The first book in the gripping and brilliant EMPIRE OF THE MOGHUL series.
The largely untold story of the rise and fall of one of the most powerful, opulent and glittering dynasties in history.
It is 1494 when the tragic death of the ruler of Ferghana leaves his only son, twelve-year-old Babur, facing a seemingly impossible challenge: to live up to the example of his great ancestor, Tamburlaine, whose conquests stretched from Delhi to the Mediterranean, from wealthy Persia to the wildernesses along the Volga. But Babur is dangerously young to inherit a kingdom and, from that moment, his precarious reign will be fraught with danger, in a world of tribal rivalries, rampaging armies and ruthlessly ambitious enemies.
A totally absorbing narrative filled with authentic historical characters and sweeping action set in an age of horrifying but magnificent savagery. The writing is as compelling as the events described and kept me eagerly leaping from one page to the next - Wilbur Smith
Rutherford's glorious, broad-sweeping adventure in the wild lands of the Moghul sees the start of a wonderful series...In Babur, he has found a real-life hero, with all the flaws, mistakes and misadventures that spark true heroism... Breathtaking stuff - Manda Scott
'Alex Rutherford has set the bar high for his sequels' - Daily Mail
Alex Rutherford brings the period and the history of the region alive. The characters are dynamic, and the deadly regional politics of alliances and treaties are reflected by the internal tensions at court - US Historical Novel Society