BABER, BABAR (1483-153o), a famous conqueror of India and founder of the Mogul dynasty in India. His name was Zahir ud-din Mohammed and he was given the surname of Baber ("tiger") ; he was a descendant of Timur and son of Omar Sheik, king of Ferghana. Baber succeeded his father in 1495. In he successfully fought for Samarkand but, through a rebellion among his nobles, he lost it together with his own kingdom. He continued fighting and regained both territories, but in 1501 he was driven from Samarkand by Shaibani Khan, ruler of the Uzbegs.
In 1504 he crossed the Hindu Kush and after a siege captured Kabul. In the next year he united with Hussain Mirza of Herat against Shaibani ; Hussain, however, died and the expedition was abandoned. He returned to Kabul in time to quell a formidable rebellion, but two years later a revolt among some of the leading Moguls drove him from his city. His courage struck the army of his opponents with such dismay that they again returned to their allegiance and Baber regained his kingdom. Once again, in 1510 after the death of Shaibani, he endeavoured to obtain possession of his native country. He received considerable aid from Shah Ismael of Persia, and in 1511 made a triumphal entry into Samarkand. But in 1514 he was utterly defeated by the Uzbegs and with difficulty reached Kabul.
He seems now to have resigned all hopes of recovering Fer ghana, and as he at the same time dreaded an invasion of the Uzbegs from the west, his attention was more and more drawn towards India. Several preliminary incursions had been made when in 1521 an opportunity presented itself for a more extended expedition. Ibrahim, emperor of Delhi, was detested even by his Afghan nobles, several of whom called upon Baber for assistance. He at once assembled his forces, 12,000 strong, with some pieces of artillery and marched into India. Ibrahim, with Ioo,000 sol diers and numerous elephants, advanced against him. The great battle was fought at Panipat on April 21 1526, when Ibrahim was slain and his army routed. Baber took possession of Agra.
A still more formidable enemy awaited him; the Rana Sanga of Mewar collected the enormous force of 210,000 men, with which he moved against the invaders. On all sides there was danger and revolt, even Baber's own soldiers, worn out with the heat of this new climate, longed for Kabul. By vigorous measures and inspiriting speeches he restored their courage, though his own heart was nearly failing him, and in his distress he abjured the use of wine, to which he had been addicted. At Kanwaha, on March io 1527, he won a great victory and made himself absolute master of northern India. The remaining years of his life he spent in arranging the affairs and revenues of his new empire and in improving his capital, Agra. He died Dec. 26 153o in his 48th year.