Humayun
(1530–1540 CE, Restored: 1555–1556 CE)
When Babur passed away in December 1530, the mighty founder of the Mughal Empire left behind a fledgling kingdom—still unstable, and far from secure. Upon this uncertain throne sat Humayun, his eldest son, only 23 years old—intelligent, cultured, but not a military genius like his father.
From the very beginning, Humayun was besieged on all sides—by external threats, internal disunity, and above all, by his own gentle temperament in a world that respected ruthlessness.
🧩 Inherited Challenges
Let’s pause here to reflect on what kind of empire Humayun inherited:
- Administrative instability – The empire was newly established, and Mughal authority had not yet deeply penetrated the provinces.
- Weak finances – The treasury was not full, unlike the long-established Sultanates.
- Persistent Afghan resistance – The Afghans, displaced by Babur, still hoped to reclaim power, especially in the eastern regions like Bihar and Bengal.
In short, Humayun didn’t inherit an empire—he inherited a challenge.
🤝 A Promise and Its Consequences
Before his father died, Humayun made a promise to treat his brothers with kindness and generosity. True to his word, he divided the empire among them:
- Kamran: Kabul and Kandahar
- Askari: Sambhal
- Hindal: Alwar
This gesture of goodwill, however, would soon boomerang. The brothers were ambitious, and this fragmentation weakened the central Mughal authority.
⚔️ Three Key Challenges: Kamran, Afghans, and Bahadur Shah
When Humayun sat on the throne at Agra, he faced three major challenges simultaneously:
1️⃣ Kamran Mirza
Although given Kabul and Kandahar, Kamran seized Lahore and Multan—two crucial territories. Humayun, not wishing to provoke civil war, legitimised this occupation and granted him Punjab and Multan officially. But the message was clear—authority was slipping.
2️⃣ The Afghan Challenge: Sher Khan’s Rise
In eastern India, Afghan resurgence was being led by a rising star—Sher Khan, later known as Sher Shah Suri. His power was growing in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Humayun responded by:
- Defeating the Afghans at Daurah (1532).
- Laying siege to the fort of Chunar, a strategic Afghan stronghold.
But Sher Khan, with clever diplomacy, promised loyalty, and Humayun, trusting him, lifted the siege.
❝This moment of misplaced trust would come back to haunt Humayun.❞
Meanwhile, Sher Khan was not idle—he was secretly strengthening his hold in Bengal.
3️⃣ Bahadur Shah of Gujarat
To the west, Bahadur Shah, ruler of Gujarat, had begun expanding aggressively—he had already conquered Malwa and Rajasthan, and had become a refuge for anti-Mughal elements.
Humayun responded by:
- Marching against Bahadur Shah, who fled without fighting.
- Capturing Gujarat and Malwa, and handing them to his brother Askari.
But the conquest didn’t last—Bahadur Shah reclaimed Gujarat soon after.
Even though it didn’t expand the empire, this campaign neutralised the Gujarat threat permanently.
Shortly after, Bahadur Shah was killed by the Portuguese during a naval encounter.
⚔️ Battle of Chausa (1539): The Fall Begins
While Humayun was busy in Gujarat, Sher Khan had moved swiftly:
- Defeated the ruler of Bengal.
- Captured the strategic Rohtas Fort.
- Consolidated his hold in Bengal.
Humayun finally turned east and marched to confront Sher Khan. He reached Gaur (Gauda), but there he received grave news—his brother Hindal had declared himself king in Agra.
This forced Humayun to temporarily abandon the campaign and rush back, destabilising his focus.
Eventually, he reassembled his forces at Chausa, near Buxar. Despite:
- Internal discontent,
- Heavy rains,
- Harassing attacks by the Afghans,
…Humayun kept his forces together.
But the full-scale Battle of Chausa (1539) turned into a disaster. Sher Khan:
- Showed brilliant tactical skill,
- Used superior guerrilla-like attacks and military coordination.
Humayun was defeated, and escaped with his life by swimming across the Ganga.
This marked Sher Khan’s rise—he now took the title Sher Shah.
⚔️ Battle of Kanauj (1540): Total Defeat
After Chausa, Humayun returned to Agra and gathered his forces again—with support from Askari and Hindal.
But time was not on his side. The next major confrontation—Battle of Kanauj (1540)—proved to be the final blow.
Sher Shah’s forces were now more experienced, better organised, and morally superior.
Humayun’s forces, though larger, were:
- Hastily assembled,
- Poorly coordinated,
- Disloyal and confused.
Sher Shah crushed the Mughal army. Humayun fled, and Delhi fell to Sher Shah.
This defeat ended the first phase of Mughal rule in India.
🧭 Summary: What Went Wrong for Humayun?
Let’s step back and reflect on why Humayun’s reign collapsed within a decade:
| 🔍 Problem | 📉 Impact |
| Dividing empire among brothers | Weakened central authority |
| Underestimating Sher Khan | Allowed Afghans to regroup |
| Distraction by Gujarat campaign | Lost focus from eastern threat |
| Poor political timing | Enemies gained strength while he was distracted |
| Lack of military decisiveness | Lost trust among his nobles |
| Internal rebellions (e.g. Hindal) | Destabilised administration further |
🏁 What Next?
Though defeated and driven out, Humayun was not finished. He would spend 15 years in exile, often as a guest of the Safavids of Iran, preparing for a return.
That story—of Humayun’s exile and eventual restoration—and how his son Akbar was born during these years, forms the bridge to the next phase of Mughal history.