Babur’s Problems After the Battle of Panipat
Medieval History › Mughal Period · Topic 6.3
After Panipat, Babur faced homesick begs, a hostile countryside, the threat of Rana Sanga and unreconciled Afghan chiefs in the east. He solved the first by declaring he would stay in India and allowing the unwilling to leave, met Sanga at Khanwa, and fought the Afghans and Nusrat Shah at the Ghagra in 1529, settling for a vague suzerainty over Bihar before he died.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Mughal Period
At a Glance
- Internal problem Begs unwilling to stay in India
- Local problem Hostile countryside
- Major rival Rana Sanga of Mewar
- Eastern rival Afghans under Mahmud Lodi and Nusrat Shah of Bengal
- Late campaign Ghagra, 1529
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: Mughal Period
Where Does It Fit?
This is the third topic of the category on the Mughal period. The previous topic described the battle of Panipat, and this topic covers the troubles that followed it. The next topic covers the Battle of Khanwa with Rana Sanga. Previous topic: Ibrahim Lodi Babur’s tactics Carts, breastworks, guns and flank attacks Gunners Ustad…">First Battle of Panipat (1526) – Babur’s Victory Over Ibrahim Lodi.
What Were the Problems of Babur’s Army?
In short: after Panipat, Babur’s men were far from home in a strange land and many wanted to leave, and the people of India were hostile.
Many of Babur’s begs were not ready for a long campaign in India, and with the onset of the hot weather their doubts grew. They were far from home in a strange and hostile country. Babur wrote that the people of India showed remarkable hostility and left their villages at the approach of the Mughal armies, because the memory of Timur’s sacking of towns and villages was still fresh.
How Did Babur Solve the Problem?
Babur knew that India’s resources alone could let him found a strong empire and satisfy his begs. He recorded in his diary, “Not for us the poverty of Kabul again.” He took a firm stand, announcing that he would stay on in India, and gave leave to the begs who wanted to go back to Kabul. This cleared the air at once. The treasures Ibrahim had stored at Agra also relieved his money troubles. But the decision to stay invited the hostility of Rana Sanga, who began to prepare for a showdown, as covered in Battle of Khanwa (1527) – Babur’s Struggle with Rana Sanga.
What Was the Afghan Problem?
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position | Eastern Uttar Pradesh was under Afghan chiefs who had accepted Babur but could throw off allegiance at any time |
| Backers | Nusrat Shah of Bengal, who had married a daughter of Ibrahim Lodi |
| Action | Afghans ousted Mughal officials in eastern Uttar Pradesh and reached Kanauj |
| Weakness | Lack of a popular leader |
| Leader found | Mahmud Lodi, Ibrahim’s brother, who had fought at Khanwa, came to Bihar and was hailed as ruler |
This was a threat Babur could not ignore.
What Is the Timeline After Panipat?
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| April 1526 | Panipat won; Delhi and Agra occupied |
| Hot weather of 1526 | Begs grow restless; Babur announces he will stay |
| 1527 | Battle of Khanwa against Rana Sanga |
| After Khanwa | Afghans in the east rally under Mahmud Lodi |
| Early 1529 | Ghagra campaign and settlement with Nusrat Shah |
| After the campaign | Babur returns to Agra and dies near Lahore on the way to Kabul |
The sequence shows that each problem was met one at a time: morale first, then the Rajput threat, then the Afghans.
What Happened at the Ghagra?
At the start of 1529 Babur left Agra for the east. He crossed the Ganga near Banaras and faced the combined forces of the Afghans and Nusrat Shah of Bengal at the crossing of the Ghagra. He crossed the river and made the Bengal and Afghan armies retreat, but he could not win a decisive victory. Being ill and anxious about Central Asia, he patched up a settlement. He put forward a vague claim to suzerainty over Bihar but left most of it with the Afghan chiefs, and he made a treaty with Nusrat Shah. He then returned to Agra, and soon after died near Lahore while on his way to Kabul.
As an analytical point, Babur left the conquest of the east unfinished. His real achievements were Panipat and Khanwa, which broke the Lodis and the Rajput confederacy, but the Afghans remained a danger that his son Humayun faced, as described in Humayun’s Reign and Conflict with the Afghans.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Consolidation Shows that conquest and control were different tasks
- Babur’s decision The statement to stay on is a favourite question
- Link Prepares the Afghan question under Humayun
What Came Next?
The next topic describes the Battle of Khanwa and Babur’s struggle with Rana Sanga. Next topic: Battle of Khanwa (1527) – Babur’s Struggle with Rana Sanga.
Key People and Terms
- Begs Babur’s nobles
- Mahmud Lodi Ibrahim’s brother, Afghan leader
- Nusrat Shah Sultan of Bengal
- Ghagra River where Babur fought the Afghans
- Suzerainty Overlordship
- Not for us the poverty of Kabul again Babur’s diary line
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Babur announced he would stay in India.
- Ghagra: 1529.
- Mahmud Lodi led the Afghans.
- Nusrat Shah of Bengal backed them.
- Babur died near Lahore.
Do Not Confuse With
- Ibrahim Lodi and Mahmud Lodi Sultan killed at Panipat versus his younger brother
- Nusrat Shah and Daulat Khan Sultan of Bengal versus governor of the Punjab
- Khanwa and Ghagra Battle with Sanga versus battle with Afghans
Memory Hook
Begs want home, Babur says stay, Sanga arises, the Afghans rise, Ghagra ends in a truce.
Mains Angle
Questions on this phase ask how Babur secured his conquest. These points add depth.
- Army Morale and the decision to stay
- Rivals Sanga and the Afghans
- Result Partial consolidation
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“What difficulties did Babur face after Panipat, and how far did he overcome them?”
How to Answer
- Army Begs and the hostile people.
- Decision To stay in India.
- Rivals Sanga and the Afghans.
- Result Khanwa won, Ghagra inconclusive.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What problems did Babur face after Panipat?
Babur's begs wanted to return home, the Indian people were hostile and fled villages, Rana Sanga prepared to fight, and the eastern Afghans refused to accept Mughal rule. He settled the first by declaring he would stay in India.
What did Babur say about staying in India?
Babur wrote in his diary, "Not for us the poverty of Kabul again." He announced he would stay in India and allowed the begs who wished to go back to Kabul to leave, which immediately cleared the air.
Who was Mahmud Lodi?
Mahmud Lodi was a younger brother of Ibrahim Lodi who fought on Rana Sanga's side at Khanwa and later went to Bihar, where the Afghans hailed him as their ruler and gathered under him against Babur.
What happened at the Ghagra in 1529?
Babur crossed the Ghagra and forced the Afghan and Bengal armies to retreat, but he could not win a decisive victory. He then made a vague claim to Bihar, left most of it to the Afghans and signed a treaty with Nusrat Shah.
How did Babur die?
Babur died near Lahore while on his way to Kabul, shortly after returning from the Ghagra campaign. He had been ill and was anxious about the situation in Central Asia in his last years, which pushed him towards a settlement.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Babur gave leave to begs who wished to return to Kabul.
He had decided to stay on in India.
2 Mahmud Lodi was hailed by the Afghans in Bihar.
He was Ibrahim Lodi's brother.
3 Babur won a decisive victory at the Ghagra in 1529.
He crossed the river but could not win decisively.
4 Nusrat Shah of Bengal supported Babur against the Afghans.
He backed the Afghans and later made a treaty.
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