Babur defeats the Rajputs

As a result of the Battle of Panipat in 1526, Babur became the ruler of Delhi and Agra. He now had to fight against two other enemies, the Afghan nobles of Bihar and Bengal, and the Rajputs under Rana Sanga of Mewar. Babur sent his nobles to unconquered parts of the country to expel the Afghans chiefs from there, while he was engaged in collecting the resources to wage a war against the Rajputs.

Rana Sanga was a brave warrior. He was joined by some Muslim supporters of the Lodi dynasty. He marched with an army of 120 chiefs, 80,000 horses and 500 war elephants, and the rulers of Ajmer, Gwalior, Amber, Marwar against Babur. Babur's army was comparatively small and were struck with terror and panic. So Babur appealed to his men to fight bravely. His men promised to support him. The Mughals and the Rajputs met in the decisive battle of Khanwa in on March 16, 1527.

The Rajputs fought bravely but Babur used the same tactics that he used in the battle of Panipat and thus defeated the Rajputs. Rana Sanga escaped with the help of some of the followers but died after about two years. This victory facilitated Babur's task as it enabled him to establish the rule of the Mughals in India.

Babur defeats the Afghans Chiefs

Babur then turned to the Afghans chiefs who had formed a confederacy against him under the Ibrahim Lodi's brother Mahmud Lodi. He met the Afghans on the banks of Ghagra, near the confluence of that river with the Ganga above Patna. Babur defeated the Afghans on May 6, 1529.

Thus as a result of these three victorious battle (Battle of Panipat, Battle of Khanwar and Battle of Ghagra), Babur became the master of the whole of northern India.

Agra became the capital of Babur's empire.

Establishment of Babur's Rule

Babur established his empire after defeating Ibrahim Lodi at the Battle of Panipat, the Rajputs under Rana Sanga of Mewar at the battle of Kanwar and the consolidated Afghans chiefs at the banks of river Ghagra. His kingdom extended from Kabul and Kandhahar in the north-west to Bihar in the east and from the Himalayas in the north to Gwalior in the south. However he was not able enjoy the fruits of his hard-earned victories. After four years of ruling India, Babur died in 1530 at the age of forty seven. He was succeeded by his son Humayun.

Story about his death

Extract from An Advanced History of India by RC Majumdar, HC Raychaudhari and Kalikinkar Datta

The Muslim historians relate a romantic anecdote regarding his death. It is said that when his son, Humayun , fell ill, Babur by a fervent prayer to God, had his son's disease transferred to his own body, and thus while his son began to recover, the father's health gradually declined till he ultimately succumbed, two or three months after Humayun's recovery. A modern writer however argues that Babur's death was due to attack of a disease.

Babur's body was first laid at Arambagh in Agra, but was afterwards conveyed to Kabul, where it was buried in one of his favourite gardens.

Babur's four years in Hindustan

Babur's early death prevented him from organising his empire. There was no uniformity in administration of the conquered territories by Babur. There was no time for Babur to enact new laws. He spent much of his wealth in offering presents and gifts to his followers. Though Babur left nothing to say about his rule, he plays an important role in the Indian history as he was the first architect to lay the foundation stone of Mughal empire in India.

Babur as a Person
Babur was an able general with gifted military powers. His powerful artillery and skillful cavalry won him success in India. He did not believe in ruthless massacres. He was very kind-hearted, a firm believer in God, and a very affectionate father. Babur was a gifted writer and poet. His memoirs Tuzuk-e-Baburi are well-known. They reveal that Babur was a lover of nature and a man of refined taste. His memoirs hold a very high place in the history of human literature. They were translated into Persian in the times of Akbar in 1590, into English in 1826 and into French in 1871.