1526

1526 was a year of major political change in Eurasia, marking the rise of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent and a decisive Ottoman victory in Central Europe. The year set the stage for long-term dynastic and imperial shifts that would shape regional power for centuries.

In India, the Battle of Panipat on 21 April 1526 pitted Babur, a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan, against Ibrahim Lodi of the Delhi Sultanate. Babur defeated Lodi at Panipat, near present-day Haryana, and soon after moved to consolidate control over northern India, capturing Delhi and establishing Mughal rule. This victory is widely regarded as the foundation of the Mughal Empire, which would rule substantial parts of the Indian subcontinent for several centuries.

In Europe, the Battle of Mohács took place on 29 August 1526, where the Ottoman Empire under Suleiman the Magnificent defeated the Kingdom of Hungary. King Louis II of Hungary died in the battle, and the defeat precipitated a crisis that led to the partition of Hungary and intensified the ongoing Ottoman–Habsburg rivalry. The Mohács victory solidified Ottoman influence in central Hungary and altered the balance of power in Central Europe.

Together, these events illustrate 1526 as a pivotal year in the early modern era, signaling a shift in regional dominance and the emergence of long-lasting imperial frameworks in both the Indian subcontinent and Europe.