The Whirlpool of Fate: Humayun's Defeat at Qanauj and the Long Road to Exile

The Akbarnama, Abu'l Fazl's monumental history of Emperor Akbar's reign, doesn't shy away from the challenging periods that preceded the empire's zenith. Among the most dramatic is the account of Emperor Humayun's confrontation with the formidable Sher Khan Sur, culminating in the devastating defeat at Qanauj. This wasn't just a military loss; it was a turning point that plunged the Mughal emperor into years of exile, a period Abu'l Fazl frames as a necessary trial orchestrated by divine will.

The Gathering Storm

Having returned from his conquest of Gujarat, a victory marred by the subsequent loss of the province due to internal disarray among his officers, Emperor Humayun turned his attention eastward. Sher Khan, an Afghan chieftain of remarkable cunning and ambition, had been consolidating power in Bihar and Bengal, taking advantage of Humayun's preoccupations. Humayun marched towards Bengal, eventually capturing its capital, Gaur. However, his stay there was marked by indulgence and a dangerous lack of vigilance, while Sher Khan regrouped and seized control of the routes back to Agra, including the strategically vital fort of Rohtas.

Adding to the peril, Humayun's half-brother, Mirza Hindal, abandoned his post and returned to Agra, where, instigated by rebellious nobles, he had the khutba (Friday sermon, a symbol of sovereignty) read in his own name. This act of open rebellion fractured the Mughal ranks at a critical juncture.

Faced with Sher Khan's growing power and his brother's treachery, Humayun began the arduous journey back towards Agra, his army weakened and ill-prepared, especially as the monsoon season approached.

The Standoff at Qanauj

The two armies eventually faced each other near Qanauj. Humayun's force, though depleted and suffering from the difficult march, still represented the imperial might. Sher Khan, however, commanded a well-organized and motivated army, bolstered by Humayun's internal troubles.

Abu'l Fazl highlights the stark contrast: Humayun's camp was plagued by disunity and a lack of resolve among many officers and even his brothers, Mirza Askari and Mirza Hindal, who, despite rejoining him, remained unreliable. Sher Khan, on the other hand, employed cunning tactics, engaging in prolonged skirmishes while secretly planning a decisive move.

As the armies faced off across the Ganges, Humayun's attempts to bridge the river and force a confrontation were met with delays and setbacks. The situation worsened as the monsoon rains began in earnest, flooding the Mughal camp and forcing them to seek higher ground.

The Battle and the Rout (10th Muharram, 947 AH / May 17, 1540 CE)

On the morning of 10th Muharram, 947 AH (May 17, 1540 CE), Humayun's army moved to relocate to a less flooded position. Sher Khan, who had deceptively withdrawn his main force, seized this moment. Under the cover of darkness, he had marched his army back and launched a surprise attack on the Mughals while they were in the process of moving and forming up.

The Mughal camp was thrown into immediate chaos. Soldiers, caught unprepared, struggled to arm themselves. Despite the confusion, Humayun displayed personal bravery, fighting fiercely and breaking two lances in the fray. However, individual courage could not compensate for the army's disarray and the deep-seated disunity among its leaders.

Abu'l Fazl laments the failure of the brothers to stand together, attributing the disaster to their "superfluity of naughtiness." The Afghan onslaught was overwhelming. The Mughal lines broke, and the army dissolved into a panicked rout towards the Ganges.

The Emperor's Escape

The flight to the river was desperate. Many soldiers and officers, including prominent figures and learned men, drowned attempting to cross the swollen, turbulent waters. Humayun himself reached the riverbank only to find the bridge broken. Plunging into the river on his elephant, he was soon separated from the animal and found himself struggling in the current.

It was at this critical moment, Abu'l Fazl recounts, that divine providence intervened. A water-carrier named Nizam, using his inflated waterskin, helped the emperor reach the shore. In a moment that speaks volumes about Humayun's character and the narrative Abu'l Fazl wishes to convey, the emperor promised Nizam that, should he regain his throne, he would grant the water-carrier kingship for half a day.

This act of clemency and adherence to a promise, even in the face of utter defeat, is presented as a reflection of Humayun's inherent nobility, a quality Abu'l Fazl links directly to the divine light destined to manifest fully in Akbar.

The Bitter Aftermath and Exile

Humayun, accompanied by a few loyal followers and eventually rejoined by his brothers (whose presence often seemed to bring more trouble than aid), made his way back to Agra. The empire was in turmoil, provinces were lost, and the Afghan rebellion under Sher Khan had triumphed.

The subsequent period saw Humayun's desperate attempts to rally support, particularly from his brother Kamran in Lahore. However, Kamran's ambition and distrust proved insurmountable. Despite pleas for unity against the common enemy, the brothers remained divided, each pursuing his own narrow interests. Kamran eventually withdrew to Kabul, effectively abandoning Humayun to his fate.

Left with dwindling resources and facing the relentless pursuit of Sher Khan, Humayun was forced to flee India. His journey took him through the harsh deserts of Sind, a period of immense hardship and uncertainty, before eventually finding refuge in Persia.

Destiny's Design

Abu'l Fazl interprets these calamitous events not merely as political or military failures, but as part of a larger cosmic plan. The defeat and exile were trials, a "polishing for the elect," designed to prepare Humayun for the eventual restoration of his throne and, more importantly, to set the stage for the birth and rise of his son, Akbar – the true culmination of the divine light that had passed through generations of illustrious ancestors.

The years of wandering, the betrayals, and the hardships were, in this view, necessary steps in a grand narrative orchestrated by the "world-adorning Creator," ensuring that when the "unique pearl of his Majesty, the king of kings," finally ascended, his reign would be built on a foundation forged in the crucible of his father's trials.

Humayun's defeat at Qanauj was a devastating blow, scattering the nascent Mughal power. Yet, as Abu'l Fazl's history reminds us, even in moments of apparent collapse, the threads of destiny are being woven, leading towards unforeseen triumphs and the eventual manifestation of greatness. The story of Humayun's exile is thus not just one of loss, but of resilience, divine purpose, and the prelude to an empire's most glorious era.