Reasons of Humayun’s Downfall
The major reasons for Humayun’s failure were:
o Humayun’s inability to understand the nature of the Afghan power and Sher Shah’s deceptive trick.
o The presence of large numbers of Afghan tribes across the north India and their nature of getting united under a capable leader (like Sher Shah).
o Without getting the support of the local rulers and zamindars, the Mughals were bound to remain numerically inferior.
o The differences of Humayun with his brothers, and his alleged faults of character.
o Though Humayun was a competent general and politician, his two mistakes i.e. ill-conceived Bengal campaign and wrong interpretation of Sher Shah’s proposal made him lose.
Humayun’s life was a romantic one, as he experienced from rich to rag and again from rag to rich.
In 1555, after the break-up of the Sher Shah’s empire, Humayun again recovered Delhi; however, he did not live long to enjoy his victory.
Humayun died because of fall from the first floor of the library building in his fort at Delhi.
The tomb of Humayun was built by the orders of Akbar (son of Humayun) and Humayun’s first wife (Bega Begum). And, the tomb was designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, a Persian architect appointed by Bega Begum.
Building of the tomb was started in 1565 (nine years after the death of Humayun) and completed in 1572. The total cost spent in the building (of tomb) was 1.5 million rupees (at the time).
