The pages of Indian history hold several dates that permanently altered the destiny of the nation. One such historical date is September 20, which reminds us of the day when the final chapter of the nearly three-century-old Mughal rule in India came to an end. But do you know where the Mughal Sultanate, whose final chapter was written on this day, actually began? From a single ambitious ruler to the throne of Delhi, its gradual decline, and eventual collapse in 1857, the story is both fascinating and vast.
The Rise of Zahir-ud-Din Babur
The founder of the Mughal Empire, Zahir-ud-Din Babur (1483–1530), was a bold and visionary ruler. According to historians, the Mughals were descendants of the Turkic conqueror Timur and the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan. Their origins are primarily traced back to modern-day Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. During that era, these rulers were originally identified as the 'Gurkani' dynasty, but British historians later collectively termed them 'Mughals'.
Babur's early life was filled with trials. He became the ruler of Fergana, a small city in Uzbekistan, at the tender age of 12. Facing numerous defeats and losing his kingdom multiple times in his youth, Babur never lost his resilience and continuously sought to expand his territory.
The Entry into India and the First Battle of Panipat
Seeking a larger empire, Babur turned his sights toward the Indian subcontinent, entering India in 1526. His first major confrontation was against Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi, at the historic plains of Panipat.
Utilizing superior military tactics and artillery, Babur decisively defeated Ibrahim Lodi. This victory marked the formal beginning of the Mughal era and the end of the Delhi Sultanate, establishing the Mughals as a dominant power in northern India.
From Humayun to Aurangzeb: Expansion and Golden Age
Babur's reign in India lasted only four years until his death in 1530, after which his son Humayun ascended the throne. Humayun faced stiff resistance from Afghan leader Sher Shah Suri and spent years in exile before reclaiming Delhi. Following Humayun, rulers like Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb expanded the empire to its zenith, witnessing a golden age of architecture and administration before internal strife set in.
The 1857 Revolt and the Final Fall
Following Aurangzeb's death in 1707, the Mughal Empire experienced a rapid decline. By 1857, during India's First War of Independence, the elderly and powerless Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was proclaimed the leader of the uprising. British forces recaptured Delhi, arrested Zafar on September 20, 1857, and exiled him to Rangoon, marking the absolute end of the Mughal dynasty.
