Political condition of India on the Eve of Babur’s Invasion:

• On the basis of Tuzuk-i-Baburi and other Historical Sources, the political conditions of India on the eve of Babur’s invasion.
• Innumerable small Independent Kingdoms– Babur writes in his memoirs that when he invaded India there were seven important States–Five Muslim and Two Hindus. In Northern India, the main States were Delhi, Punjab, Bengal, Jaunpur, Gujarat, Mewar, Malwa, Orissa, Sindh, Kashmir and Khandesh.
• No Powerful Central Authority: There was no powerful Central Authority to unite all the small States against a foreign invasion.
• Political condition of Southern India was also weak: The political condition of southern India was also very deteriorating. The Bahmani kingdom had broken up into five small principalities. These were—Beejapur, Golkunda, Beedar, Brar and Ahmadnagar.

Social condition of India on the eve of Babur’s Invasion:

Mainly the society was divided into two groups—Hindu and Muslim. The categories were three:

(i) Feudals – Under this category, Amirs, Sardars, Kaji etc. were included. Their living standard was good. They had their own harems and they used to drink wine.

(ii) Middle Group – Samant, Munshi, Hakims, scholars and merchants were included in this category.

(iii) Lower Group – Labourers and farmers were included in this category

Economic condition of India on the eve of Babur’s Invasion:

• India was prosperous at the time of Babur. Poor and rich both groups were present at that time. The richness of the country was enough to attract any invader. The economic condition was attractive and political and social condition was deplorable.

Central Asia and Babur

• Important changes took place in Central and West Asia during the fifteenth century. After the disintegration of the Mongol empire in the fourteenth century, Timur united Iran and Turan under one rule once again. Timur’s empire extended from the lower Volga to the river Indus, and included Asia Minor (modern Turkey), Iran, Trans-Oxiana, Afghanistan and a part of the Punjab. Timur died in 1405, but his grandson, Shahrukh Mirza (d. 1448), was able to keep intact a large part of his empire. He gave patronage to arts and letters, and in his time, Samarqand and Herat became the cultural centres of West Asia. The ruler of Samarqand had great prestige in the entire Islamic world.
• The power of the Timurids declined rapidly during the second half of the fifteenth century, largely owing to the Timurid tradition of partitioning the empire.

Battle of Panipat, 1526

* After making elaborate preparations, Babur set out for the conquest of India. First, he had to deal with Daulat Khan Lodi who had turned out Ala-ud-Din from Lahore. After defeating him, Babur advanced to Delhi via Sirhind. Ibrahim Lodi came out of Delhi to give battle to Babur. The opposing armies met on the historic plains of Panipat. Babur had certain advantages. His artillery worked wonders. In spite of the superior numerical strength of Ibrahim Lodi’s Armies, he was defeated and killed in the battlefield. The result was that the Kingdom of Delhi and Agra fell into the hands of Babur. Babur occupied Delhi and sent his son Humayun to seize Agra. Babur proclaimed himself as “Emperor of Hindustan”.

Effects of First Battle of Panipat:

The main effects of First Battle of Panipat were as under:

• End of the Rule of Lodi Dynasty: The Battle of Panipat is regarded as one of the decisive Battle of Indian History. It broke the back of Lodi Power and brought under Babur’s control the entire area upto Delhi and Agra.
• Foundation of the Mughal Empire: Bubur’s victory at Panipat led to the foundation of Mughal Empire in India.
• Re-establishment of the prestige of ‘Crown’: After the Battle of Panipat, Babur laid the Foundation of a New Dynasty and called himself “monarch”. Unlike the Sultans of Delhi Sultanate Period he never used to call himself the Deputy of the Caliph but used to call himself Emperor. Thus he revived the sovereignty of the Monarch as it used to be in ancient times in India and thus re-established the prestige of the “Crown”.
• Use of Artillery in India: The Battle of Panipat led to the initiation of Artillery in India. Up till now Indian were not familiar with the gun-powder.

Artillery is an army unit that uses large cannon-like weapons, transportable and usually operated by more than one person. Gun powder was first invented by the Chinese and found its way to Europe in the 13th century A.D. (CE). It was used in guns and cannons from the mid-fourteenth century onwards. In India we have no instances of artillery being used in war before Babur.

Tulugama Became Popular in India:

• One of the important causes of Babur’s victory in First Battle of Panipat was the adoption of a scientific war strategy Tulugama (an Ottoman or Rumi device) by him. Gradually Indian Rulers also adopted this very system.
• Almost all Indian Rulers later on started adopting the policy of keeping a reserve army.
• The Indian Rulers were greatly impressed by the swiftness and movability of horses and gradually the place of elephants was taken by horses in the army.
• A Shift in the Political Interest. After this battle the centre of Babur’s political activities and ambitions was shifted from Kabul and Central Asia to Agra and India.

Battle of Kanwah (1527)

• His subsequent victories over Rana Sangha and the Afghans secured his position as the ruler of India. Rana Sangha of Mewar was a great Rajput warrior. He marched against Babur and in the Battle of Kanwah (near Agra) held in 1527 Babur won a decisive victory over him. Babur assumed the title Ghazi.
• The Battle of Kanwah secured Babur’s position in The Delhi-Agra Region. Babur strengthened his position further by conquering the chain of forts–Gwalior, Dholpur, etc., in East of Agra. He also annexed large parts of Alwar from Hasan Khan Mewati.

Battle of Chanderi (1528)

• As a result of the Battle of Kanwah, the power of the Rajputs was crippled, but no crushed. Babur marched against Chanderi which was a stronghold of the Rajputs under Medini Rai. In 1528 The Mughals besieged the Fort where Medini Rai had taken shelter with his 5,000 followers. Medini Rai refused to enter into any treaty with Babur and also did not accept Babur’s offer of a Jagir in lieu of Chanderi. Consequently, Babur pressed the siege of Chanderi with full vigour and attacked the Fort of Chanderi from all sides and the Fort of Chanderi was captured. After this no other Rajput chief could challenge the authority of Babur.
• In the next year, Babur defeated the Afghans in the Battle of Gogra in Bihar. By these victories, Babur consolidated his power in India. And thus Babur died at Agra in 1530 at the age of forty seven.

Estimate of Babur

• Babur was a great statesman and a man of solid achievements. He was also a great scholar in Arabic and Persian languages. Turki was his mother tongue. He wrote his memoirs, Tuzuk-i-Baburi in Turki language. It provides a vivid account of India. He frankly confesses his own failures without suppressing any facts. He was also a naturalist and described the flora and fauna of India.
• Though an orthodox Sunni, Babur was not bigotted or led by the religious divines. His theory of kingship was not Islamic or Qurantic but purely Indian. This is evident from his will he left for Humayun. He had visualised the evil effects of discrimination between the Hindus and the Muslim Subjects, and had adopted a policy of matromonial relations with Rajputs. He accepted Rajputs in his forces and gave them position of honour.