistan. ...

Babur also continuously used new technology to improve his army, with the help of Ustad Ali. In addition to guns, Babur and Ali tested new types of Siege weaponry, such as cannons, which Babur recalls as being capable of firing a large rock almost a mile (although, he records, its initial test did leave eight innocent bystanders dead). Alongside this, they developed Shells which exploded on impact. The army's organisation was also maintained with great discipline, and according to Babur it received regular inspections. A siege engine is a device that is designed to break or circumvent city walls and other fortifications in siege warfare. ... A small cannon on a carriage, Bucharest. ... A shell is a projectile, which, as opposed to a bullet, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage includes large solid projectiles previously termed shot (AP, APCR, APCNR, APDS, APFSDS and Proof shot). ...

[edit] Impact on Architecture

A view of the Babri Mosque, pre-1992. The Mosque is believed to have been commissioned by Babur

Babur travelled the country, taking in much of the land and its scenery, and began building a series of structures which mixed the pre-existing Hindu intricacies of carved detail with the traditional Muslim designs used by Persians and Turks. He described with awe the buildings in Chanderi, a village carved from rock, and the palace of Raja Man Singh in Gwalior describing them as "wonderful buildings, entirely hewn from stone". He, was, however, digusted by the Jain "idols" carved into the rock face below the fortress at Gwalior. "These idols are shown quite naked without even covering for the privities... I ordered them to be destroyed". Fortunately, the statues were not destroyed entirely, rather the faces and genitalia of the offending pieces were removed. (Modern sculptors have restored the faces). Rear View of the babri Mosque Copyright Shaid Khan permission is given to use this image freely under GNU licence provided that Shaid Khan is aknowledged as the photographer. ... Rear View of the babri Mosque Copyright Shaid Khan permission is given to use this image freely under GNU licence provided that Shaid Khan is aknowledged as the photographer. ... A view of the Babri Mosque, pre-1992. ... Raja Man Singh was the Kacchwaha rajput raja of Amber, Near Jaipur. ... Gwalior   is a city in Madhya Pradesh in India. ... JAIN is an activity within the Java Community Process, developing APIs for the creation of telephony (voice and data) services. ...

To remind himself of the lands he had left behind Babur began a process of creating exquisite gardens in every palace and province, where he would often sit shaded from the fierce Indian sun. He tried as far as was possible to recreate the gardens of Kabul, which he believed were the most beautiful in the world, and in one of which he would eventually be buried. "In that charmless and disorderly Hindustan, plots of garden were laid out with order and symmetry." Almost thirty pages of Babur's memoirs are taken up describing the Fauna and Flora of his Hindustan. The early sections of this article provide links to articles of popular interest. ...

[edit] Lavish lifestyle and final major battle

Late in 1528 Babur celebrated a great festival, or tamasha. All nobles from the different regions of his empire were gathered, along with any noble who claimed descent from Timur or Genghis Khan. This was a celebration of his Khanal, Chingissid lineage, and when guests were sat in a semi-circle the farthest from Babur (who was, naturally, at the centre) was seated over 100 metres from him. The huge banquet involved giving presents and watching animal fights, wrestling, dancing and acrobatics. Guests presented Babur with tribute of gold and silver, and were in turn presented with sword-Belts and cloaks of honour (khalats). The guests even included Uzbegs, (who under Shaybani Khan had ousted the Timurids from Central Asia and were now the occupiers of Samarkand), and a group of peasants from Transoxiana who were now being rewarded for befriending and aiding Babur before he was a leader. Events June 19 - Battle of Landriano - A French army in Italy under Marshal St. ... Statue of Timur in Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan Tīmūr bin Taraghay Barlas (Chagatai Turkic: تیمور - Tēmōr, iron) (1336 – February 1405) was a 14th-century warlord of Turco-Mongol descent[1][2][3][4], conqueror of much of Western and central Asia, and founder of the Timurid Empire (1370–1405... For other uses, see Genghis Khan (disambiguation). ... Chingissid is an direct linage of blood or direct descendent of Genghis Khanate, spelled[Chinggis Khaan} in Mongolian, spelled Genghis Khan, in throughout the world. ... Mohammed Alim Khan (1880-1944), emir of Bukhara, wearing a khalat A Khalat (Arabic/Persian خلعت) is a loose long-sleeved outer silk or cotton robe common in Central Asia, Iran and northern India and worn both by men and women, although in differing styles. ... Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group found primarily in Uzbekistan, but also in Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang province of China and other countries in Central Asia. ... Portrait of Muhammad Shaybani Abu I-Fath Muhammad Shaybani Khan (c. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Самарқанд, Persian: ‎ , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ... Map showing modern Transoxiana. ...

After the Festival, many of the other gifts given to Babur were sent to Kabul, "to adorn the ladies" of his family. Babur was far too generous concerning wealth, and by the time of his death the Empire's coffers were almost empty; troops were even ordered to return a third of their income back to the treasury. Baburs extravagance did not go unnoticed. He was a heavy drinker and took hashish, perhaps as a means of alleviating the various illnesses he suffered from; he was known to cough up blood, he had numerous boils on his person, suffered from Sciatica and also bled fluid from his ears. These substances were strictly forbidden by the orthodox doctrines of Islam, although in the Babur-nama Babur does write without censure of relatives in Ferghana who indulged in strong liquor. Nevertheless, Babur, who had fought as a warrior for Islam was now indulging in the forbidden (Haraam). This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sciatica is pain caused by compression and/or irritation of one of five nerve roots that are branches of the sciatic nerve. ... The Fergana Valley or Ferghana Valley (Uzbek: , Kyrgyz: Фергана өрөөнү, Tajik: водии Фaрғонa, Russian: , Persian: ‎) is a region in the Tian Shan mountain ranges of Central Asia spreading across eastern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. ... harām (Arabic: حرام Ḥarām, Turkish: Haram, Malay: Haram) is an Arabic word, used in Islam to refer to anything that is prohibited by the faith. ...

On May 6, 1529, Babur defeated Mahmud Lo