Qandahar: A Tumultuous Jewel in Babar's Legacy

Qandahar, a city perched strategically on vital trade and military routes, was far more than just a dot on the map for the early Mughals. For Zahiru-d-din Muhammad Babar, the founder of the dynasty, its control was paramount. The Akbarnama, the official chronicle of Emperor Akbar's reign penned by Abu'l Fazl, offers glimpses into the persistent struggle for this crucial territory, a struggle that continued to define the fortunes of Babar's descendants.

Babar's Initial Grasp

The text recounts Babar's successful campaign to take Qandahar from Shah Beg Arghun. This wasn't just a territorial gain; it was securing a key gateway between Persia, Central Asia, and India. Babar understood its value, placing his trust in his sons and key officers to hold it. After his conquest of India, Qandahar remained a vital link to his ancestral lands and a base for his family members.

The Sons and the City

Following Babar's death, the control of Qandahar became intertwined with the complex relationships and rivalries among his sons – Humayun, Kamran, Askari, and Hindal. Babar had entrusted Qandahar to his son Kamran Mirza. The Akbarnama details how Kamran, at various points, made over the charge of the fort to his brother Askari Mirza. This shifting of responsibility highlights the fluid nature of authority and the challenges of maintaining centralized control over distant territories within the burgeoning empire.

Contests with the Safavids

Qandahar's strategic significance also made it a point of contention with the Safavid dynasty of Persia. The Akbarnama mentions Kamran's conflict with Sam Mirza, the brother of Shah Tahmasp Safavi, near Qandahar. Later, Shah Tahmasp himself laid siege to the city when it was held by Babar's trusted officer, Khwaja Kalan Beg. The text notes Khwaja Kalan Beg's difficult decision to surrender the fort to the Shah, emphasizing the overwhelming power dynamics at play and the loyalty conflicts faced by Mughal officers on the frontier.

Kamran's subsequent efforts to retake Qandahar from the Safavids, including a campaign against Bidagh Khan, Shah Tahmasp's appointee, underscore the city's persistent importance and the determination of Babar's sons to reclaim it.

A Pawn in Fraternal Strife

After Humayun's initial setbacks in India, Qandahar became a refuge and a base for the Mirzas. The text shows Kamran returning to Qandahar and later leaving Askari in charge again before heading towards India. The city's fate was often dictated by the shifting alliances and power struggles between the brothers, particularly between Humayun and Kamran. Even when Humayun was in dire straits, presents and communications flowed to Kamran in Qandahar, acknowledging his control over this critical region.

Preserving the Record

The Akbarnama's detailed, though sometimes fragmented, account of these events serves to preserve the history of Qandahar's turbulent status. It shows that holding this city was never a given, requiring constant vigilance and military effort. The narrative, while focused on the imperial perspective, reveals the human element – the loyalties, betrayals, and strategic calculations that played out on this important stage.

Qandahar's story in the Akbarnama is a testament to its enduring strategic value and the complex legacy of control that Babar left to his successors. It reminds us that history is not just about grand conquests, but also about the persistent, often difficult, struggle to maintain what has been won, shaped by both external pressures and internal family dynamics.