Babur

Babur, born Zahir-ud-Din Muhammad Babur on 14 February 1483 in Andijan, was a Timurid prince of the Barlas clan who founded the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He traced his lineage to both Timur (Tamerlane) and Genghis Khan and spent his early years in Central Asia, seeking to reclaim ancestral lands in the Ferghana Valley and Kabul.

After establishing a base in Kabul, Babur turned his attention toward India. In 1526, he defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat and founded Mughal rule in northern India. He continued campaigns to consolidate authority, including the Battle of Khanwa in 1527, which helped secure Mughal dominance in the region and established a lasting foothold in the Ganges basin.

Babur was also a prolific writer and patron of culture. He composed the Babur-nama, an autobiography in Chaghatai Turkish, detailing his ancestry, travels, and military campaigns. The work provides observations on geography, flora, and politics, and it contributes to the documented early Mughal court culture and administration.

He died on 26 December 1530 in Agra during a campaign, and his body was transported to Kabul, where he is buried in Bagh-e Babur. Babur was succeeded by his son Humayun, and the Mughal Empire that he founded would expand further under subsequent rulers, notably Akbar, shaping the history of South Asia for centuries.