Mughal Dynasty: Humayun and Sher Shah With PDF Notes

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Structured Historical Overview: Humayun & Sher Shah Suri

Emperor Humayun (Mughal Empire)

Family & Background

• Parents:
  • Father: Babur (Founder of the Mughal Empire)
  • Mother: Maham Begum (related to the Shia group)
• Birth: 1508 in Kabul
• Sibling Order: Eldest son
• Brothers:
  • Kamran
  • Askari
  • Hindal
• Not a Brother: Usman

Military Campaigns & Battles (Chronological Order)

Legacy & Construction

• Coinage: First ruler to issue a gold coin after the downfall of the Delhi Sultanate.
• Tomb (Delhi):
  • Built by: His wife, Haji Begum (1569-70).
  • Architect: Designed by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyath.
  • Significance:
    • First garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent.
    • First mausoleum built of white marble.

Sher Shah Suri (Sur Empire)

Early Life & Education

• Original Name: Farid Khan
• Education: Received his education in Jaunpur, a renowned center of learning.
• Reputation: Highly educated medieval ruler.

Rise to Power & Titles

• 1534: After defeating the ruler of Bengal, he first assumed the title ‘Hazrat-e-Ala’.
• 1539: After defeating Humayun at the Battle of Chausa, he declared himself ‘Sher Shah’, minted coins, and had prayers read in his name.

Administrative Reforms

Comprehensive reforms that were the forerunner to Akbar’s system, covering four key areas:

1. Revenue Reforms: Systematic land measurement and assessment.
2. Administrative Reforms.
3. Military Reforms: Soldiers were recruited and paid directly by the state.
4. Currency Reforms: Introduced a new tri-metallic coinage system.

Key Facts & Contributions

A. Coinage & Monetary System

• Silver Rupiya:
  • Introduced a pure silver Rupiya.
  • Weight: 178 grains (173 grains pure silver).
  • Became the foundation for the British-era currency.
• Copper Daam:
  • Weight: 380 grains.
• Exchange Rate:
  • 40 Copper paisa for 1 Silver Rupiya.
  • The overall exchange rate for silver was 64:1.
• Design & Administration:
  • Coins were inscribed in both Arabic and Devanagari script.
  • 23 different types of coins were in circulation during his reign.

B. Military & Agrarian Reforms

• Military:
  • Soldiers’ faces were recorded (huliya) for identification.
  • Horses were branded with the royal symbol (dagh).
• Agrarian:
  • Introduced the “Patta” (title deed stating land and tax rate) and “Qabuliyat” (deed of agreement by the peasant) to protect farmers.

C. Architecture & Construction

• Grand Trunk Road (Sadak-e-Azam): Major highway connecting Sonargaon (Bengal) to Peshawar.
• Constructions in Delhi:
  • Constructed the Purana Qila (Old Fort) in its present form.
  • Built the Qila-i-Kuhna mosque and Sher Mandal inside the fort.
• Tomb: Located in Sasaram (Bihar); a magnificent example of Afghan architecture in India.

D. Death & Succession

• Date of Death: May 13, 1545.
• Circumstances: Died from injuries sustained in an explosion during the siege of Kalinjar Fort.
• Successor: His second son, Islam Shah Suri.

E. Historical Reputation

• Acknowledged the bravery of Rajput warriors after the battle of Marwar, famously stating he “would have lost the empire just for a handful of millet.”

Other Historical Figures & Events

• Haji Begum: Wife of Humayun, who commissioned his mausoleum in Delhi.
• Battle of Samugarh (1658): Fought between Dara Shukoh and his brothers, Aurangzeb and Murad Baksh. Not related to Humayun’s era.

Know More About the Mughal Dynasty: Humayun and Sher Shah:

• Mughal Dynasty: Humayun and Sher Shah– Old Year Questions and Answers
• Mughal Dynasty: Humayun and Sher Shah One Liner Questions & Answers