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16th century, in which Ottoman Empire possessed a
land of 8 million square kilometers in Asia, Europe and Africa continents is one of the
golden eras of Turkish history. Because, in this period, there was another Turkish Empire
in India with a square measure of 5 million square kilometers.
India is a continent
which was dreamt by all human beings as a world full of mysteries in all ages. In
centuries, there were several incursions on India, most nations establishing civilizations
in all parts of India. Aris, Persians, Alexander the Great and finally Turks entered
Indian territory and established many states there. Babur Shah established the greatest
civilization of India among these states.
Babur Shah, the great
conqueror of India is a Turk from Fergana. He is a member of Turk Barlas Tribe, and the
grandson of Tamerlane. He is the son of Omar Sheik Mirza, the ruler of Fergana. He was
born in Andican town of Fergana in Western Turkeli on 14 February 1483.
The state once
established by Tamerlane being dissolved, his grandsons had established separate states.
Ebu Said, one of them, was the ruler of Maveraünnehir, Hüseyin Baykara in Horasan, Sheik
Mirza, the father of Babur was ruling in Fergana. In the last days of Sheik Mirza, the
brothers began to fight. During these civil fights, Sheik Mirza died in 1494.
When Babur Shah
ascended the throne of his father in his 11, his uncle Semerkant Khan Sultan Ahmet and his
maternal uncle Mehmet were attacking on Mehmet Fergana. Babur, thanks to the powerful
commanders of his father, overcame this hazard. However, the youth of Babur elapsed in
dangers and exciting adventures. Every event increased the experience of this smart and
brave boy. Babur succeeded in capturing Semerkant, the magnificent government center of
his grandfather Timur. However, he was defeated by the Khan of Uzbeks, Şeybani. Fergana
could not stop dissolution of his soldiers and losing his country.
This young Khan, left
alone, withdrew to Pamir Mountains. He was hopeful despite such a great disaster. He hid
in a Turkish woman's house together with a few people. The brother of this woman was an
old soldier who took part in the India expeditions of Tamerlane. He was talking about the
richness, myths, and history of India every night.
Babur was listening to
those carefully. Babur, who was interested in literature, went curious about history. He
found the history of his ancestor Timur, and began to read.His spirit was fired with a
brand-new idea: Capturing India, and establishing a great Turkish Empire there... In fact,
he held all the qualifications of the founder of a new state. He sent a message to the
Turks in Horasan provinces. He succeeded in gathering a crowd of 20.000 brave and
stouthearted soldiers around him in a short time. He passed over Hindikuş Mountains with
this army and captured Kabil, the center of Afghanistan. Now, he had established his
headquarters at the gate of India. Saka Turks, Hun Turks, Gazne Turks and even Tamerlane
passed on this point to invade India. It was near for Babur to see a sunrise in his
fortune. He proclaimed himself as shah in Kabil. Şeybani, his biggest enemy was killed by
his enemies at the same time. Thus, the most important obstacle in front of him preventing
him from getting prepared for Indian expedition was eliminated.
Since Devlet Khan,
Pencap Governor of India of those times had broken with one of the Delhi sultans of India,
Sultan Ibrahim, he was encouraging Babur Shah for an Indian Expedition.
So, Babur Shah
notified the Delhi Sultan that this country was the inheritance of his ancestor, Tamerlane
left to him. When Sultan Ibrahim took the message, Babur Shah had prepared the army to
carry out an expedition on India. He had a strong artillery battery in his army too. His
forces was nearly 13.000 people. The army of Indian Ruler Sultan Ibrahim had an army of
100.000 soldiers. Indian army had about 1000 elephants. Turkish army passed through the
Hayber passage and entered Pencap region of India. Turkish soldiers were advancing toward
the inner parts of India, the country of myths, in a dignified manner like their
ancestors, in steel helmets and clothes. Sultan Ibrahim, being informed that Turks are
advancing along Sind river, took command of his army. The forces of both sides encountered
in Panipat of India.
Babur Shah, upon
seeing that giant elephants with long trunks were coming slowly, he aligned many carriages
of his army in front of his army for resistance to such heavy forces and tied them using
chains. He put artilleries between. Thus, two armies fought a bloody war on 21 April 1526.
Swords rose and came down, shields made noises, and thunder-like loud cries of Turkish
troops elevated up to the Indian sky. Was it possible to resist these stouthearted
soldiers? In a short time, Indian forces mingled, Turkish soldiers, killing 25.000
Indians, came out victorious in this war. Turkish horsemen entered Delhi running after the
escaping soldiers. In the same year, Ottoman Turks conquered all of Hungary by winning
Mohaç pitched battle.
Babur Shah, performed
his prayer in the Ulu Cami with the congregation when he entered Delhi, one of the major
cities of India. They proclaimed him as the Indian Sultan. Humayun, the son of Babur,
advanced with pioneering forces and captured Ağra, one of the famous cities of India.
Humayun took captive the family of Sultan Ibrahim, who took refuge in a house in Ağra.
Since he respected them more then enough, the spouse of Sultan Ibrahim, gave all of her
jewels to Humayun as a gift. There was a single gem brilliant among these jewels which was
put on the crown of Indian Turkish sultans. This brilliant was evaluated as 880.000
English Liras by European Jewelers. Babur Shah obtained the limitless wealth of India.
However, Babur Shah, who was a much of a satisfied person, distributed all these treasures
to his troops.
Once, many
Muslim Indian rajahs used to govern ındia. The Turks, by dominating over these rajahs one
by one, ensured unity in India for the first time. Fight against these rajahs lasted for
exactly five years. Babur Shah succeeded in founding Indian-Turkish Empire thanks to his
victories. Babur Shah was a good-mannered, generous and just Turkish ruler. Turks, with
their exceptional intelligence in founding States, established a strong state organization
in India. They respected the consciousness and freedom of various nations they dominated
over. Indians were set free in their religions and traditions. Since Turkish laws
prevailed in all India, the people became happy. As a result, economic life accelerated. A
strong civilization took place in India in Turkish era. All of India was improved
constructing marble palaces, mosques, bridges and many charitable institutions. Roads were
constructed all over India. Benares, Ağra, Delhi cities were filled with the most
beautiful pieces of art of the universe. The master-builders of Architect Sinan went to
India and constructed many monuments. Taj Mahal, constructed in the term of Turkish rulers
after Babur Shah, Humayun Tomb, the five-storey Palace called Turkish Sultan and İnci
Mosque are among the most important pieces of art in India.
Babur Shah was also a
powerful poet... He wrote a book about his memories of India. This is called Babürnâme.
Babur Shah wrote all of his poems in pure Turkish. A delicate and cheerful mood dominate
in these poems. He sang love with his poems in the most beautiful way possible. One of his
poems reads as follows:
Canımdan başka yâr-ı vefadâr bulmadım
Gönlümden başka mahrem-i esrâr bulmadım
Canım kadar başka dil-i efkâr görmedim
Gönlüm gibi gönlü giriftâr görmedim
One of his quatrains reads:
Aşkınla gönül haraptır ben ne ideyim
Hicrinle gözüm pür âbdır ben ne ideyim
Cismim bükülmüştür ben ne ideyim
Canımda çok ıstırap vardır ben ne ideyim.
The major statesman
and poet founding a big empire in India died in Agra on 26 December 1530 and his body was
taken to Kabil afterwards to be buried in a perfect tomb out of the city.
The book named
Babürname, in which he wrote his memories in Jagatai Turkish was translated by
Abdurrahman Khan into Persian and by Pavet de Courteille into English. In addition, he has
Turkish and Persian poems, a booklet of prosody, a Islamic Law book in verses named Mübîn
or Mübeyyen.
The great state
he founded ended with the invasion of India by British in 1858. Today, brother country
Pakistan and India exists on these territories.
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