Babur’s Conquest of India: Journey from Kabul to Panipat

Important changes in Central and West Asia during the fifteenth century.

After the disintegration of the Mongol empire, Timur reunited Iran and Turan under one rule, extending from the lower Volga to the river Indus, including Asia Minor (modern Turkey), Iran, Trans-Oxiana, Afghanistan, and part of the Punjab.
Timur died in 1405, but his grandson, Shahrukh Mirza, maintained a large part of the empire, making Samarqand and Herat cultural centers of West Asia.
The power of the Timurids declined rapidly during the second half of the fifteenth century due to their tradition of partitioning the empire, leading to constant internal conflict.
New elements, such as the Uzbeks from the north and the Safavid dynasty in Iran, emerged. The Uzbeks were Sunnis, while the Safavids supported the Shiite sect, leading to political and sectarian conflict.
The Ottoman Turks to the west aimed to dominate eastern Europe, Iraq, and Iran.

Babur's attempts to conquer Samarqand and his eventual move towards India.

In 1494, at twelve years old, Babur succeeded to Farghana. Despite the Uzbek threat, the Timurid princes were preoccupied with internal conflicts.
Babur attempted to conquer Samarqand from his uncle, winning and losing the city twice. The second time, Uzbek chief Shaibani Khan was called in to oust Babur, who then moved towards Kabul and conquered it in 1504.
For fourteen years, Babur aimed to reclaim his homeland from the Uzbeks but faced several setbacks, including the conquest of Herat by Shaibani Khan.
In 1510, Shah Ismail of Iran defeated and killed Shaibani Khan, temporarily allowing Babur to reclaim Samarqand with Iranian support. However, Babur chafed under Iranian control and was soon ousted again by the Uzbeks.
Shah Ismail's defeat by the Ottoman sultan in 1514 left the Uzbeks as masters of Trans-Oxiana, leading Babur to focus on India.

The Mughal-Afghan Struggle for North India (1525-1555)