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A History of Agriculture in India v2.c70: Chapter 18. The Rule of the Mughals

A History of Agriculture in India v2.c70

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English

Contents

Chapter 18. The Rule of the Mughals

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HUMAYUN A.D. 1530-1540 and A.D. 1555-1556 ADMINISTRATION, THE FOUNDING OF DINPANAH EXILE IN IRAN AND IMPORT OF IRANI ARTISTS

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The Moslem kings did not follow the law of primogeniture. As a result, when a king died, a period of uncertainty followed and his sons fought one another, till one of them emerged as the victor and claimed the throne. Babur had four sons—Humayun, Kamran, Hindal and Askari. Humayun, who was the eldest, succeeded Babur in A.D. 1530. At that time he was twenty-three years old and had served as the governor of Badakshan. His brothers created great trouble for him. Kamran, who was the governor of Kabul, added Punjab and Sind to his domain, thus cutting off Humayun from the recruitment area of his army. His bitterest enemy, however, was the Afghan, Sher Khan, who defeated him at Chausa in June 1539, and finally at Kanauj in May 1540.

Classification of Men

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Humayun was a poet, and was also interested in mathematics and astronomy. Khondamir states that Humayun had classified people who came into contact with him into three categories, viz. *Ahl-i Daulat* or men of power, *mushaikhs* or intelligentsia, and thirdly entertainers or people of pleasure, the *Ahl-i Murad*. ‘When the auspicious throne of royalty was filled by this dignified and brave monarch,’ states Khondamir, ‘all the officers of the State and inhabitants of the kingdom were divided into three classes. The brothers and relations of the king, the nobles and ministers, as well as the military men, were called *Ahl-i Daulat* (officers of the State), because it is evident that—according to the words, “There can be no dominion without men”—no degree of wealth and prosperity can be attained without the assistance of this class of brave and courageous people; and no one can obtain the throne and power without the aid of warriors and heroes.

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‘The holy persons, the great *mushaikhs* (religious men), the respectable *saiyids*, the literati, the law officers, the scientific persons, poets, besides other great and respectable men, formed the second class, and were denominated *Ahl-i Sa’adat* (good men), because to observe, honour, and regard these people, and to associate with such men, secures eternal prosperity, and enables men to rise to high dignities and ranks.

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‘Those who possessed beauty and elegance, those who were young and most lovely, also clever musicians and sweet singers, composed the third class, and the appellation of *Ahl-i Murad* (people of pleasure) was conferred on them, because most people take great delight in the company of such young-looking men, of rosy cheeks and sweet voices, and are pleased by hearing their songs, and the pleasing sound of the musical instruments, such as the harp, the sackbut, and the lute.

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'According to this classification, the wise King also divided the days of the week and appointed one day for each of these three classes.

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'Another invention of this King was that he got three arrows of gold made, and called them each after the name of the three classes above mentioned. Each of these was given to one of the most confidential persons of the respective classes, and this person was to manage all the affairs of that class.¹

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¹ Khondamir, *Humayun-nama*, in Elliot and Dowson, *The History of India*..., Vol. V, pp. 119-122, 124

Departments

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Humayan divided all the affairs of the government into four departments, viz. the *Atashi*, *Hawai*, *Khaki* and *Abi*, each under a minister. The *Sharbat-khana*, *Suji-khana*, the digging of canals, and all the works which related to water and rivers, belonged the *A'bi* department, and its superintendent was Khwaja Hasan. Agriculture, erection of buildings, resumption of *Khalisa* lands, and some household affairs formed a department which was called *Khaki*, and this was placed under the management of Khawaja Jalalu-d din Mirza Beg. What was the actual performance of the *A'bi* department is not known. In the field of irrigation no noteworthy scheme can be ascribed to this department.

Dinpanah

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In A.D. 1533, Humayun expressed an intention to found near the capital Delhi, a large city, the Dinpanah. 'It was his desire that in this city a magnificent palace of seven storeys should be erected, surrounded by delightful gardens and orchards, of such elegance and beauty that its fame might draw people from the remotest corners of the world for its inspection. That the city should be the asylum of wise and intelligent persons. For this city he selected a rising ground adjacent to the River Jumna, about three *kos* from the city, where Humayun laid the foundation of Dinpanah. Khondamir states that in A.D. 1534 the walls, bastions, ramparts and the gates of the city of Dinpanah were completed.

Exile

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After his defeat at Kanauj, Humayun became a homeless wanderer, whom nobody agreed to support. During this period he married Hamida Banu, who gave birth to Akbar on 23 November 1542 at Amarkot.

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Ultimately, Humayun proceeded to Iran and was hospitably received by Shah Tahmasp at Herat. At the court of the Shah, he saw the paintings of the celebrated Persian artists, Aga Mirak, Sultan Muhammad and Muzaffar Ali, pupils of Bihzad, ‘Raphael of the East’. Later at Tabriz he met the painter, Mir Sayyid Ali. Then, in A.D. 1550 at Kabul, Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad from Shiraz joined Humayun. When Humayun regained his throne, both the artists accompanied him to India. It is these two artists who, under the patronage of Akbar, participated in the development of Mughal painting, which combines Persian technique with Indian naturalism. It was thus that a great school of painting was born which has an honoured place in the culture of India.

Restoration of Humayun

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Early in A.D. 1555, Humayun defeated Sikandar Suri near Sirhind. Humayun occupied Delhi and Agra. He could not consolidate his conquest nor establish a regular civil government. His second reign lasted for only seven months. In January 1556, he fell from the staircase of his library in Purana Qila and died. ‘His end was of a piece with his character. If there was a possibility of falling Humayun was not the man to miss it. He tumbled through life, and he tumbled out of it.’ He lies buried in a magnificent tomb at Delhi, built by his widow in A.D. 1565-1569 during the reign of Akbar. It is generally considered that this splendid monument was the prototype of the Taj Mahal.

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