The Memoirs of Bābur 936.1.3

936.1.3

The _Akbar-nāma_ derives much of its narrative for 936-937 AH. from Ḥaidar Mīrzā and Gul-badan Begīm, but its accounts of Bābur's self-surrender and of his dying address to his chiefs presuppose the help of information from a contemporary witness. It is noticeable that the _Akbar-nāma_ records no public events as occurring in Hindūstān during 936-937 AH., nothing of the sequel of rebellion by Raḥīm-dād[2694] and `Abdu'l-`azīz, nothing of the untiring Bīban and Bāyazīd. That something could have been told is shown by what Aḥmad-i-yādgār has preserved (_vide post_); but 50 years had passed since Bābur's death and, manifestly, interest in filling the _lacunæ_ in his diary was then less keen than it is over 300 years later. What in the _Akbar-nāma_ concerns Bābur is likely to have been written somewhat early in the _cir._ 15 years of its author's labours on it,[2695] but, even so, the elder women of the royal circle had had rest after the miseries Humāyūn had wrought, the forgiveness of family affection would veil his past, and certainly has provided Abū'l-faẓl with an over-mellowed estimate of him, one ill-assorting with what is justified by his Bābur-nāma record.