Humayun was the eldest son of Babur and his wife Mahum Begam. He had three younger brothers- Kamran, Askari, and Hindal. Born on March 6,1508, at Kabul, Humayun learned Turkish, Arabic, and Persian at a very young age. He assisted his father in the governance of the country. In 1520, he was appointed as the Governor of Badakshan at the age of twelve years. When Babur invaded India in 1526, Humayun joined him and won a maiden victory in this campaign.
Humayun ascended the throne at Agra on December 30,1530, at the age of twenty-three, four days after the death of his father. Humayun inherited an empire that had many problems. He faced troubles from the Afghan nobles, the Rajputs, and most of all from his brothers who were mean and disloyal to him.
Moreover, the administration was weak and ineffective. Unfortunately, Humayun was not an able administrator. He was very superstitious and made superstitions the foundation for his actions.
He believed in astrology fervently, and would not conduct business on certain days, would wear only certain colors on certain days, and would let the position of the planets rule his decisions on important matters. In fact, he turned the business of administration into a sort
of the astrological game!
He would never go on a journey or start a venture without checking all the omens and would spend
hours shooting arrows into the air to determine his fate. lt was not at all an able way to run
a country.
Why did Humayun treat his brothers with sympathy?
Who was Humayun's main enemy?
At the age of 23, Humayun became the ruler of the Mughal empire in India. The conditions were not easy for Humayun. There were many enemies in disguise. His own cousins wanted the throne. Humayun's three brothers - Kamran, Hindal, and Askari also wanted to overthrow him. Another major challenger Humayun faced was Sher Shah, ruler of a community of Afghans living along the River Ganges in Northeastern India. Sher Shah had his sights set on conquering Bengal, the region of the present-day country of Bangladesh, which Humayun also wanted for the Mughals. A race for the territory in 1537 resulted in Sher Shah's victory. One more major rival was Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, who planned an assault on Mughal territories with the help of the Portuguese. Some people say that Humayun himself was his worst enemy. He was neither a gifted general nor a wise statesman. He was incapable of taking prompt decisions. In private life, he was a good person and a staunch friend, but as a king, he was a failure.
Why are the forts of Mandu and Champaneer significant to the Mughal dynasty?
During the first five years of Humayun's reign, these two rulers were quietly extending their rule. When Humayun learned that the Sultan of Gujarat was planning to attack him with the help of the Portuguese, he acted quickly. He gathered an army and marched to attack Bahadur. His assault was spectacular, and he captured Gujarat and Malwa. Champaneer and the great fort of Mandu followed next. Bahadur escaped and took up refuge with the Portuguese. However, instead of pressing his attack and going after the enemy, Humayun stopped the campaign and began to enjoy life in his new forts. He did not consolidate his rule, not even to collect revenue. This was a serious mistake, for it gave his enemy time to recoup and attack him again.
How did Sher Khan defeat Humayun?
Sher Khan was a major threat to Humayun from the moment he became the emperor. After he had captured Malwa and Gujarat, Humayun relaxed and began to enjoy himself. This allowed Sher Shah Suri to become more powerful. Finally, the two armies clashed at the Battle of Chausa, on the banks of the River Ganga. For three months the two armies faced each other without actually attacking. Then, Sher Khan pretended to retreat but returned in the middle of the night unexpectedly to attack Humayun's army on June 26, 1539. But, Humayun himself somehow managed to escape by floating across the river on the waterskin belonging to a poor water carrier. Sher Khan was crowned as the King of Hindustan and took the title of Sher Shah Suri, Later, Humayun made one more attempt to regain his kingdom, but Sher Shah Suri defeated him again at the Battle of Kanauj. For the next fifteen years, Humayun was a king without a kingdom.
Why was Sher Khan considered a very good ruler?
Sher Khan or Sher Shah Suri was known as ‘the lion king’ and was the founder of the Suri dynasty. He was one of the greatest rulers in medieval Indian history.
Sher Khan's original name was Farid. He was the grandson of Ibrahim Sur, horse-dealer, and Afghan of Roh in the Sulaiman range. He, along with his son Hasan, migrated to India in search of good fortune, during the reign of Sultan Bahlul Lodi.
Farid’s childhood was miserable and full of hardship. So, he left his home and reached Jaunpur, an important center of Muslim learning and culture. He studied Arabic, Persian, Hindi languages, and arithmetic as well.
His reign in Delhi barely spanned five years, but he is considered to have been a very good ruler. With his deep knowledge and practical experience, he made many brilliant additions and improvements to the existing system. Sher Shah was a capable military and civilian administrator. He set up reforms in various areas. Many of these reforms were in the army, but the principal reforms for which he is remembered are those connected with revenue administration. Numerous civil works were also carried out during his short reign. Sher Khan died in 1545 from a gunpowder explosion. He was a far-sighted ruler who was way ahead of his contemporaries, and he is considered as one of the greatest rulers of Delhi.
How did Humayun spend his days in exile?
Humayun first went to Sind, and from there to Iran, which was called Persia in those days. He lived in exile in Persia, trying to figure out just what had gone wrong in the first place.
The Shah Tahmasp gave him refuge on the condition that Humayun becomes a Shia Muslim. Humayun, who was a Sunni Muslim, agreed to this condition. Humayun spent a pleasant time with the Shah, hunting, and partying. But, he yearned to go back to Delhi, and with the help of the Persians, Humayun captured Qandahar in March 1545, and Kabul in November same year.
An important event during Humayun’s exile was his marriage to Hamida, whose son Akbar is considered to be the greatest of the Mughals.
Why was Humayun able to come back to India?
After the death of Sher Shah, there were three rivals for the throne. The empire itself was divided into four provinces, which weakened it considerably. To make matters even worse, a terrible famine stalked the lands. The time was right for Humayun to come back to Delhi.
Humayun placed his army under the leadership of Bairam Khan. This proved to be a wise move, for Bairam Khan was a brilliant soldier. He led the army through Punjab meeting very little resistance, and on July 23, 1555, Humayun re-entered the city of Delhi, and once again, sat on his father’s throne in Delhi.
Why do we say, Sher Shah, influenced Humayun on his return to Power?
Humayun returned to power only after Sher Shah had died. Yet, Sher Shah continued to influence Humayun's rule.
Do you know How?
We know that Humayun had been quite inefficient as a ruler when he first came to power. He was superstitious and depended on astrology to make decisions. As a result, his empire was in a bad shape when he was sent into exile. Sher Shah, on the other hand, was an excellent administrator. He administered the army and tax collections efficiently and built roads, rest houses, and wells for his people.
The numerous reforms that he undertook strengthened the government. So, when Humayun came back after his exile, he found the empire in much better shape than when he had left it. This inspired him to bring about some reforms of his own, and this time, they were more sensible.
How did Humayun get the Kohinoor diamond?
After defeating Ibrahim Lodi, at the Battle of Panipat, Babar, Humayun's father, seized Delhi and sent Humayun with an advanced army to march on Agra. At Agra, Humayun was greeted by the wives of the Raja of Gwalior, who had been killed in the Battle of Panipat. They offered their jewels to Humayun, in return for his protection. Among them was India's most precious diamond, the Kohinoor. When Babar arrived in Agra, Humayun offered it to his father, who returned it to him. Humayun later gave the diamond to the Shah Tahmasp of Persia when he sought refuge with him, and it eventually found its way back to Delhi. The British rulers later took it away from India, and it now forms part of the crown jewels of the British monarch. The legendary Kohinoor has been in the eye of the storm ever since it left the hands of its original owners - a diamond that was never bought or sold but changed many hands. Its name means 'mountain of light', and the legend was that whoever owned the Kohinoor would rule the world. In reality, the 'Kohinoor's history is marked by misery, unhappiness, and war.
Why is Humayun's tomb unique?
After Humayun died, his widow Haji Begum began the construction of his tomb in 1565. Built by a Persian architect, Mirak Mirm Ghiyas, this tomb is unique in that it is the first distinct example of a proper Mughal style, which was inspired by Persian architecture. It was also the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent, which inspired several major architectural innovations, including in the construction of the Taj Mahal. The tomb is set in the middle of a geometrically arranged garden, which is divided into four parts, with many gateways and streams flowing through it. Many other famous Mughals are buried here, including Humayun's wives; Dara Shukoh, Shah Jahan's son.
Why did Humayun go to war with Bahadur Shah?
Bahadur Shah was a Sultan of Gujarat, During his reign, Gujarat was under pressure from the expanding Mughal empire under the emperors Babur and Humayun, and also from the Portuguese, who were establishing their power in the Indian region. When Humayun came to power, Bahadur Shah gave refuge to his enemy, Muhammad Zaman Mirza. Mirza had been defeated by Humayun in battle and taken prisoner. However, he managed to escape and fled to Gujarat. Humayun ordered Bahadur Shah to return Mizra, but the Sultan refused. In fact, he had already given shelter to a number of Humayun's enemies, and this infuriated Humayun. War was declared and Humayun personally led his armies against the Sultan of Gujarat. Bahadur Shah was defeated, but he finally managed to recapture his kingdom. Later Bahadur Shah was attacked by the Portuguese and he jumped into the sea. A Portuguese sailor struck him to death in February 1537.
Why do we say that the death of Humayun was caused by bad luck?
Humayun died as a result of an unfortunate accident at the age of 48. He was coming down hurriedly from his library when he heard the sacred call of the muezzin for evening prayer from a nearby mosque. He turned to bow his knee in prayer when his foot caught the edge of his robe, and he stumbled on the stairway. He fell headlong down the steep steps and struck his right temple on a sharp edge.
This was on January 24, 1556. He died two days later. His death however was kept a secret, till his son Akbar could be declared the emperor. Akbar, who was only thirteen years old, was campaigning three hundred miles away. Until he returned, a mullah who resembled Humayun appeared before the public to keep up the pretense that Humayun was still alive. Of course, the mullah was always seen at a distance, so that no one would spot the difference. Once Akbar reached the palace, Humayun's death was announced, and Akbar was declared the emperor.
That's it about the story of Humayun.