Page 2 - ch 6

Military System of The Mughals Module - II

The Mughal Empire in India was founded by Babur. He established himself in Kabul Military History of
and then invaded India from Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass. Medieval India

It was in a battle at Panipat, which is now located in Haryana that Babur defeated the
numerically superior forces of the last of Delhi Sultan Ibrahim Lodi. With the defeat of
the last Delhi sultan ruler, Babur fought with the Rajputs under Rana Sanga of Mewar,
and by 1529 he dismantled the Afghans of Gangetic Plains. On his death in 1530, he
left behind a new Empire which encompassed all of northern India from the Indus Note
River on the West to Bihar on the East, and from the Himalayas in the North to
Gwalior in South.

Map 6.1 Mughal Empire

After Babur's rule his son, Humayun took over power and assumed the throne in
1530, but in a short period of 10 years he was driven out of India into Persia by the
Afghan rebels. However, Humayun made a triumphant return from Persia to India
again in 1555.
The other prominent ruler that the Mughal dynasty saw was Humayun's son Akbar,
who established the throne under the administration of Bairam Khan in 1556. It was
during Akbar's rule,`Mughal influence' through out the country reached its political
height. Akbar left behind an internally stable state with reliable political, administratiave
and military structures.
Akbar's son Jahangir inherited both his father's administrative system and his tolerant
policy toward subjects but he neglected the affairs of the state and came under the
influence of rival courtiers. His rule did not continue for long and it passed on to his son
Shah Jahan who took over power in 1628. However, his rule also saw financial

35
MILITARY HISTORY 35