Timeline Of Humayun (1508 – 1556)

Humayun (born 6 March 1508 in Kabul) was the eldest son of Babur. He succeeded his father on 26 December 1530 at age 22, inheriting a fragile empire with threats from Afghan nobles, Rajputs, and rising powers like Bahadur Shah of Gujarat and Sher Khan (later Sher Shah Suri).

His reign was interrupted by a major defeat and 15-year exile (1540–1555), during which he sought refuge in Sindh, Rajasthan, and Persia (Safavid Empire). He regained the throne in 1555 with Persian aid but ruled briefly before his death.

Humayun was scholarly and artistic (patron of Persian culture, astrology, and architecture), but his military and administrative decisions were often indecisive, leading to losses. His tomb in Delhi (completed under Akbar) is an early masterpiece of Mughal architecture and a UNESCO site.

Chronological timeline of key events in his life and reign:

1508 March 6: Born in Kabul to Babur and Maham Begum.
1520s: Participates in Babur’s campaigns, including battles leading to the Mughal conquest of India (e.g., Panipat 1526, though young).
1530 December 26: Succeeds Babur as Mughal emperor; crowned shortly after in Agra/Delhi. Faces immediate challenges from brothers (Kamran, Askari, Hindal) and Afghan chiefs.
1531–1532: Early campaigns, besieges Kalinjar fort (Bundelkhand); defeats Afghans at Daurah/Douhrua; besieges Chunar fort (held by Sher Khan) but withdraws after nominal submission.
1535–1536: Campaign against Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, occupies Gujarat temporarily (including Champaner and Mandu), but fails to consolidate; Bahadur Shah’s death in 1537 ends the threat.
1537–1538: Bengal campaign, advances to capture Gaur (Bengal capital) from Afghan rulers, but overextends; Sher Khan consolidates in Bihar/Bengal.
1539 June 26: Battle of Chausa, decisive defeat by Sher Shah Suri (Sher Khan assumes royal title after); Humayun barely escapes drowning in the Ganges (saved by a water carrier); loses much of eastern territories.
1540 May 17: Battle of Kannauj (or Bilgram), final crushing defeat by Sher Shah Suri; Mughal army routed; Humayun flees, loses Delhi and Agra. Sher Shah establishes Sur Empire; Humayun begins 15-year exile.
1540–1542: Wanders as fugitive, through Punjab, Sindh (birth of son Akbar in Umarkot, 1542), Rajasthan (Marwar); faces hostility from local rulers and his brother Kamran.
1544: Reaches Persia; granted asylum and military aid by Safavid Shah Tahmasp I (in exchange for adopting Shia practices temporarily and ceding Kandahar).
1545: With Persian help, conquers Kandahar from his brother Kamran.
1545–1550: Struggles to regain Kabul, seizes it multiple times from Kamran (final capture in 1550); consolidates base in Afghanistan.
1555 February: Captures Lahore; exploits civil wars among Sur successors after Sher Shah’s death (1545) and Islam Shah’s (1554).
1555 June 22: Battle of Sirhind, defeats Sikandar Shah Suri (Sur governor of Punjab); re-enters Delhi and Agra triumphantly in July 1555, restoring Mughal rule.
1555–1556: Brief second reign, stabilizes northern India; promotes arts and scholarship; introduces Persian influences more deeply at court.
1556 January 27: Dies in Delhi at age 47 after falling down the stairs of his library (Sher Mandal in Purana Qila); buried initially in Delhi, later reinterred. Succeeded by his 13-year-old son Akbar (under regent Bairam Khan).

Humayun’s 26-year nominal reign (with a long interruption) was marked by loss and recovery rather than expansion. His exile exposed him to Persian culture, which influenced later Mughal art, architecture, and administration.

The empire he restored was still precarious, but it provided the foundation for Akbar’s transformative rule. His resilience in regaining the throne after such setbacks is often noted as a testament to Mughal dynastic endurance.