Knowra Babur Babur Babur (1483–1530) was a Central Asian ruler who founded the Mughal Empire after conquering northern India in 1526. His memoir, the Baburnama, is a major source on his life and campaigns.
Timurid dynasty : A Central Asian dynasty descended from Timur that ruled parts of Central Asia, Iran, and neighboring regions. Babur inherited his claim to rule and much of his political culture from this dynasty.
First Battle of Panipat : The 1526 battle in which Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi and established Mughal rule in northern India. This victory opened the way to Babur’s conquest of the Delhi Sultanate.
Baburnama : Babur’s autobiographical memoir, written primarily in Chagatai Turkic and known for its vivid accounts of politics, nature, and travel. It is the principal first-person account of Babur’s life and campaigns.
Mughal Empire : An early modern empire that ruled much of the Indian subcontinent from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. Babur founded the dynasty that became this empire.
Shaybani Khan : A Uzbek ruler who founded the Shaybanid dynasty and drove the Timurids from much of Central Asia. His victories forced Babur to abandon Samarkand and seek power elsewhere.
Fergana Valley : A fertile, densely populated valley in Central Asia, divided today among Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Babur inherited its small principality as a young ruler.
Ibrahim Lodi : The last sultan of the Delhi Sultanate’s Lodi dynasty, defeated by Babur at Panipat in 1526. His army and defeat defined Babur’s decisive first campaign in India.
Chagatai language : A Turkic literary language used in Central Asia from the late medieval period into the early modern era. Babur wrote his memoir in the literary language of his Central Asian world.
Humayun : The second Mughal emperor, who succeeded his father Babur in 1530. Babur’s son inherited the new empire but soon faced major territorial losses.
Wazir Khan : A title used by the Mughal commander who served Babur in his early Indian campaigns. Babur’s memoir records this commander’s role in the conquest of northern India.
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