The Serpent in the Garden: How Sher Khan Rose as Humayun Lost Bengal

Published on 7/29/2024

Emperor Humayun, son of the formidable Babur, inherited a vast but fragile empire. While his father had laid the groundwork for Mughal rule in India, consolidating power was an ongoing challenge. Following a successful campaign in Gujarat, Humayun's attention was drawn eastward, where a new, ambitious figure was rapidly consolidating power: Sher Khan Sur.

The Humble Beginnings of a Future Emperor

The man who would become Sher Shah Sur was born Farid, the son of Hasan, a man of humble origins who rose from horse-dealing to military service under various Afghan nobles. Farid himself served under different masters, including Taj Khan Lodi and Sultan Junaid Barlas. It's said that even Babur, with his keen eye, sensed Farid's restless ambition, warning Sultan Junaid that the Afghan's eyes showed a turbulent spirit.

Farid's opportunity arose when his father died, leaving him property in the Sasaram region. He began building his power base, initially through less-than-savory means like theft and robbery in the jungles of Chaund. As his notoriety grew, so did his following of 'rascals and vagabonds.' He seized control of territory, attacked rivals like Ulugh Mirza, captured important cities like Benares and Patna, and even defeated the ruler of Bengal at Surajgarh, expanding his domain significantly. A notable anecdote recounts his consulting an astrologer from the Raja of Orissa, who predicted his eventual success in Bengal after a year, tied to a specific day when the Ganges would be fordable for a brief time – a prediction fatefully fulfilled.

Humayun Turns East: The Bengal Campaign

With Sher Khan's power growing, Humayun, having returned from Gujarat, set his sights on Bengal. Despite warnings about the impending rainy season, Humayun pressed forward, eager to subdue Sher Khan quickly. He divided his army, sending a force under Mirza Hindal across the river at Bhagalpur.

Sher Khan, however, was a master strategist. Avoiding a direct confrontation, he withdrew towards Jharkhand, planning to let Humayun enter Bengal while he himself would circle back to Bihar and cut off the Mughal supply lines, securing his spoils in the strong fort of Rohtas. He famously took Rohtas from Raja Chintaman, a Brahman, by deception, using palanquins ostensibly carrying women but secretly filled with armed soldiers – a stratagem that secured him a vital stronghold.

Humayun reached Garhi, the 'gate of Bengal,' where Sher Khan's son Jalal Khan offered brief resistance before retreating according to plan. Humayun entered Bengal, taking its capital, Gaur. However, the army, finding the region rich and pleasant, fell into complacency. This period of ease proved disastrous.

The Seeds of Disaster: Disunity and Rebellion

The most critical blow came from within. Mirza Hindal, influenced by ambitious companions, abandoned his post in the height of the rains and returned to Agra without permission. Worse, he harbored rebellious thoughts and even had the 'khutba' (the Friday sermon, a symbol of sovereignty) read in his own name. Sher Khan, ever watchful, seized this golden opportunity. He emerged from Rohtas, captured Benares and Jaunpur, tightening his grip on the region behind Humayun.

Humayun, receiving news of Hindal's rebellion and Sher Khan's advances, dispatched Shaikh Buhlul, a respected holy man, to Agra to reason with Hindal. Tragically, Hindal's rebellious officers, seeing the Shaikh as an obstacle, had him seized and executed – a shocking act that solidified Hindal's break with the Emperor. Despite attempts by other loyalists like Yadgar Nasir Mirza and Mir Faqr Ali to rally the Mirzas, the disunity festered.

The Catastrophe at Chausa

Forced to leave Bengal, Humayun began the arduous journey back towards Agra during the monsoon season. Sher Khan, now emboldened by the Mughal disarray, intercepted the imperial army near Chausa on the banks of the Ganges. Humayun's army, exhausted and ill-equipped from the march through mud and rain, was in a poor state.

Sher Khan, through cunning negotiations, lulled the Mughals into a false sense of security. Despite warnings, vigilance was lax. On the morning of 9 Safar, 946 AH (June 7, 1539 CE), Sher Khan launched a surprise night attack. The Mughal camp was thrown into chaos. Many officers and soldiers perished, drowned in the Ganges while trying to escape. Humayun himself narrowly escaped, saved from drowning by a water-carrier named Nizam, whom he famously promised the throne for half a day in gratitude.

The defeat at Chausa was devastating. It was a direct consequence of Sher Khan's strategic brilliance, Humayun's tactical errors (staying too long in Bengal, marching during the rains, lack of vigilance), and, most significantly, the crippling disunity and self-interest of the Mughal princes and nobles.

Aftermath and Retreat

Humayun reached Agra, where the Mirzas eventually rejoined him, albeit with shame and continued discord. Attempts at reconciliation and planning in Lahore failed, as Kamran, citing illness, withdrew to Kabul, taking valuable troops with him and even secretly negotiating with Sher Khan. This left Humayun isolated and vulnerable in the Panjab.

The period marked by the Bengal campaign and the disaster at Chausa was a turning point. It demonstrated Sher Khan's capability to challenge and defeat the Mughals and exposed the fatal flaw of fraternal strife that would eventually cost Humayun his throne and send him into exile. The lessons of unity, vigilance, and strategic foresight, so evident in Babur's victories, were painfully relearned through defeat." ---"

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