Emperor Babur with Attendants in a Garden, c.1590 (w/c, ink & gold on paper)

Babur (14 February 1483 – 26 December 1530), born Ẓahīr-ud-Dīn Muḥammad, was a conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty in the Indian subcontinent and became the first Mughal emperor. He was a direct descendant of Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur (Tamurlane) from the Barlas clan, through his father, and also a descendant of Genghis Khan through his mother. He was also influenced by the Persian culture and this affected both his own actions and those of his successors, giving rise to a significant expansion of the Persianate ethos in the Indian subcontinent.