RISE OF THE TURK DYNASTIES:

PADSHAH ZAHIR-UD-DEEN MUHAMMAD TIMURID

“My own soul is my most faithful friend. My own heart, my truest confidant” – Babur

LAY OF THE LAND:

It was the last quarter of 15th century A.D, central Asia, once the power house of Turk Timurid dynasty under the
rule of Timur Gurkani was shattered into petty kingdoms. They were all ruled by descendants of Timur under the
nominal authority of Timurid Sultan in Samarkand. Uzbeks who claimed to be descendants from Mongols were
becoming stronger in the North, Qoyunlu Turks who were once under the suzerainty of Timurids now had
established their own Sultanate in the regions of Persia, Iraq and Armenia. To their west were the mighty Ottoman
Turks who had just recently taken Istanbul from Byzantine Empire in 1453 and were on the rise unstoppably
advancing into the lands of Eastern Europe. Further down to south of Ottomans were the Mameluke Turks of Egypt
who were about to start their trade conflict with Portuguese in Arabian Ocean and this would eventually signal their
downfall and destruction at the hands of Ottomans. It was the time when in Islamic world Turk nations were on the
rise and days of once mighty Abbasid and other Arab dynasties were over.
Now coming to the Indian subcontinent down in the South and South-East it was divided into petty kingdoms of
different Rajput and Muslim clans and dominated by Muslim kingdoms in the North and North-West. Notably
amongst them was the Delhi Sultanate of Afghan Lodi dynasty which would later be put to an end in 1526 by a tiger
from central Asia “Zahir ud Deen Muhammad Babur”.

CRITICAL JUNCTURE:
Babur was born in 1483 to Umar Sheikh Mirza the ruler of Fergana valley currently located in eastern Uzbekistan.
He was eleven when his father died by falling off the edge of the rooftop while examining his pigeons, or God
knows if someone pushed him from the top. History is shrouded in mystery here.

As was the norm of that time, his uncles and cousins rose against him and started scheming to take his inherited
dominions for themselves out of pure greed for more power. Whereas Babur, on the other hand, dreamt of restoring
the lost splendor and prestige of once mighty Timurid Empire with Samarkand as its capital. He made two attempts
sieging this city but eventually lost it every time to his rivals.

Babur decided that if he were to build his own legacy, that wasn’t possible while sitting among his enemies who
were a constant threat. He acknowledged that it was time to look towards East in Indian Punjab which was once part
of Timurid Empire and used this historical fact to declare his claim on Punjab which was at that time governed by
Daulat Khan Lodi. Interestingly, Daulat Khan and aristocracy of Punjab was not pleased with their Sultan Ibrahim
Lodi due to his absolutist policies and considered him a tyrant. They wrote to Babur that if he attacks Punjab, they
will support him and further pledged his loyalty to him.

But before this, Babur had already made Kabul as his new base which was much more protected and stable. He took
Kabul in 1504 from Arghunid Dynasty and spent nearly 10 years solidifying his rule and establishing new
diplomatic relations especially with Safvid Empire of Iran and Ottoman Turks. He thought of making one last
attempt to take Samarkand. So in 1513 he tried again and captured Samarkand and Bukhara both but after gaining
control for a few months, he finally lost it to his diehard Mongol enemy Muhammad Shaybani Khan who was a
descendant from the lineage of the eldest son of Chengiz Khan. This was the critical juncture which later paved the
way for the foundation of the Mughal Empire thus obliging Babur to consider that Northern India was his only
remaining option now.

RIVER TURNS EAST:

It was 1519 when Babur crossed into India, took Bhira Fort on the bank of Jhelum River and reached Chenab River
(now in Pakistan), here Daulat Khan sent his son to Babur and other notables from amongst aristocracy who paid
obeisance to Babur. After appointing officials and collectors, Babur left. At this point Babur was only thinking of
consolidating Punjab till Lahore.

Things were going fine till now, but Sultan Ibrahim Lodi could not allow Punjab to slip out of his hands so he sent
forces in 1524 ousting those who were loyal to Babur from Punjab. Turning of events in such a dramatic manner and
wavering loyalty of Daulat Khan who was constantly switching sides between Babur and Ibrahim, forced Babur to
march again into Punjab in 1525 from Peshawar. This time Babur’s army was accompanied by siege artillery and
matchlocks. Here, Ottoman Turks played a major role in the occupation of India by Mughals as they provided Babur
with military engineers like Mustafa Rumi and Ali Qulli Khan who equipped Mughal army with modern technology
of artilleries not known to Indians. In fact the Lodi’s army that came to counter Babur’s was superior in number but
lacked modern technology and was a late medieval style army. Babur was highly outnumbered when two armies met
at the battlefield of Panipat on 20th April 1526, but technology and advanced military strategy of Babur played a
decisive role in the outcome. Mughals defeated Lodi army routing their elephants back on them and eventually
Sultan Ibrahim Lodi was also killed in the course of events. Babur entered Delhi victoriously and sent his son
Humayun forward to take Agra fort so that his rule on Northern India was solidified.

It was not the end of all, one more major battle was fought in 1527; the battle of Khanwa where Babur defeated a
major alliance of remaining Afghan leadership from Lodi’s court and Rajput which formed against him. It was led
by Rana Sanga of Mewar. Babur was outnumbered and again technology and superior strategy made him victorious.

A PERSONAL TOUCH:
I would not be doing justice if I don’t mention anything personal of Babur, recently I had a chance to read English
translation of his personal diary ‘Babur Nama’ and it really touched me how a man who in pursuit of power could be
so conscious simultaneously. We can see that how respectful he was towards women of his household and other
relatives, especially towards his companions who stood with him in the time of his exile before he took Kabul. He
had an acute sense of observation and curiosity, especially when it comes to nature, where we can see him doing
experimentation with plants, in fact you will be amazed to know that he planted grapes and melons from central
Asia into India. While describing one of the towns of his domain “Marghinan” he categorically mentioned its best
pomegranates and apricots in his diary. Babur was so well versed in Turkic and Persian poetry and commentary that
his original work in Turkic language is still considered a source of fine Turkic literature, thanks to his mother and
grandmother for inculcating good manners and etiquettes of eloquence in him.

While in Delhi Babur was under stress because some of his companions insisted on leaving India and going back to
Afghanistan because of India’s harsh climate and other environmental differences. Moreover, there were some
political and social upheavals he was facing from people in his entourage. This was expected to happen as a new
race was entering and trying to establish itself amongst an alien race. One of Babur’s close companion Khawaja
Kalan had no heart to stay in India, and he was insisting on leaving so the matter was settled in such a way that he
will return to Kabul and Ghazni and manage affairs there. While he was leaving he wrote the following verse on the
wall of his Dehli’s residence which reflects the feeling of some of those who came to India.

If safe and sound I cross Sind.

Blacken my face before I wish for Hind...

Babur however granted him some land in Punjab and also dispatched along with him many gifts for his blood
relatives and those close to him and called upon his family to join him in India.

As the affairs got settled, Babur’s wife and consort Maham called upon their son Humayun from Badakhshan, as he
arrived, everybody in the royal house cheered up and Babur granted him his fief* in Sambhal. Babur has had a very
tough lifestyle since the times of his struggle in Fergana to his deprival from Samarkand and later during his stay in
Afghanistan where his mother passed away. He gained stress over time which was one of the multiple things
affecting his health. A strange incident happened here that Humayun on his arrival got extremely sick and this made
Babur so worried that he prayed to God for exchange of his life in return for Humayun’s. A saint told Babur to
circumambulate Humayun three times while he be on his rest bed and keep praying to God for his son’s health,
surprisingly it happened that Babur eventually got sick while Humayun was recovering. Babur passed away in 1530
AD and Humayun ascended to the Mughal throne. Unlike his father, he didn’t turn out to be a good administrator
but like him he did have a kind heart, often forgiving those who caused him harm.
We have read about the rise and fall of so many historic personalities. To me the most special and outstanding thing
about Babur is that he was a self-made man rising from nothing to be a man of high prestige. He won and lost, he
was accepted and rejected, but he continued with the dream of his remembering where he belongs and what his
destiny is just like a bright star who forms out of cosmic dust, going through phases of intense nuclear reactions,
boiling to millions of Celsius, hard cooked and eventually becoming stable to give light for life.