The Baburnama

It’s always interesting to see how memoirs and autobiographies have come since the time this work was originally written by the first Mughal Emperor, a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan. This translation helps bring to life this work for modern readers, though some people not used to this writing style might have trouble getting through it.

Babur ascended the throne of a small Central Asian kingdom and invaded northern India, founding the Mughal Empire, which would go onto rule the area for a long time until the British came. He began this self-portrait not long after becoming the Mughal ruler and continued to work on it until he died. The work is part poetry, which might be familiar to some readers who know classic texts from that era. It is also part battlelouge as well, as he recounts various battles and other escapades that he was involved in. The book is split into major parts, with the longest part being the work itself. Then followed by appendices and with an introduction by a scholar placing in its proper place and time.