AKBAR THE GREAT-2

एक दुखी परिवार – २२    

Sher Shah-Bairam Khan

Farid Khan alias Sher Shah was a talented, bold and dynamic soldier who rebelled against the Mughal Empire and overthrew the government of the Emperor Humayun in 1540, and ruled  until his accidental death in 1545. On taking the throne he took the title 'Sher Shah'. 

His son and followers could not keep long control of the kingdom and in 1555 the Mughal Emperor Humayun was reinstated.Sher Shah Suri defeated the Mughal ruler Humayun had twice and captured Delhi. 

Soon after becoming king , Sher Shah Suri raised a large army and captured Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. 

He annexed territories in the north.

Sher Shah was a good general and administrator. And a good person too who did not take Humayu’s ladies captive, rather held them in high esteem, without messing up his power rivallary against the king sent into exile. 

Few now that it was none else but he , who  introduced a new currency, a silver coin,  known as 'Rupia', a nomenclature that survives till date.

 He reduced custom duties and built an excellent connection of roads, including Grand Trunk Road in Bihar , linking it to Delhi. Sher Shah was a secular ruler who practised tolerance and welfare.

Sher Shah Suri was succeeded by Islam Shah. Humayun defeated Islam Shah in 1555, and ended the Suri dynasty.

The revival of Mughal Empire alone was, however, not the one and the only reason why or how  Akbar was got ensconced, after Humayu.

Bairam Khan also Bayram Khan, (died 1561) was an important military commander, among top generals, who later became the commander-in-chief of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar, both, apart from being  guardian, chief mentor, advisor, teacher and most trusted person of Humayun. 

Humayun honored him as Khan Khanan,means king of kings. 

Bairam Khan was born in Badakhshan, now in present day Afghanistan, and belonged to the Baharlu clan of the Turkmen Kara Koyunlu tribe. TheKara Koyunlu had ruled Western Persia for decades before being overthrown by their Ak Koyunlu rivals. Bairam Khan's father and grandfather had previously taken part in Babur's service. 

Bairam entered Babur's service at the age of 16 and played an active role in the early Mughal conquests of India.

 Bairam Khan later contributed greatly to the establishment of the Mughal empire, under Humayun. Under Humayan he was entrusted the position of muhrdar (keeper of the seals) and took part in military campaigns in Benares, Bengal and Gujarat. He accompanied Humayun during his exile in Persia and helped conquer Kandahar before serving as its governor for nine years. In 1556, he played a leading role as a commander in Humayun's reconquest of Hindustan. 

(Cont.    .)