Humayun and the Empire’s Administrative System
Humayun began to face a number of serious problems, some of which had arisen after Babur’s death in December 1530. A major problem was the unsettled state of the administration and the ambition of the begs who wanted to assert themselves. The Afghans had been weakened but continued to nurse the ambition of setting up independent Afghan kingdoms, which could help in expelling the Mughals from India. Babur had little inclination and, at any rate, no time to plan and set up a new system of administration in India. Both in Afghanistan and India, he tried to continue the established system of administration and left the administrative work in the hands of his begs, who were given large tracks in assignment (Wajh). Humayun, who succeeded Babur, was burdened with the financial crisis that his father faced at the end of his reign in December 1530.
Six months after his accession, Humayun besieged the powerful fort of Kalinjar in Bundelkhand. Though the Chandela ruler had a reputation for bravery, and though he surrendered, he was allowed to keep the fort in return for accepting Humayun’s suzerainty and giving 12 men gold. Humayun spent a year at Agra, organising government and court society. He divided court society broadly into administrative, ecclesiastical, and cultural sections. Various rewards and titles were given to the nobles and others to attach them more closely to the new regime.
The Emperor found time for planning buildings and approving new inventions. His instituting a drum of justice (tabl-i-adl) to enable grievances to be brought to the notice of the king may be considered a first step towards earning a measure of public support for the new Mughal state. He tried to relive the burden on the village folk, the cultivators, and the artisans and merchants, and he tried to help foreign traders by remitting tamgha and some other currencies. Humayun spent the first two years of his reign consolidating his position. He began to get occupied with issues in Malwa, eastern Rajasthan, and Gujarat, where Bahadur Shah, son of Muzaffar Shah II of Gujarat, was emerging as a challenge.
Humayun (1530 – 1556) : Biography, Battles, Tomb
Humayun: Humayun the (born March 6, 1508, Kabul [Afghanistan]—died January 15, 1556, Delhi [India]) was the eldest son and successor of Bābur, who ruled from 1530 to 1540 and again from 1555 to 1556. Humayun was the second Mughal ruler who consolidated his empire. Humayun inherited the hope rather than the fact of empire because the Afghans, Rajputs, and sultanates were merely restrained but not reconciled to Mughal supremacy by the Mughal victories.
This is evident through the conflicts with Bahadur Shah, Sher Shah, and other regional rulers. Early in his reign, Humayun lost his entire state to Sher Shah Suri but regained it 15 years later with Safavid aid. His death marked the end of one phase and the beginning of another one in Mughal history. Read below this article to learn more about the Biography of Humayun: Empire’s Administrative System.
Humayun
| Full Name | Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Humayun |
| Date of Birth | March 6, 1508 |
| Place of Birth | Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Parents | Babur (Father), the founder of the Mughal Empire; Maham Begum (Mother) |
| Ascension to Throne | 1530, after the death of his father, Babur |
| Major Challenges | Threats from Sher Shah Suri; internal dissent |
| Loss and Exile | Lost the empire to Sher Shah Suri in 1540; spent years in exile in Persia and Afghanistan |
| Return to Power | Regained the throne in 1555 with support from the Safavid Shah of Persia |
| Cultural Contributions | Patronage of the arts, including Persian poetry and miniature painting |
| Architectural Legacy | Construction of the Dinpanah fort (later Purana Qila) in Delhi |
| Successor | His son, Akbar, one of the greatest Mughal emperors |
| Date of Death | 1556, due to an accidental fall from the stairs of his library |
| Historical Significance | Played a crucial role in the continuation and expansion of the Mughal Empire; influenced Mughal culture |