The Mughal Empire was founded in 1526 by Babur, a Central Asian ruler descended from both Timur and Genghis Khan. Babur defeated the Delhi Sultanate at the First Battle of Panipat and established the Mughal dynasty. However, instability plagued the early empire - Babur's son Humayun lost control of India to the Sur Empire and spent time in exile in Persia before regaining some territory just before his death.
The Mughal Empire was founded in 1526 by Babur, a Central Asian ruler descended from both Timur and Genghis Khan. Babur defeated the Delhi Sultanate at the First Battle of Panipat and established the Mughal dynasty. However, instability plagued the early empire - Babur's son Humayun lost control of India to the Sur Empire and spent time in exile in Persia before regaining some territory just before his death.
The Mughal Empire was founded in 1526 by Babur, a Central Asian ruler descended from both Timur and Genghis Khan. Babur defeated the Delhi Sultanate at the First Battle of Panipat and established the Mughal dynasty. However, instability plagued the early empire - Babur's son Humayun lost control of India to the Sur Empire and spent time in exile in Persia before regaining some territory just before his death.
The Mughal Empire was founded in 1526 by Babur, a Central Asian ruler descended from both Timur and Genghis Khan. Babur defeated the Delhi Sultanate at the First Battle of Panipat and established the Mughal dynasty. However, instability plagued the early empire - Babur's son Humayun lost control of India to the Sur Empire and spent time in exile in Persia before regaining some territory just before his death.
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Contemporaries referred to the empire founded by
Babur as the Timurid Empire,[31] which
reflected the hśeritage of his dynasty, and this was the term preferred by the Mughals themselves.[32] The Mughal designation for their own dynasty was Gurkani (Persian: گورکانیان, romanized: Gūrkāniyān, lit. 'sons-in-law').[33] The use of "Mughal" and "Moghul" derived from the Arabic and Persian corruption of "Mongol", and it emphasised the Mongol origins of the Timurid dynasty.[34] The term gained currency during the 19th century, but remains disputed by Indologists.[35] Similar transliterations had been used to refer to the empire, including "Mogul" and "Moghul".[36][37] Nevertheless, Babur's ancestors were sharply distinguished from the classical Mongols insofar as they were oriented towards Persian rather than Turco- Mongol culture. The Mughals themselves claimed ultimate descent from Mongol Empire founder Genghis Khan.[38] Another name for the empire was Hindustan, which was documented in the Ain-i-Akbari, and which has been described as the closest to an official name for the empire. [39] In the west, the term "Mughal" was used for the emperor, and by extension, the empire as a whole. [40]
History Main article: Mughal dynasty
Babur and Humayun (1526–1556)
Main articles: Babur and Humayun
South-Asia 1525 CE DELHI SULTANATE (LODIS) TIMURID EMPIRE (Babur) SHAH MIR SULTANATE PHAGMODRUPAS KHANDESH SULTANATE BERAR SULTANATE MALWA SULTANATE ARGHUNS
Main South Asian polities circa 1525 CE, on the eve of the establishment of the Mughal Empire by Babur.[41]
The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur (reigned 1526–1530), a Central Asian ruler who was descended from the Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur (the founder of the Timurid Empire) on his father's side, and from Genghis Khan on his mother's side.[42] Ousted from his ancestral domains in Central Asia, Babur turned to India to satisfy his ambitions. [43] He established himself in Kabul and then pushed steadily southward into India from Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass.[42] Babur's forces defeated Ibrahim Lodhi in the First Battle of Panipat. Before the battle, Babur sought divine favour by abjuring liquor, breaking the wine vessels and pouring the wine down a well. However, by this time Lodhi's empire was already crumbling, and it was actually the Rajput Confederacy which was the strongest power of Northern India under the capable rule of Rana Sanga of Mewar. He defeated Babar in the Battle of Bayana.[44] In a decisive battle fought near Agra, the Timurid forces of Babur defeated the Rajput army of Sanga. This battle was one of the most decisive and historic battles in Indian history, as it sealed the fate of Northern India for the next two centuries. After the battle, the centre of Mughal power became Agra instead of Kabul. The preoccupation with wars and military campaigns, however, did not allow the new emperor to consolidate the gains he had made in India.[45] The instability of the empire became evident under his son, Humayun (reigned 1530–1556), who was forced into exile in Persia by rebels. The Sur Empire (1540–1555), founded by Sher Shah Suri (reigned 1540–1545), briefly interrupted Mughal rule.[42] Humayun's exile in Persia established diplomatic ties between the Safavid and Mughal Courts, and led to increasing Persian cultural influence in the later restored Mughal Empire.[citation needed] Humayun's triumphant return from Persia in 1555 restored Mughal rule in some parts of India, but he died in an accident the next year.[42]
