From Defeat to Desert Sands: Humayun's Trials and the Bonds of Brotherhood

The life of Emperor Humayun, son of the formidable Babur, was a tapestry woven with threads of both grand ambition and crushing adversity. While his father laid the foundation for the Mughal Empire in India, Humayun faced the monumental task of consolidating it against determined rivals and navigating the treacherous waters of family politics. The Akbarnama, penned by the insightful Abu'l Fazl, offers a unique lens into this turbulent era, portraying Humayun's struggles not just as political setbacks, but as divinely orchestrated trials preparing the ground for the glorious reign of his son, Akbar.

The Whirlpool of Causa and the Kindness of a Water-Carrier

The turning point came with the rise of Sher Khan Sur, a formidable Afghan leader. The text vividly recounts the disastrous battle at the Causa ferry on the Ganges. Caught off guard by a surprise night attack, the imperial army was thrown into chaos. Humayun himself was forced to plunge into the river as his bridge collapsed. In a moment of desperate fortune, a water-carrier, Nizam, aided the emperor's escape from the treacherous waters. This act of simple humanity, amidst the collapse of an empire, was later repaid by Humayun with a symbolic gesture of gratitude, highlighting the emperor's magnanimity even in the depths of despair.

The Desert's Harsh Embrace and Fractured Unity

Following the defeat, Humayun's path led him towards the arid lands of Sind. This was not a strategic retreat but a desperate flight, marked by immense hardship. The text speaks of wandering through the desert, facing a severe lack of water and grain, sustained only by "endurance and with the rations (zad) of reliance upon God."

Crucially, this period exposed the deep fissures within the royal family. Humayun's brothers – Kamran, Askari, and Hindal – whose unity was vital for survival, were instead driven by their own ambitions and suspicions. The Akbarnama is unflinching in its depiction of their "disunion" and "shortsightedness," portraying their actions as actively hindering Humayun's efforts to regroup. Despite Humayun's attempts at reconciliation, including a signed "deed (tazkira) of concord and unanimity" at Lahore, the bonds proved fragile.

Kamran, holding Kabul and Qandahar, remained largely aloof, prioritizing his own domains. Hindal, instigated by rebellious elements, even went so far as to have the khutba (the sermon acknowledging sovereignty) read in his own name in Agra, a direct challenge to Humayun's authority. Askari's loyalty wavered, swayed by the shifting political winds and the influence of others.

A Fleeting Reunion in the Sands

Driven by necessity and perhaps a lingering sense of familial obligation, the brothers' paths eventually converged near Bhakkar in Sind. The text notes that Mir Abu'l-baqa, a loyal companion, played a role in bringing Hindal and Yadgar Nasir Mirza (a cousin) back into contact with Humayun after they had wandered separately. This reunion, however, was fraught with tension. Abu'l Fazl describes the brothers as "severed from fortune and auspiciousness," wandering in the "desert of astonishment," having "lost their object" by not following the path of unity.

Even when physically together, the underlying discord persisted. The text highlights Kamran's continued suspicion and eventual departure back to Kabul, taking valuable troops with him, further weakening Humayun's position. Hindal and Yadgar Nasir Mirza, despite their brief return, soon instigated a move towards Sind, only to abandon Humayun again shortly thereafter.

Divine Trials and the Dawn of a New Era

Abu'l Fazl interprets these trials through a philosophical and theological lens. He suggests that these "untoward occurrences" were not mere misfortune but a "process of education" and a "prophylactic charm" against the "fatal eye" for the lineage, specifically preparing the way for the "apparition of the light-increasing star of mortals," Akbar. The struggles, the betrayals, the wanderings – all were part of a grand, divine plan to temper the future emperor's destiny and ensure the ultimate glory of the Mughal state.

Humayun's period of exile and wandering, marked by defeat and the painful failure of brotherly unity, was undoubtedly the most challenging of his life. Yet, as chronicled in the Akbarnama, it was also a period of profound personal testing and, in Abu'l Fazl's view, a necessary prelude to the empire's resurgence under Akbar. The history of Humayun's trials serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost of disunity and the enduring narrative of resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, framed within a belief in a larger, guiding destiny.

This era, though difficult, solidified Humayun's reliance on loyal companions and perhaps deepened his understanding of the complexities of human nature, lessons that would prove invaluable upon his eventual return to power.