In 1589 CE, Haider Kashmiri, an artist in the imperial workshop of Akbar created this painting. Akbar had commissioned the first illustrated Persian translation of the Baburnama (autobiography of the first Mughal emperor, Babur). This is one of the many paintings in the Baburnama and is made using opaque pigments and gold on paper. Originally part of a single volume, the manuscript was later dispersed. This painting depicts a battle between Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire, and Muhammad Shaybani Khan (also known as Shaibaq Khan), the Uzbek ruler who held significant power in Central Asia, for control of the city of Samarkand. During this period, Babur repeatedly attempted to reclaim his ancestral Timurid territories but suffered a series of defeats at the hands of Shaybani Khan. The event is significant because Babur's failure to defeat Shaybani ultimately forced him to abandon Central Asia and establish himself in Kabul, which later led to the foundation of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent in 1526. The focus of the painting is on the dense concentration of soldiers depicted in a violent and chaotic battle. The fortified city in the background is probably the city of Samarkand, the reason for the battle between the two rulers. The scenes in the painting are organized vertically, from the fortified city in the top, to the landscape, and down to the soldiers and the horses. Babur is identified as the figure in the center mounted on a white horse. The decorative gold floral margins surrounding the image are a characteristic of Mughal manuscripts intended for royal audiences. The text in the panel reads- ‘they were with him and instantly they dispersed’. The text in the right margin reads- 'the painter of this painting (is) Haydar Kashmiri, the most humble, disciple of Shah ‘Alam Panah’. It is also important to note that the painting is not a documentary record of a battle but instead an interpretation of Babur's memoirs produced under Akbar nearly eighty years after the events occurred. In commemorating Babur's struggles against Shaybani Khan, the painting shows how adversity can lead to eventual success. Thus, the painting can be interpreted as a story of resilience, destiny, and the origins of the Mughal Empire.
When I look at this painting, I see more than a battle scene. What stands out to me is the feeling of perseverance in the face of failure. The crowded composition, filled with soldiers, weapons, and restless horses, creates a sense of confusion and tension, making the battle feel intense and unpredictable. Even though Babur was unsuccessful in reclaiming Samarkand, the painting does not present him as defeated. Instead, his position at the centre of the scene suggests courage and determination despite overwhelming challenges. The distant fortified city feels like a symbol of an ambition that remains just out of reach. Yet, knowing Babur’s later achievements, the painting becomes a reminder that failure is not always the end of a journey. I find it moving that an event marked by loss is remembered because it ultimately led to a greater destiny. The artwork celebrates resilience, showing how setbacks can redirect a person toward an unexpected future. In this way, the painting feels both historical and deeply human.
