Barlas

The Barlas, also Barlas, Barlaç, are a Central Asian clan of Mongol origin that became Turkicized and Muslim, historically centered in Transoxiana (modern Uzbekistan and Tajikistan). They are best known as the clan of Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire.

The Barlas trace their ancestry to a Mongol lineage within the Chagatai sphere; they settled in Transoxiana, especially in the Zarafshan and Fergana regions, and adopted Turkic language and culture, forming a ruling and landholding network.

In the 16th century, Babur, a Barlas prince, established the Mughal Empire in India after defeating Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat in 1526. The Mughal dynasty traced its lineage to the Barlas on the paternal side.

The Barlas maintained a Turkic-speaking, Islamized identity, while genealogies sometimes emphasize Mongol-origin claims. They interacted with Uzbek and other Central Asian polities and contributed to the regional aristocracy.

Today, the Barlas are regarded as a historical clan; descendants are found among Uzbek and other Central Asian communities, and the name persists as a surname. Their history is studied for insights into Central Asian political and cultural transformations and the origins of the Mughal Empire.