Babar's Fourth Foray: A Stepping Stone to Hindustan

Babar, the ambitious descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan, harbored a persistent vision: the conquest of Hindustan. This wasn't a sudden impulse but a calculated, multi-stage endeavor. The Akbarnama, the official chronicle of his grandson Akbar's reign, details these attempts, offering insights into the challenges and triumphs that shaped the early Mughal Empire.

The Fourth Attempt: Lahore and Dipalpur

In the year 930 AH (corresponding to 1524 CE), Babar launched his fourth significant expedition towards India. This campaign saw the Mughal forces push further than some previous attempts, securing important territories. The text notes the capture of Lahore and Dipalpur, key cities in the Punjab. The significance of the Dipalpur conquest is even marked by a chronogram, a historical phrase whose letters numerically sum to the year of the event: "Wasit shahr Rabiu-l-awwal" (Middle of Rabiu-l-awwal 930).

This wasn't a minor raid; it was a substantial move that demonstrated Babar's military capability and his intent to establish a foothold in the region.

A Postponed Victory

Despite these initial successes, the fourth expedition did not culminate in the full conquest of India. The Akbarnama attributes this halt not to external defeat, but to internal factors within Babar's own ranks. The text mentions the "sluggishness of the officers and the non-cooperation of his brothers" as the primary reasons for the campaign being postponed.

This reveals a crucial aspect of Babar's struggle: the challenge of maintaining unity and discipline among his diverse nobility and even within his own family. Conquest required not just military might but also political cohesion, a factor that proved elusive during this particular push.

Context and Legacy

Placing this fourth expedition within the broader narrative of Babar's life highlights his remarkable resilience. He faced numerous setbacks, including internal dissent, yet he never abandoned his ultimate goal. Each attempt, even those that didn't achieve full conquest, served as a learning experience, testing his strategies and revealing the political landscape of India.

The campaign of 1524, though a "postponed" victory, was a vital precursor. It allowed Babar to gather intelligence, test the defenses of the Lodi Sultanate, and understand the dynamics of the region. The lessons learned, and perhaps the territories temporarily gained, paved the way for the fifth and ultimately successful expedition in 1525-1526, which culminated in the Battle of Panipat and the founding of the Mughal Empire in India.

Babar's fourth foray into India, as chronicled in the Akbarnama, reminds us that the path to empire is rarely linear. It is often paved with partial victories and frustrating delays, demanding unwavering determination from those who seek to reshape history.