Get Complete Information on the Early Life of Humayun

Humayun was born at Kabul on 6 March, 1508, A.D. He was the eldest son of Babur. His mother’s name was Mahim Begum, Kamran, Askari and Hindal were his real brothers. Proper arrangements were made for his education. He had a good Knowledge of Arabic, Persian and Turkish. He had keen interest in Philosophy, Astrology and Mathematics. To give him Administrative Training, Babur appointed him the Governor of Badakhshah at the age of 20.

On the eve of 1526, he went against Hamid Khan and defeated him near Hissar Firoza. He participated in the Battle of Panipat and Kanwah. In 1526 he got the districts of Hissar Firoza and Sambhal. After 1527, he was once again sent to Badakhshah. He returned to Agra in 1529 and was ordered to manage his Jagir of Sambhal.

After the defeat of Ibrahim Lodi Babur sent Humayun to capture Agra which he did and got kohinoor as prize from his father. At Sambhal he fell ill in 1529 and was brought to Agra. As the story goes, Babur prayed and got the illness of Humayun on himself. Babur died and Humayun was saved. After the death of Babur Humayun came to throne on December 30, 1530.

An attempt was made to place Mahdi Khwaja on the throne of Agra. The reason was that according to the Prime Minister, Khalifa Nizam-ud-Din AM, the interests of the State would be better served if a stronger person was put on the throne. Mahdi Khwaja was the brother-in-law of Babur. He was an experienced and competent administrator.

On the other hand, Humayun had not shown any signs of greatness. At the eleventh hour, the conspiracy fell through on account of the following words of Mahdi Khwaja: “God willing, my first act (as king) would be to flay you the other traitors.” Although there was some confusion for four days, Humayun successfully seated himself on the throne of Agra on 30th December, 1530.

Early Difficulties of Humayun

The throne inherited by Humayun was not a bed of roses. Babur had practically got no time to consolidate his position an authority. Before he could put the whole country on a stable basis, he was removed from the scene. According to Erskine, “Humayun had entered the country as a stranger and a spoiler, he had defeated the armies and broken the power of the reigning dynasty; but the only hold which he, or his race yet had upon the people of India was military force.” The Rajputs had not been completely crushed. They had merely submitted before the storm. The result was that the hold of Humayun over the country was not strong.

There was no law of primogeniture among the Muslims. The result was that after the death of a king, there followed a war of succession. Every prince asserted his claim to the throne.

According to Erskine, “The sword was the grand arbiter of right, and every son was prepared to try his fortune against his brothers.”

The army at the disposal of Humayun was not dependable. It was a mixed body of adventurers. Some of them were Uzbegs and Mughals and others were Indians, Afghans, Persians and Chaghtais.

In addition to the claims of his three brothers, Humayun had to deal with many Khans or Nobles. They were busy in intrigues against the New Emperor and many of them did not consider the kingdom of Delhi and Agra beyond the scope of their ambitions. The result was that instead of three, Humayun had innumerable rivals.

It is true that the Afghans were defeated in the Battle of Panipat (1526) and the Battle of Ghagra (1529), but they were not completely crushed. Moreover, they had not forgotten the days when they were the rulers of the country and aspired to restore their rule. “Though repeatedly defeated in the field, they were still numerous and powerful, ripe for revolt and ready on the first signal to fly to arms in what was a personal as well as a national cause.”

The Afghans had in Mahmood Lodi a rallying point. All the Afghan Nobles supported the cause of Mahmood Lodi. Not only this, Sher Khan had already started his career of adventure and conquest in Bengal and Bihar and he was trying to organise the Afghans for governing the country.

Humayun had to meet a great rival in Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, who had united the provinces of Malwa and Gujarat and was thinking in terms of conquering the whole of Rajputana. As in the case of Sher Khan, Bahadur Shah also aimed at the overlordship of India using the relatives of the late Lodhi Sultan of Delhi as stalking horses.

Although there were so many difficulties before Humayun but, some of them were follows:

1. Conspiracy by Khalifa and other people:

Babur died on 26 December, 1530 A.D. On the same day his Prime-Minister, Nizamuddin Ali Muhammad tried to flout the succession of Humayun to the throne and raised Mehdikhawaja to the throne. This plot however ended on the very third day perhaps because of the differences between Khawaja and Khalifa. But Humayun neither gave hard punishments to the rebels nor removed them from the high offices. Babur had councilled Humayun to deal kindly with his subordinates. Humayun was a man of kind heart and soft nature. Actually his kind nature dragged him into difficulties.

2. Disorderly administration:

Humayun ascended a throne which was then unstable and unsecured. Babur had bequeathed an empty treasury and an ill-organised kingdom to him. Babur could rule over India only of 4-5 years and this time too he had to spend mostly in wars. He died before he could effect the consolidation of his Empire. Humayun inherited an Empire which was beset with many difficulties. Babur paid no attention towards administration.

The Empire was although vast yet lacked cohesion and internal unity and was comprised of small or big fives of Amirs of the kingdom. Babur did not involved any policy with regard to land system or judicial system. Neither did he do any work as regarding the welfare of the common people. The Jagirdars, created by Babur, were creating many problems for Humayun. Definitely, for this problem of Humayun, only Babur was responsible.

3. Economic Problems:

No doubt Babur left almost an empty treasury for Humayun. But Humayun enhanced his own economic problems due to his own foolishness. Whatever little money, he got he had spent in military activities or had distributed amongst his Amirs, soldiers, and relatives, in order to please them. Because of the lack of money, Humayun could not carry on military preparations to face his enemies nor could he consolidate his Empire by works of Welfare of his subjects.

4. His Brothers:

Humayun made a mistake in showing kindness to his brothers. In accordance with the wishes of his father, he gave Sambhal to Askari and Alwar to Hindal. As regards Kamran, he gave him the provinces of Kabul and Kandhar. In spite of this, Kamran was not satisfied. He gave out that he was going to see his brother to congratulate on his succession to the throne. While doing so, he took along with him a big army and with its help he was able to bring the whole of the Punjab under his control Humayun did not think it prudent to put up a fight with Kamran and consequently agreed to give the province of the Punjab to him.

He also gave him the district of Hissar Firoza. The possession of Hissar Firoza gave Kamran control over the high road between Delhi and the Punjab. The cession of the Punjab, Kabul and Kandhar to Kamran was a suicidal step. Humayun was deprived of the territory which had been longest under the control of his father and from which revenue was coming regularly. He was deprived of the source from which he could have recruited his new army. He was left only with that empire which was newly conquered and over which his hold was not secure.

In this way there was the Timurid legacy of partition the Empire among all the brothers. Babur had counselled Humayun to deal kindly with his brothers, but had not favoured the partitioning of the infant Mughal Empire, which would have been disastrous. When Humayun ascended the throne at Agra, the Empire included Kabul and Kandhar, while there was loose control over Badakshan beyond the Hindukush Mountains. Kabul and Kandhar were under the charge of Humayun’s younger Brother, Kamran. It was only natural that they should remain in his charge.

However, Kamran was not satisfied with these poverty-stricken areas. He marched on Lahore and Multan, and occupied them. Humayun, who was busy elsewhere, and did not want to start a civil war, had little option but to agree. Kamran accepted the suzerainty of Humayun, and promised to help him whenever necessary.

Kamran’s action created the apprehension that the other brothers (Hindal and Askari) of Humayun might also follow the same path whenever an opportunity arose. In fact Kamran was over-ambitious and he did not remain loyal to Humayun in the hour of need. “Humayun’s other two brothers” Lane-poole says, “were weak and foolish.” They were easily accessible to the clever and corrupt designs of the Amirs against Humayun. They had always added to his problems.

5. Enmity of the Afghan rivals:

The acutest difficulties of Humayun were, however, those presented by the Afghans. Of course, Babur had defeated the Afghans in the Battle of Panipat and Ghagra, yet their power was not crushed. The result was that on the accession of Humayun, they became as bold in their activities as ever.

They were nursing the hope of expelling the Mughals from India. On the East his position was mananced by the Afghan Chiefs of Bengal and Bihar. Mahmud Lodi was trying to get back the throne of Delhi for the Afghans. Alam Khan who had once invited Babur to conquer India was now charishing hopes of making himself the ruler. He was taking refuge with Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, who promised him help with men and money. On the South Bahadur Shah of Gujarat assumed a hostile attitude and pressing his triumph over the Rajputs of Mewar was rapidly approaching it in striking distances of Agra. More dangerous than all the other Afghans Chiefs was, Shershah Suri.

6. Unreliable army:

The Army which Humayun inherited from his father could not be relied upon. This army was not enthused with National Feeling and enthusiasm. His army consisted of Mughals, Uzbegs, Afghans, Indian Muslims, Turks, The Hindus and The Persian. The Commanders of Armies were jealous of one another. Their internal disunity and rivalry made the striking-power of the Mughal Army non-dependable. In fact majority of these soldiers were selfish and were ready to cheat the Emperor, if it suited their purpose.

7. Personal Weaknesses of Humayun :

One of the difficulties of Humayun was his own nature and character. He had certain weaknesses. Though he was a brave soldier, but a weak administrator. He was addicted to wine and opium. He was very pleasure loving. By nature he was so kind that even at the right moment he could not punish his enemies and opponents severely. Lane-poole writes, “He lacked character and resolutk \ He was incapable of sustained efforts after a moment of triumph and would busy ,n self in his Harem and dream away the precious hour in the opium eaters paradise while his enemies were thundering at his gate.”

It is true that Humyun was faced with many difficulties but there is no doubt that he could have overcome them if he had possessed tact and stronger will power. Unfortunately, he did not possess such a character. According to Lane-Poole, “He was incapable of sustained effort and after a moment of triumph would bury himself in his Harem and dream away the precious hours in the opium-eaters’ paradise whilst his enemies were thundering at the gate.

Naturally kind, he forgave when he should have punished; light-hearted and sociable, he revelled at the table when he ought to have been in the saddle. His character attracts but never dominates. In private life, he might have been a delightful companion and a staunch friend; his virtues were Christian, and his whole life was that of a gentleman. But as a king he was a failure. His name means fortune and never was an unlucky sovereign more miscalled.”