Humayun
Humayun
Facts of Humayun:
- Full Name: Nasir al-Din Muhammad
- Date of Birth: 6 March 1508
- Mother: Babur’s favourite wife was Maham Begum
- Children: Akbar, Mirza Muhammad Hakim, Sakina Banu Begum, Aqiqeh Begum, Bakshi Banu Begum, Bakht-un-Nisa Begum,
- Maham Begum was related to the noble family of Sultan Hussain Mirza of Khorasan and Sheikh Ahmad Jami.
- Babur’s death put Humayun’s territories in a precarious position.
- Humayun, who ruled for only four years, faced doubts about his legitimacy among some nobles .
- Not all Umaras (nobles) recognized Humayun as the rightful ruler, and there were attempts to install his brother-in-law, Mahdi Khwaja, as the rightful ruler during Babur’s illness.
Debut of humayun:
- Babur’s eldest son Humayun was the second ruler of the Mughal Empire.
- The name “Humayun” meant “luck”, but his reign was marked by challenges and misfortunes.
Early successes and setbacks:
- he had early victories such as capturing Kalinjar, defeating the Afghans at Dohrua, and expelling Sultan Mahmud Lodhi from Jaunpur.
- Short-term victories due to perceived weakness in Humayun’s character.
Division of the Empire:
- Humayun’s decision to divide the empire among his brothers (Kamran, Askari and Hindal) proved a strategic mistake.
- Kamran begat Kabul and Kandahar, Askari begat Chambal and Hindal begat Alwar .
Gujarat Campaign:
- Humayun captured Gujarat from Bahadur Shah and appointed Askari as its governor.
- Bahadur Shah recovered Gujarat from Askari, which led to instability.
Rise of Sher Khan:
- Sher Khan’s growing power in the east posed a significant threat.
- he was defeated in the Battle of Chausa in 1539 and was forced into exile.
Exile and Marriage:
- Wandering in Sindh, He married Hamida Banu Begum in 1542.
- November 23, 1542: Akbar was born, and he later became a legendary Mughal emperor .
Persian Help:
- he took refuge in Persia and gained the support of Shah Tahmasp, protecting 14,000
- The conditions included adherence to the Shia religion, proclamation of the Shah’s name in the khutba, and the ceding of Kandahar.
Kandahar and Kabul:
- In 1545, with Persian help,he recaptured Kandahar and Kabul.
- The refusal to hand over Kandahar to Persia caused tension.
Brothers’ Failure:humayun
- He defeated his brothers, Kamran and Askari, with Safavid.
Restoration of the Mughal Throne:
- In 1555, he defeated the Afghans and restored the Mughal throne.
Death and Legacy:humayun
- Six months after regaining power, he died in 1556 when he fell from the stairs of his library.
- Despite his military shortcomings, he was kind , generous, and interested in painting and Persian poetry.
