The History of Humāyūn (Gulbadan Begam) 76.1

76.1

Ar. hamīda, praised, laudable, and Pers. bānū. Daughter of Sayyid Muhammad Qāsim. She died 984H. (1576-77), and was buried at Andakhūi. The above information is given by Captain Yate, indefinite khal, maternal uncle, to describe the relation of Akbar and Mu'azzam. (5) The Ma’asiru'l-umara’ confirms the identification by use of the words baradar-i-a'yani, full-brother. Its authority may not be of the best, but the choice of these words has some weight. (6) 'Ali-akbar was of the lineage of Ahmad Jami. Humayun had a dream which allowed him to know that the son prophesied in it by Ahmad would be of the latter’s lineage. There is, I think, nothing said on this point of Mir Baba Dost, but saintly descent was claimed for Hamida’s father. (7) Gul-badan gives one the impression (it is little more) that Mu'azzam was younger than Hamida. He calls his sister Mah-chicham, which may be read as ‘Moon of my mother,’ but also as ‘Elder Moon-sister.’ (Cf. 18b n.) If he were Hamida’s junior, and as Mir Baba Dost was alive in 1540-41, he could not have been an independent agent in 1543-44. In opposition to the identification, there are two considerations: (1) A minor matter: two names are given by the sources, Mir Baba Dost and 'Ali-akbar. (2) The important fact that Abu'l-fazl calls Mu'azzam Hamida’s ukhtawiyat-i-akhydfi, which, according to Lane, must be rendered ‘uterine brother.’ Was, then, the name Baba Dost a sobriquet of Shaikh 'Ali-akbar? Were Hamida and Mu'azzam full brother and sister?