Early life of Humayun (Nasiruddin Muhammad Humayun)

Early life of Humayun

Nasiruddin Muhammad Humayun was born at Kabul on March 6, 1508. His mother, Mahim Begam, who was married by Babar in 1506. As Babur had come to a settled life in Afghanistan, very good arrangements must have been made for the education of his eldest son.

In his early life, Humayun learnt Turki, Arabic and Persian. We are told that he picked up some Hindi also after Babur’s conquest of Northern India. Besides literature and poetry, he was interested in mathematics, philosophy, astronomy and astrology. Military training also formed part of his early education. While yet a boy he was associated by his father with civil and military administration.

Nasiruddin Muhammad Humayun was appointed governor of Badakhshan at the early age of twenty. On the eve of the battle of Panipat, he was sent to encounter one of the Afghan advance parties under Hamid Khan. Humayun defeated Hamid Khan near Hisar Firuza. It was his first experience of battle. Subsequently, he fought at Panipat and Khanua and had a number of other encounters with Afghans.

In 1926, Humayun was assigned the district of Hisar Firuza and was, subsequently, given Sambhal in jagir. After the battle of Khanua he was sent to take charge of Badakhshan, but he abandoned it after two years and returned to Agra in 1529. Humayun was then sent to manage his jagir of Sambhal from where he had to be brought to Agra owing to illness.

While on death-bed, Babur nominated him his successor and commended him to his officers.