Early Life of Babur
Babur
Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, was born on February 14, 1483, in Andijan, a city situated in the picturesque Farghana Valley in Uzbekistan, Central Asia. Andijan was the capital of Ferghana Valley and is known for delicious grapes and melons, as described by Babur in his autobiography.1
Fergana Valley spans eastern Uzbekistan, southern Kyrgyzstan, and northern Tajikistan and is surrounded by mountains. Despite its beauty, this valley was a center of strife and battles over many centuries. Uzbekistan has a long and complex history, and the religious practices of the people there have varied over time. Before the arrival of Islam, Uzbekistan was home to several other faiths, such as Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Christianity. The ancient city of Samarkand was a significant center of Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Buddhism. This is understandable, considering the geographical proximity to Hindustan and Persia.
Babur was the descendant of Tamerlane (Timur), the brutal Central Asian conqueror on his paternal side, and the equally brutal Genghis Khan on his mother's side. Both invaded and looted the Indian subcontinent and caused major havoc to the native Hindu civilization. Genghis Khan conquered Lahore (currently in Pakistan), and Timur conquered Delhi. The success of his ancestors must have left a great impression on young Babur and indeed led him on the path of invasion of India.
Babur was the eldest son of Umar Sheikh Mirza, the ruler of Fergana Valley, and his wife Qutlugh Nigar Khanum. Mirza was a devout Muslim who read the Quran daily and prayed five times daily. Babur himself was a devout Muslim, and his father's faith must have significantly influenced him.
Umar Mirza was born in 1456. Mirza's father was Timur's direct descendant. Kabul was under the Timurid empire then, and Mirza's father made him the chief of Kabul for a while. After his circumcision ceremony, Mirza was made the chief of Andijan. Mirza was short, stout, and not particular about dress and food, and like most royals at that time, he wore his turban in a specific way. In his autobiography, Babur describes Mirza as
"Affable, bold, daring, and sweet spoken."
Umar Mirza also had peace-making and diplomatic skills and often exchanged peace for war. He was fond of alcohol and resorted to other intoxicating substances, and when under the influence of drugs, he used to lose his head. He was passionate and fond of women's company and occasionally resorted to gambling.
Umar Mirza had eight children: three sons and five daughters, and they were not born to the same mother. Babur was the eldest. Jahangir Mirza was Umar's second son, and the third son, Nazir Mirza, were born to different mothers. After the premature demise of his father, Babur inherited Farghana in 1494 when he was just 11 years old and had grander ambitions.
