In the First Battle of Panipat fought in 1526, Ibrahim Lodi was defeated and killed by which invading leader?

Introduction / Context:
The First Battle of Panipat in 1526 is a turning point in Indian history because it marked the end of the Lodi dynasty and the beginning of Mughal rule in north India. The battle pitted the forces of the Delhi Sultan Ibrahim Lodi against an invading Central Asian leader who used new tactics and artillery. This question asks you to recall who that invader was and who personally defeated and killed Ibrahim Lodi in this decisive encounter.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The battle is the First Battle of Panipat, fought in 1526.
• The defending ruler was Ibrahim Lodi, the last Sultan of the Lodi dynasty.
• The options list Muhammad Shah, Firoz Shah Tughlaq, Babur, Timur, and Sher Shah Suri.
• You must identify which leader defeated and killed Ibrahim Lodi in that battle.

Concept / Approach:
Zahir ud din Muhammad Babur, a Timurid prince from Central Asia, invaded India in the early sixteenth century. Invited by some Afghan nobles and Rajput chiefs who were dissatisfied with Ibrahim Lodi, he marched into north India and confronted the Sultan at Panipat. Babur use of field artillery, disciplined infantry, and cavalry tactics gave him a decisive victory. Ibrahim Lodi died fighting on the battlefield, and Babur establishment of power laid the foundations of the Mughal Empire. The other figures in the options belong to different periods and dynasties.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Fix the key facts: the battle took place in 1526 at Panipat between Ibrahim Lodi and an invading force. Step 2: Recall that the invader was Babur, who came from Kabul and claimed Timurid heritage. Step 3: Babur army used matchlock guns and field artillery, along with effective cavalry tactics, to break the larger Lodi army. Step 4: During the fighting, Ibrahim Lodi was killed on the field, causing the collapse of his forces. Step 5: After this victory, Babur took control of Delhi and Agra, beginning Mughal rule in north India. Step 6: Therefore, the correct answer is Babur.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard textbooks and exam guides list the First Battle of Panipat as 1526, Babur versus Ibrahim Lodi, with Babur victory. They often present a simple table of the three Panipat battles, clearly attaching Babur name to the first. Muhammad Shah and Firoz Shah Tughlaq are much earlier rulers of the Delhi Sultanate, while Timur invaded in 1398 and Sher Shah Suri came to power after Humayun defeat. None of them fits the specific conditions of the 1526 battle, which confirms Babur as the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Muhammad Shah: He was a later Mughal emperor of the eighteenth century, not a sixteenth century invader of Ibrahim Lodi kingdom.

Firoz Shah Tughlaq: He was a fourteenth century ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty, long before the Lodi period.
Timur: He invaded Delhi in 1398 but did so more than a century before the First Battle of Panipat and did not fight Ibrahim Lodi.
Sher Shah Suri: He was a powerful Afghan ruler who later defeated Humayun, not Ibrahim Lodi, and did not fight the 1526 Panipat battle.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the different invasions and battles near Delhi and Panipat, mixing up names like Timur, Babur, and Sher Shah Suri. Another pitfall is to forget which battle ended which dynasty. A simple memory tool is that Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat in 1526 and launched the Mughal era, while Sher Shah Suri came later and temporarily displaced the Mughals by defeating Humayun. Keeping this sequence clear helps avoid confusion.

Final Answer:
In the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, Ibrahim Lodi was defeated and killed by Babur.