The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c13.56

v4.c13.56

Humāyūn was now free from the most dangerous rivals of his own house and the generals of his race who had aided or opposed him as seemed most to their personal interests were dead or scattered. How he regained some part of his former possession in India will be related in the next chapter. Like most Mughul princes Humāyūn, who was born in 1508, was placed in nominal charge of a province at an early age. He was only twelve when Badakhshān was made over to him in 1520, and he remained there almost continuously till he assisted in Bābur's conquest of northern India, after which he was allowed to return. On his journey back an incident occurred which throws light on his character. Halting at Delhi he robbed the government treasury though he had been amply rewarded by his father and had received a territorial grant. His experience of the pleasures to be enjoyed in India then made the isolation of Badakhshān irksome to him, and Bābur in his *Memoirs* records a letter rebuking his son for his discontent, and criticising the carelessness of his spelling and composition. When Bābur's strenuous mode of living had sapped his health Humāyūn abandoned his post and came to India to be near his father.