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Top 10 Facts about Emperor Humayun

Perhaps the least known Mughal Emperor, Humayan was the second emperor of the Mughal Empire. He ruled over territory in what is now Eastern Afghanistan, Northern India, and Bangladesh from 1530 to 1540 and again from 1555 to 1556.

Although he is credited for expanding the Empire in a very short time, he is largely remembered as an unfortunate emperor who lost his empire. Humayan succeeded his father to the throne of Delhi as ruler of the Mughal in 1530 AD but lost the empire for 15 years.

He later regained the empire with the help of Persians, but his legacy is very much overshadowed by his son, Akbar, who rose to become the greatest Mughal emperor in the history of India.

Here are the top 10 Facts about Emperor Humayun.

1. He died from an Accidental Fall

Humayan death, which occurred on 24 January 1556, came as a surprise as the emperor did not die in the battle or due to illness. Instead, he slipped and fell while descending the staircase from his library as he was answering the call to the evening prayers from a neighboring mosque.

It was his habit, wherever and whenever he heard the summons, to bow his knee in holy reverence. Trying to kneel, he caught his foot in his robe, slipped down several steps, and hit his skull on a rugged stone edge. 

After the fall, Humayan was then carried to the palace and on regaining consciousness he learned that his condition was serious and was probably going to die. He immediately sent a message to his son, Akbar, informing him of his condition and appointing him his successor. He died two days later on January 26, 1556.

2. He was exiled for 15 Years

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After his defeat and failure to secure peace with his arch-enemy Sher Khanin, Humayan was left with no other option than to flee in order to save his own life. He first turned toward Kandahar where his brother Kamran Mirza was in power, but upon receiving no help, he decided to seek refuge with the Shah of Persia.

On his way to Persia, he marched through the desert for many days accompanied by  40 of his men and his beloved wife Bega Begum. Along the way, he faced many difficulties like living on horse meat boiled in the soldier’s helmets and also eluding capture several times including one attempt by his brother.

However, after his arrival in Persia, he was well received and was treated to lavish food and clothing befitting a royal visitor. Humayan lived in exile for almost 15 years, before he reclaimed his throne with the help of the Persian King.

3. He was a Merciful Emperor

According to his biography, Humayan is portrayed as extraordinarily lenient, constantly forgiving acts deliberately aimed at angering him. In one instance his youngest brother killed his most trusted advisor, and rather than punishing him he gladly forgave him and took him back home.

In another instance, Humayan found out that had been betrayed by all his brothers, but once again, instead of seeking retribution, he pardoned all their transgressions and assured them that he held no grudges against them.

Although he does seem to have been a gentle and merciful man by the standards of those days, some historians argue that his acts of mercy largely stemmed from a point of weakness and he was unable to inflict any punishment on his brother.

4. He was Tolerant of all religions

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Although Humayun was a devout Sunni Muslim, he was free of the religious bigotry which marked other neighboring Kingdoms. His faith in the Sunni doctrine was very strong, but this did not prevent him from tolerating and supporting other religions.

Moreover, his ability to be free of religious bias and bigotry was well demonstrated by the cordial relationship he enjoyed with the Shia Muslim king during his time in exile. After receiving friendly treatment and assistance from the Persian king, he adopted traditional Shia dress as a show of respect for his benefactor’s religion.

5. He was an Astrologer

Despite being a very religious person, Humayan was a strong believer in astrology. He was deeply superstitious and was also greatly fascinated by celestial bodies. Upon his accession to the throne, he began to re-organize the administration upon mystically determined principles.

He planned his daily routine, and his wardrobe, in accordance with the movements of the planets, and refused to enter a house with his left foot first, and if anyone else did they were told to exit and re-enter using the right leg first.

According to one of his servants, Humayan had been reported to shoot arrows to the sky marked with either his own name, or that of the Shah of Persia and, depending on how they landed, interpreted that as an indication of which one of them would become more powerful.

6. He Introduced Persian architecture to India

Humayun’s Tomb – Photo by Eatcha from

One lasting impact of emperor Humayun’s reign is his importation of Persian architecture into the Indian empire, something that was also embraced by the leaders who came after him.

An early example of Persian architectural influence in the Indian subcontinent is emperor Humayun’s tomb which was commissioned by his widow immediately after his death. It was designed by a Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, who was brought in from Persian territory.

The tomb reaches a height of 47 meters and is 91 meters wide. It was the first Indian structure with a Persian double dome and was the first garden-tomb to be built on the Indian subcontinent.

7. He was Addicted to Opium

Humayun began to use opium during his first years as the emperor of the Mughal Empire, and his addiction to this drug continued throughout his life. The effects it made on him are unknown, but some historians argue it may have caused his poor performance as an Emperor.

Some historians argue that the long-term side effects of opium usage may have weakened his leg later in life and hence contributed to his fatal fall. However, this theory is refuted by many other historians who claim that Humayan was in good bodily shape and of sound mind at the moment of his death. They argue that his fall down the stairs was purely accidental.

8. He was the Father of Akbar the Great

Emperor Akbar the Great – Photo Source:

Perhaps the biggest highlight of emperor Humayan’s life is the birth of his first son Akbar, with his 15 years old wife Hamida Banu Begum. He was born on 25 October 1542, in modern-day Sindh, at the time his father was a fugitive after losing his empire.

Due to the extended period of his father’s exile, Akbar was brought up in Kabul by the extended family of his paternal uncles, Kamran Mirza and Askari Mirza, and his aunts, in particular Kamran Mirza’s wife.

Akbar later succeeded his father to become the third Mughal emperor from 1556 to 1605 and is considered to be the greatest Mughal emperor in the history of India.

9. He restored the Mughal Empire

Perhaps the biggest emperor Humayan achievement throughout his life was his restoration of the Mughal Empire in the year 1555 AD. He had lost the empire 15 years earlier after a defeat in the Battle of Kanauj in AD 1540.

After spending more than a decade in exile, Humayan regained his throne with the help of the Safavid dynasty of Persia, with additional territory. At the time of his death in 1556, the Mughal Empire spanned almost one million square kilometers.

10. His name meant ‘the Fortunate”

Humayun’s name meant ‘the fortunate.” But an overview of his life would suggest that fate was usually cruel to this emperor. However, a closer look at his life particularly on those occasions when his total destruction appeared Imminent, he always found a way to make it through.

One example is when his fort was surrounded by his enemies who were seeking to kill him but somehow managed to flee across the river by floating on an inflated goat skin. Many of his soldiers were not as lucky as they were caught and killed while many others drowned as they tried to flee across the river.