Babur, a ruler of Samarkhand, a small kingdom in Turkestan, rose to become the Emperor of India in the 16th century. His lineage extended to
Timur on his father's side and Chengiz Khan on his mother's side. The historic victory at
Panipat in 1526 over
Ibrahim Lodhi, who ruled
Delhi, marked the dawn of the
Mughal dynasty.
Babur had to consolidate his position by suppressing dissent from Afghans as also from the
Rajputs. He led an aggressive campaign of conquests and by his death in 1530, his empire stretched from the Deccan to Turkestan. The cause of Babur’s death is believed to be poisoning, masterminded by the mother of Ibrahim Lodhi, to avenge the death of her son.