Timing: 10 am to 9 pm. Last entry at 8 pm.
Museum is Closed on Monday & National Holidays
Humayun World Heritage Site Museum, Nizamuddin,
Sunder Nursery, New Delhi, 110013
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Humayun, aged 18, played a significant role in Babur’s military campaigns, which culminated in the defeat of the Lodhi sultans of Delhi. When he was enthroned emperor, Humayun led a series of victorious battles to expand the Mughal empire across Gujarat in western India and in Bengal to the east.
Facing rebellion from his own brothers—whom he had pledged to protect and care for—he lost India in CE 1540 to the Afghan, Sher Khan. In CE 1545, he recaptured Kabul, his birthplace. For the next ten years he had to wage war against his own brothers over a dozen times across Afghanistan—yet forgave them each time.
In CE 1555, having finally vanquished his rebellious brothers, he was able to regain India. Humayun’s victory over Sher Khan’s successor, Ahmed Khan Suri, restored Mughal rule in India.
This folio is one part of the double-page illustration depicting Humayun’s victory over Hamid Khan Lodhi. Here the fully armoured Humayun, holding up a sword with his right hand, and a bow with left hand, is seen riding his armoured horse as he leads his army in a battle. This painting captures the energy and dynamism of a battalion as they set out for war. The singular focus of defeating their opponent can be gauged as the entire army looks in one direction and charges towards their enemy who is outside of the frame of the composition. Foot soldiers, the cavalry and warriors on elephant-back wield their swords, bows, arrows and axes as they continue their attack. On the top right behind a range of rocks, other members of the retinue – the staff bearers, trumpeters amongst others watch-over the proceedings to signal the army. On the left we see a stream emerge between a range of rocks. Two mountain goats perched peacefully atop the rocks look onto the mayhem that is unravelling down below. Humayun’s first battle and significant victory against Hamid Khan in Hisar Firoza on Monday morning, the fourteenth of the month, Humayun set out against Hamid Khan after dispatching a hundred or 150 warriors as scouts. As his men drew near and started to clash with the enemy the enemy soldiers scattered amidst Humayun's main body of troops who appeared from behind. A couple of hundred men were unhorsed.
Half were decapitated and half were brought alive with seven or eight elephants. On Friday the eighteenth, Beg Mirak Moghul brought to camp the news of Humayun's victory. Humayun was immediately awarded a royal robe and a horse from the royal stables and assigned a prize.
On Monday the twenty-first [March 5], at the same camp, Humayun brought in around a hundred prisoners and seven or eight elephants and paid homage. This expedition was the first time Humayun saw action, and it was taken as a good portent. The pursuit party chased the enemy soldiers to Hissar Firoza, where they caught them and pillaged the area before returning. Humayun was awarded the one-crore district of Hissar Firoza and its dependencies and a crore of cash-Baburnama
| Period | Archeology | Category | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | National Museum | ||
| Dimensions | L = 26 cm W = 17cm | Material & Production Techniques |
