[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Mughals (1526–1857)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal) › [Humāyūn and the Sūrs (1530–1556)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.humayun) › [Humāyūnnāma](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.humayun.humayunnama) › [The History of Humayun (A. S. Beveridge)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.humayun.humayunnama~en-beveridge) › 38 # The History of Humāyūn (Gulbadan Begam) 38: XXXII. Bega Begam and Bibi The History of Humāyūn (A. S. Beveridge) 38 - **Language:** English ### [38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.humayun.humayunnama~en-beveridge.38) The Emperor Jahangir, when in his Memoirs enumerating the gardens of Kabul, mentions one which belonged to Bega Begam, a widow of his father’s grandfather, i.e., Babar. Which of Babar’s wives is indicated by this title cannot be said with certainty. Jauhar has a story of Kamran’s want of consideration for ‘Bega Begam,’ in which the points useful here are that on the day in 1545 when Humayun took Kabul from Kamran, he asked for food from Bega Begam, and he said of her that she was the very person who had brought Babar’s bones and laid them in Kabul. These two references of Jahangir and Jauhar are probably to the same lady. Of Babar’s wives, Bibi Mubarika (Afghani aghacha) appears to me the most suitable to the time and task. Babar’s body was still in its Agra tomb in 1539. Maham was then dead; Dil-dar’s movements exclude her from consideration; Gul-rukh, if living, will have left Agra with her son Kamran before the Timurid exodus was enforced by defeat at Kanauj; Bibi Mubarika remains, the probable and appropriate agent for fulfilling Babar’s wish as to the final disposition of his body. She lived into Akbar’s reign, and her character and respected position in the household add to the sum of probability that she would discharge this duty. Babar’s body was not removed till after the final, i.e., the Timurid downfall and exodus. Bega Begam, or, we may call her with Todar for the sake of clearness the Bībī must therefore have remained behind the rest of the royal family. This may have occurred in one of two natural ways. She might have stayed in Agra under the protection of one of the religious families and safeguarded by pious duty to Babar’s tomb until Shir Khan gave permission to remove the body and a safe-escort for her journey to his frontier; or she may even have been in Bengal and at Chausa with Humāyūn, and, like Bega (Hāji) Begam, have been made captive. It would harmonize with Shir Khan’s known actions if he had allowed Babar’s widow to remove his bones, and if he had aided her pious task. - [Previous: 37](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.humayun.humayunnama~en-beveridge.37) - [Next: 39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.humayun.humayunnama~en-beveridge.39) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.humayun.humayunnama~en-beveridge.38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.humayun.humayunnama~en-beveridge.38) · Pramāṇa