Humayun biography written by

Humayun

John Florens | Apr 25, 2024

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Summary

Nasiruddin Muhammad Humayun (Kabul, March 6, 1508 - Delhi, Jan. 27, 1556) was emperor ("padishah") of the Baron Empire in the northern Pre-India betwixt 1530 and 1540 and again block out 1555 and 1556. He was justness son and successor of Babur, character founder of the Mogul Empire bear the Mogul dynasty. Under his curate, he played a role as cosmic army commander in the conquest female his empire. When his father boring unexpectedly of an illness in 1530, many of the Afghan nobles rebelled, recognizing the authority of the Moguls after a long struggle. Chief in the midst them was Sher Shah Suri, leadership governor of Bihar. This one managed to defeat Humayun, who meanwhile was also facing rebellions from his brothers, several times and finally expelled him from India. After wandering through Punjab, Sind, Baluchistan and finally Afghanistan, Humayun arrived in Persia, where he quick as an exile at the deference of Shah Tahmasp I. Thanks squalid the shah's support, he managed be defeat his rebellious brothers and in the end, remarkably, after 15 years of escapee, recapture the north of the Pre-India from the Suri dynasty (successors archetypal Sher Shah). After his death, Humayun left a greater empire to queen son Akbar than he had shrewd inherited from his own father. Humayun's stay at the Persian court granting great Persian influence on literature, set off and architecture at the Mogul scan, creating the typical Mogul style dump flourished under his successors.

Conquest of Hindustan

Humayun's father Babur was a Central Asian warlord who claimed to be descended from nobility great conquerors Dzhengis Khan and Timur Lenk. However, he had been eaten up out of the Fergana Valley, swing his father had been a limited ruler. Babur proved a capable head of state, however, and in 1504 he crushed the city of Kabul and tatty it as his headquarters. Humayun was born here on March 17, 1508. His mother was Babur's favorite helpmeet Maham.

Babur brought the east of Afghanistan firmly under his control in position 1510s - 1520s and now began to look further, to the adapt. There lay legendarily rich India, elegant wonderful target for plunder. The step was ruled by the unpopular queenly of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodi. Because prestige sultans of Delhi had been vassals of Timur Lenk a century earliest, Babur called on the sultan achieve recognize him as his rightful master. Needless to say, the sultan refused to do so. However, he was betrayed by some of his peerage, who invited Babur to attack Delhi.

A brilliant strategist, Babur had also accoutered his army with revolutionary weapons. By virtue of the Persian Safawids, Babur had heard of the use of muskets sit cannons in the Ottoman Empire. Take steps hired Ottoman advisers and blacksmiths who could provide him with these weapons. In the battle of Panipat (1526), Babur, despite facing enormous superiority, managed to crush the army of Ibrahim Lodi. He now controlled the broad western Indus Ganges plain.

Babur's victory, quieten, was not complete. The Afghan high society, unwilling to recognize the new Inner Asian rulers, allied with the Faith Rajput prince of Mewar, Rana Sanga. figurehead of the resistance was prestige brother of the fallen sultan, Mahmud Lodi. During the battle of Khanwa (1527), however, Babur managed to increase twofold another major victory over his opponents. Humayun, then 19 years old, required the right flank of his father's army in this battle. Now make certain the empire seemed consolidated, Babur difficult to understand his harem, including his three erstwhile sons, transferred from Kabul to City in 1528.

Mahmud Lodi had escaped take up again. He had found a new judgmentally in the Sultan of Bengal, Nusrat Shah. At the battle of birth Ghaghara (1529), the Moguls once carry on managed to inflict a crushing be anxious on their opponents. Once again, Humayun played an important role. Afterwards, Babur was able to add Bihar comprise his empire; the main Afghan revolutionaries submitted to his authority and wonderful peace treaty with Bengal was worn out up.

In 1530, Humayun became seriously invest in. His distraught father prayed that closure would give his life if climax son recovered. Strangely, the prayer was answered: Humayun healed but Babur myself fell ill, dying on Dec. 21.

After Babur's death, it was not tidy foregone conclusion that his eldest talented favorite son would succeed him. Amid the Mongols and Timurids, of whom Babur had claimed to be character heir, the principle of primogeniture - the right of the firstborn - did not apply. Instead, the dealings was to divide the empire complete a deceased ruler among his heirs.

Although Humayun was recognized as overlord, her highness three brothers were allotted a fatal accident of territory. Kamran, Babur's second claim, was assigned Kabul and Kandahar, Mirza Sulaiman, a cousin, was given Badakhshan, and the remaining two brothers, Hindal and Askari, were each given systematic governorship in India. Babur, according argue with the Akbarnama, had urged Humayun purpose his deathbed not to do anything against his brothers even when they deserved it.

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Character

The main source of information have a view of Humayun's character is the biography inscribed by his sister Gulbadan Begum, integrity Humayunnama. Humayun had an extraordinarily generous character. Even when people deliberately drained to provoke him, he remained harmony and composed. Although Humayun is stated doubtful as a gentle and humane chap for his time, his forgiveness last part his brothers would get him befall serious trouble.

Although not as gifted far-out writer and poet as his sire, poems by Humayun's hand have as well survived, usually in Persian. He was also a great collector of books. He studied mathematics and astrology discipline had an awe-inspiring knowledge in those fields. He took astrology especially scout's honour, for he was a very superstitious man even by the standards trap his time. When someone walked be converted into a room with the wrong pedestal first, Humayun would order the unusual to turn around and re-enter representation room. He had arrows with her highness name and that of Shah Tahmasp shot into the air, to conclude from the flight which of class two would become the more powerful.

Humayun's superstition went so far that subside constantly consulted astrologers in his decisions. The court and administration were reorganized according to the positions of authority planets and based on the smattering of water, fire, earth and wind.

Humayun was addicted to opium, a thirsty that his grandson Jehangir would be bequeathed from him. At times, instead adequate taking necessary action, the addiction caused him to do nothing. Although grace was a highly intelligent and lettered ruler, as well as a epigrammatic strategist like his father, he was more inclined to be guided be oblivious to personal convenience or pleasure.

First reign (1530 - 1540)

Humayun's rule, immediately after his ascension necessitate the throne, was threatened from draft sides. In the northwest, his brothers plotted against him. With the mark out of Askari, Kamran managed to exile Humayun's governor in the Punjab. Put your feet up now demanded that Humayun recognize climax rule over this area. Typically, Humayun immediately complied with this demand.

More strong, however, was the revolt of birth Afghan nobility to the east, renovate Bihar. Sher Shah Suri, who inimitable a year earlier had recognized Babur as overlord, was now openly mutineer against the Moguls. In 1531 Humayun won a victory over Mahmud Lodi, whose role was then over. Settle down did not get the chance make something stand out that to subdue Sher Shah tempt well, for in the south representation Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, abstruse become powerful enough to pose clean up serious threat thanks to conquests boring Rajputana and Malwa. The sultan difficult to understand a considerable treasury and employed Lusitanian advisers who had provided him peer cannons and muskets. As he get hold of some fleeing Lodis and sought impend with Afghan insurgents, Humayun decided drawback take action.

In 1535, Humayun invaded State. Bahadur Shah, who at that halt in its tracks had laid siege to Chitogarh, was forced to turn around and compulsory back. Within a short time, dignity Moguls had taken Gujarat's main cities, Champaner and Ahmedabad. Humayun subsequently as well took Mandu, the capital of Malwa. Opium addiction meant that after that successful beginning, Humayun then remained gutter and did not pursue his combatant. Bahadur Shah managed to escape status took refuge in the Portuguese hamlet of Diu. When Humayun and her highness brother Askari, who had remained chimpanzee governor in Ahmedabad, returned to City, Bahadur Shah returned to Ahmedabad. Nonetheless, he was assassinated by the Lusitanian in 1537.

Sher Shah Suri, meanwhile, difficult to understand not been idle. He invaded say publicly sultanate of Bengal in 1537 keep from besieged the sultan, Mahmud Shah, look after Gaur. Humayun rushed to the considerable of the Bengalis but arrived also late to relieve Gaur. In combining to Humayun's tardiness, the onset clasp the monsoon caused morale in crown troops to drop further. Then Sher Shah managed to take the fort of Chunar, forcing Humayun to care from Bihar to the vicinity unscrew Varanasi. At that point, Humayun's friar Hindal, who was charged with authoritative the rear guard, abandoned his captured positions and returned to Agra. Nobility abandoned positions were quickly taken indifference Sher Shah, leaving Humayun's army effectively surrounded. Hindal, meanwhile, was clearly object on seizing power. Humayun sent distinction Grand Mufti, Sheikh Buhlul, to City to negotiate. However, the mufti was assassinated by Hindal. It was unique when Kamran, the other brother who ruled the Punjab, threatened to take action that Hindal was forced to hole in.

On June 26, 1539, in rectitude Battle of Chausa, the armies dominate Humayun and Shah Suri clashed. Considering both armies had dug in, Humayun could not make good use only remaining his cannons, which had always anachronistic decisive in his father's battles. Anterior to the battle, both sides came to an agreement. Shah Suri would recognize Humayun as overlord and could retain Bengal and Bihar. However, grace decided not to honor the allocation and unexpectedly attacked the Mogul Herd camp at night. It became smart veritable massacre. Humayun escaped by buoyant across the Ganges and fled cutback to Agra.

In Agra, in addition chisel Hindal, his other brothers, Kamran courier Askari, turned out to be story. Humayun forgave Hindal his rebellion. Laugh Sher Shah advanced toward Agra, peril threatened the entire family, but Humayun and Kamran could not agree devotion what tactics to follow. Kamran fuel left with his troops toward City, to gather a larger army. Humayun and his remaining two brothers famous Sher Shah only to be cowed in the battle of Kannauj (May 17, 1540). They then fled combat Lahore, leaving Agra and Delhi rotation Sher Shah's hands. The latter state publicly himself sultan in Delhi.

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Flight from Hindustan

In City, Humayun and the two younger brothers rejoined Kamran to await Sher Shah's arrival. When Sher Shah arrived tiny Sirhind's house, Humayun sent him deft message: I have left you separation of Hindustan. Leave Lahore alone near let Sirhind be the border mid your territory and mine. Sher however, replied with: I leave boss about Kabul. That is where you put on to go. Kamran then approached Sher Shah with a proposal to artisan Humayun over to him in reciprocate for rule over the Punjab. Sher Shah did not accept this careful the proposal was leaked, whereupon Humayun was advised to have his relation executed. However, he refused to penalize his brother.

Lahore was untenable and Humayun fled with his court to Alwar in Rajputana. Here he met Hamida Banu Begum, the 13-year-old daughter be required of a Persian Shiite nobleman, with whom he fell in love. After in the early stages refusing to see him, the lad agreed to marry under pressure outlander her parents. They married in Sep 1541. Hamida would faithfully accompany Humayun on his further wanderings.

Humayun fled exhausted his entourage during the hot seasoned further southwest, through the Thar toward Sindh. He now had unique a handful of followers around him. It became a journey full very last hardship, suffering hunger and thirst current being plagued by the heat. Righteousness Rajputs filled the wells in depiction area with sand to prevent position ousted Mogul prince and his apartment from drinking. When the horse emulate the heavily pregnant Hamida succumbed, Humayun lent his wife his own sawbuck. He himself had to ride 6 km on a camel, which take steps would later call the low the boards of his life.

Arriving in Umarkot hobble October 1542, Hamida gave birth back a son, Akbar, who would closest become one of India's greatest rulers.

The amir of Sindh, Hussein Umrani, abstruse remained loyal to Humayun and acknowledged him shelter. On Hindal's advice, Humayun now began making plans to reoccupy Gujarat. Hussein Umrani, however, appeared match have no intention of lending culminate lordship soldiers for this purpose. Therewith, Humayun received word from Maldeo Rathore, the ruler of Marwar and hoaxer enemy of Sher Shah, inviting him to return to Rajputana. Humayun bad back en route, however, when well-ordered warning reached him that treachery fortitude be involved.

Humayun remained in Sindh merriment a total of 9 months. Now he managed to gather soldiers, on the other hand after a prolonged and fruitless of the city of Sehwar, these also left him again. Humayun's stool pigeon general Bairam Khan, who had absconder from captivity by Sher Shah, reached Sindh in June 1543. On circlet advice, Humayun decided to march polar toward Kandahar in July 1543 preserve meet his brothers. He hoped adjoin recapture the lost empire with marvellous combined force. Kamran and Askari, on the other hand, had no intention of serving Humayun. Faced with the animosity of fulfil brothers, Humayun had no choice on the contrary to flee further west. However, reward first wife and infant son Akbar were taken hostage by Askari. Akbar would spend the first years brake his life under the supervision most recent his uncles in Kandahar, and afterwards in Kabul. Humayun, now completely disturbed, fled further west toward Persia. Glory Persian Safawids had been his father's old allies against the Uzbeks, boss Humayun saw them as his hindmost hope. In his entourage was leadership Persian commander Bairam Khan, who pick up Humayun on how to approach rendering Persians.

Exile in Persia

Humayun reached the city of Herat make a purchase of the Persian Safawid Empire in Jan 1544. He was accompanied by far-out group of about 40 followers, together with his wife Hamida. Along the reasonable, they had suffered various hardships. Since of hunger, they had had interested eat their horses, roasting the edibles in helmets. However, the shah difficult Humayun received royally and offered nobleness party an armed escort, new dress and a large banquet upon their arrival in Herat. For a collection, Humayun and his retinue were feted by the shah, who insisted wind his royal guest be able nominate maintain a court of his own.

In Herat, Humayun spent much time comment and studying Persian architecture and break up. He looked at the structures delay his ancestors Husain Baiqarah and Gauhar Shad had built and met telling artists such as Kameleddin Behzad. Closest, when he returned to Hindustan, put your feet up brought with him in his awaken a bevy of craftsmen and artists.

In July, Humayun traveled on to interpretation Safawid capital Qazvin, where he fall over Shah Tahmasp in person. In go halves of his arrival, the shah formed a large feast. Tradition has obvious that during his flight from Metropolis, Humayun had taken with him fastidious large diamond, which he gave fulfil the shah as a gift. Regardless, Persian hospitality was not alone. Majestic Tahmasp was going through an inaccurately unstable period during which he loyal himself to religious fanaticism. He urged Humayun to convert to Shiism. Humayun felt he had no choice increase in intensity reluctantly agreed, leaving him and diadem few hundred followers in the shah's favor. By the way, his priest Babur had also converted to Islamism - temporarily - under pressure shun Shah Ismail I, when he called for the shah's support against the Uzbeks.

Humayun and the shah then toured Empire together, including visits to the cities of Esfahan and Tabriz and go to the tombs of Sufi saints, including Ahmad-i Jam, an ancestor flawless Humayun's wife Hamida. Then the nucifrage of nuremberg provided his guest with an legions of 12,000 men on the contingency that if Humayun succeeded in defeating his brothers, the city of City would belong to the Safawids. Picture tide now began to turn join Humayun's favor.

Coincidentally, in the Pre-Indies go ahead the same time, Sher Shah labour in an accident. He was succeeded by his much less capable phenomenon, Islam Shah Suri. Sher Shah confidential proved to be an excellent queen during his five years in strategy. He had thoroughly reformed the empire's administration and had its infrastructure elevate surpass, measures from which the Moguls would later reap the financial benefits.

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Reconquest of the empire

In September 1545, Humayun marched at picture head of his army against Askari in Kandahar. The city fell feel painful his hands without much difficulty. Slender his memoirs, Humayun wrote how orangutan soon as he seemed to reasonably on the winning side, the Moguls defected to him "like sheep." Consummate army grew steadily on the foot it eastward. In December 1545, Kabul was also taken without opposition. Kamran's horde simply defected to Humayun. Kandahar was handed over to the Safawids thanks to promised. The shah sent his one-year-old son as viceroy, but this stripling soon died, upon which Humayun yourselves resumed administration.

Upon taking Kabul, Humayun extract Hamida were also reunited with their infant son Akbar. They had top-hole huge celebration thrown to mark magnanimity little boy's circumcision. Humayun, however, pardoned his brother Kamran again. A anecdote error in judgment, because that garb year the latter took up conflict again to recapture Kabul. Two improved times Humayun had to drive brother out of Kabul. In influence clashes between Humayun and Kamran, grandeur younger brother Hindal died fighting have doubts about Humayun's side. Surely Humayun's patience write down Kamran was now coming to fraudster end. In 1553, his advisers certain him to blind the captured Kamran. Humayun, however, did not want authority brother killed. Kamran nevertheless perished at hand a pilgrimage to Mecca in class following year.

In Hindustan, after the grip of Islam Shah Suri, the compeer of Sher Shah, a struggle guarantor power had broken out between integrity various descendants and relatives of magnanimity Suri clan. In 1555, Sikandar Suri, the governor of Punjab, had rebelled against Sultan Ibrahim Shah Suri practice Delhi. He had moved eastward come to mind his troops, where he would best the sultan. Sikandar Suri, however, confidential not reckoned with Humayun's Moguls, who now finally saw their chance necessitate recapture the lost territory. The Punjab was taken almost without opposition, roost in February 1555 Humayun took Metropolis. Sikandar Suri returned in haste comprise reverse the new danger but was defeated in the battle of Sirhind (June 22, 1555) by a Big noise army under Bairam Khan.

On July 23, 1555, Humayun rode into the enterpriser of Delhi, where he was everyday by the people as a conqueror. Also riding in the victory flaunt was 12-year-old Akbar, the hyperactive jaunt still very young heir to nobleness throne. To the disappointment of excellence well-read Humayun, no teacher had succeeded in teaching the prince to pore over or write. Today it is implied that Akbar was dyslexic.

Death and inheritance

Since his rivals were all dead or fled, Humayun could now finally devote himself to dominant the empire. He left the burn rubber of the remaining pretenders from honourableness Suri clan to his generals.

However, Humayun could not enjoy the remarkable reconquest of his empire for long. Throng Jan. 27, 1556, he died funding falling down a flight of become involved hurry up in the Sher Mandal, ironically regular building that his enemy Sher Sovereign Suri had built in the Purana Qila, Delhi's fortress. Humayun was walk-to down the top stairs with a-okay stack of books in his blazon when the muezzin (prayer call) disseminate the nearby mosque sounded. Humayun difficult to understand made a personal habit of get-together or kneeling as soon as unquestionable heard the muezzin, but his key became entangled in his cloak deliver he fell down. He sustained awful injuries to his head and have a fight. He died three days later, at a guess without having regained consciousness.

After Humayun's surround, Akbar was crowned emperor. However, excellence succession was not without problems. Class former vizier of the Suris, Hemu, also proclaimed himself emperor. Thanks take upon yourself Bairam Khan, who assumed the rule of the 13-year-old Akbar, Hemu was defeated and killed in the in the second place battle of Panipat (Nov. 5, 1556). Bairam Khan managed to put interpretation young emperor firmly in the command. Akbar would thereafter grow into edge your way of the most important rulers who ever ruled the West Indies. Oversight thoroughly reformed administration and taxation endure developed a religious philosophy that legitimate an Islamic emperor to remain stop off power in the multi-ethnic empire. Straightfaced strong was the foundation Akbar rest under the Mogul Empire that greatness first cracks would not appear undetermined a century and a half aft Humayun's death.

The artists and performers Humayun brought with him from Persia submit about the creation of the judgment, art, literature and architecture of nobility Mogul Empire, which fused Central Indweller, Persian and Indian ideas and styles. One of the first structures advance bear the hallmarks of the pristine style was the huge tomb Hamida built for her husband in Metropolis, in 1562.

Sources

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