A review of the book 'Babur: The Chessboard King' written by Aabhas Maldahiyar.
Gripping, anecdotal and deeply researched Babur: The Chessboard King delves into Hindustan's economic landscape during Timurid rule and portrays Babur as a multifaceted ruler, challenging the typical depiction of an infallible conqueror and a good human being. Meticulously sourced from the Persian manuscript of the Baburnama and other primary sources, this book represents a milestone in Babur's biographical genre, essential for comprehending the ambitions of this enigmatic king.
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Coming up: A review of the book 'Babur: The Chessboard King' written by Aabhas Maldahiyar.
Namaste Friends. My name is 'Shinil Subramanian Payamal' and you are listening to the Historylogy podcast.
Before I proceed, a full disclosure: This book was bought with my own money and not been provided to me by the author or publisher.
Little bit about the author:
Aabhas Maldahiyar, an architect and urban designer, amalgamates his intense love for history with captivating storytelling. His architectural masterpieces, envisioned as repositories of future stories, ignite his diverse literary odyssey, spanning Marxist and ex-Marxist phases.
Initially embracing Marxism in architecture school, Aabhas’s visit to Ajanta Caves ignited a profound transformation in him. Shifting from Marxist literature to crafting fiction inspired by the Red ideology, he delved deeper into the realms of history and politics. His debut non-fiction , #Modi Again: An Ex-Communist’s Manifesto (published in 2019), chronicles this remarkable journey. Babur: The Chessboard King stands as the inaugural volume in his forthcoming series on ‘Timurid Gurkaniyan’ (erroneously known as Mughals), founded on primary sources. A skilled reader of Persian manuscripts, Aabhas offers a distinctive lens to historical narratives. He is a key founding member of the Foundation for Indian Historical and Cultural Research, dedicated to advancing original research based on primary sources in Indian history.
Let me read what is written on the inside flap of the book cover:
QUOTE
Babur, the visionary founder of Timurid Empire in Hindustan, had a fair share of early struggle following his father’s tragic demise in AD 1494. Then on, Babur embarked on an unyielding pursuit of power amid treacherous political landscapes, the narrative unveils his moniker, ‘the chessboard king,’ portraying his adept navigation through political intricacies and adversities.
From his ascent to rulership in Ferghana amidst familial threats to fleeting victories and losses in Samarkand, the book paints a poignant picture of Babur's journey. It portrays his retreat to tribal lands after relinquishing hopes of reclaiming Ferghana, eventually establishing a mountainous kingdom in Kabul, a pivotal milestone preceding his ambition to expand into Hindustan. Recounting his initial endeavour to penetrate Hindustan in AD 1505, his alliances, and subsequent setbacks after Sultan Husayn Mirza Bayqarah's demise, leaving him as the sole Timurid prince in power, the book opens a window to Babur's failed second attempt to enter Hindustan, encapsulating the initial thirteen to fourteen tumultuous years of his reign, marked by exile, fleeting victories, and delicate alliances.
Gripping, anecdotal and deeply researched Babur: The Chessboard King delves into Hindustan's economic landscape during Timurid rule and portrays Babur as a multifaceted ruler, challenging the typical depiction of an infallible conqueror and a good human being. Meticulously sourced from the Persian manuscript of the Baburnama and other primary sources, this book represents a milestone in Babur's biographical genre, essential for comprehending the ambitions of this enigmatic king.
UNQUOTE
Let me make it very clear at the very beginning that this book is NOT a work which covers the ENTIRE life of Babur’s but only the first 25 years of his life.
The book, based on primary sources, especially the Baburnama, provides a nice look into Babur’s worldview and the political complexities he faced. It neither demonises or lionises him but humanises him.
Throughout the book, it is emphasised a numerous times that Timurid Gurkaniyan have been distorted as Moghuls.
Some of the things I learnt after reading this book:
1st ─ There is quite a bit of confusion about Babur’s ancestors. On page 20, the author has shown that Babur was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his father and mother respectively.
2nd ─ Chapter 10 is about Babur’s first marriage which was with Aisha Sultan Begum. The same chapter suggests that perhaps, Babur was bisexual and was more inclined towards men than women.
3rd ─ In the footnote of page 181 it has been stated that, even at the time when Babur lived, the stretch till Kabul was seen as part of Bharat.
4th ─ On page 203, the author has talked about Babur’s first campaign for Hindustan. He shares his opinion:
QUOTE
Babur wasn’t feeling gratified with having attained what was there so far. Perhaps he always had this dream of re-establishing the legacy of Timur in Bharat. And Timur always desired to establish the rule of Islam in Bharat by hook or crook.
UNQUOTE
5th ─ Towards the end, the author has provided a summary of Babur’s twenty-five years. Here he states that he has observed an interesting point. Babur has not chronicled his life for around eleven years, and one needs to rely upon other sources to juxtapose a case for continuity in the biography. The tale of Babur post Humayun’s birth and the latter’s life will be addressed in the next volume of the series. The next volume would show us a drastically different Babur. It would capture all the realities of his attempt to wage jihad against the Kafirs of Hindustan and detailed account of the loot.
If you are a lover of real history based on primary sources, then this is the sort of book you will enjoy reading. I give the book 4.5/5 and I am really looking forward to the next volume in the series.
The printed price of the book is Rs. 999/- but is available for around Rs. 690/- on Amazon India and for Rs. 679/- (plus Rs. 69/- shipping) on Flipkart. And it is available for $32.99 USD on Amazon USA. The book is also available in Kindle format but not yet in Audible format. I have given the respective buy links in the show notes. Please check them out for the latest prices.
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