Mustafa Rumi: The Ottoman Aid

Lad Malika, The Key To Chunar

Story Time Thread! Today we’re going to talk about one of the first Ottoman connections to the Mughal Empire.We’ll do this through the revered Artillery Commander named in the Baburnama, Mustafa Rumi.

The term Rumi in his title may sound familiar to you. In the medieval and early modern period, the Ottomans considered themselves the successors to the Roman Empire (Rum), hence Mustafa the Roman,as such lots of documents refer to the Ottomans as the Romans.

The first political interaction between the empires may have been the Battle of Ghazdewan while Babur was just an upstart. The Safavids and Timurid Mughals faced off against the Bukhara Uzbek Khaganate in what was Babur’s struggle for Northern Khorasan.

There is little mention of the Ottomans in the works of W. Erskine in his record about the battle, but the patronage of the Uzbeks by the Ottomans is well documented by Rahman Farooqi. As a buffer state with the east, they provided weapons and advice to the Central Asian power.

However, this was not enough for the Battle of Ghazdewan in 1512. The Uzbeks were overtaken outnumbered 2:1. I have not found anything saying Mustafa was at this battle, but as an envoy to the east, it is certainly possible he was advising the Uzbeks before he helped the Mughals.

Because of this contentious relationship with Bukhara, Babur was not keen on forming a better relationship with the New Romans. Nevertheless, it seems they must have come to terms, as both Mustafa Rumi and his associate Ustad Ali Quli had joined his ranks in time for Panipat.

Tactically, their assistance was essential. Familiar with tactics for matchlock units, they taught the Mughals to chain their wagons together as a barricade in what is known as a “laagar”, this prevented cavalry charges from striking the slower and vulnerable ranged units.

Babur states in his memoir that Mustafa served with great distinction at a number of battles as they pushed into the Gangetic Plain, and is also recorded as aiding medically by applying boiled peppers to some blisters that Babur had earned.

Fighting alongside Askari at Khanwa against Rana Sanga, fighting against Sher Shah at Ghagra as far east as Bihar, for having an adversarial relationship only a few years before, the Mughals had made for a fruitful alliance allowing for a number of successful engagements east.

There isnt much mention of the Ottoman generals after Ghagra in 1529, their mission may have been completed. Given that the New Romans were friendly with the Uzbeks, it may have been in their best interest to see the Mughals happy and not constantly fighting their ally.

This was not the first, nor last engagement of the Ottomans in South Asia. Be it constant meddling in Gujarat, or trade in the Deccan and so on. The Ottomans were also in possession of the holy land after all, and friendship was unavoidable if you wanted safe trade and travel.

Much more can be said about the trade and Hajj politics on other posts, but in summary the early modern world was far more open and vibrant than it is given credit for. South Asia was the mirror of the world, and as such the powers of the world were reflected there.