Page 29 - Journeys Through Society-7

Battle of Khanua (1527 CE)
Babur had to face some other powerful rulers in North
India. The most formidable threat to Babur was from
Rana Sanga, the mighty ruler of Mewar. In spite of the
brave resistance of the Rana and his allies, they were
defeated in the Battle of Khanwa in 1527 CE.

Wow Fact

Rana Sanga was known for his courage and
tenacity. He fought against the foreign
Humayun’s Tomb at Delhi
invaders despite losing one arm, one eye,
and had close to 80 wounds on his body.
Sher Shah Suri (1540 CE-1555 CE)
After the decisive victory at
In 1527 CE, Babur marched to Chanderi and defeated Kannauj, Sher Shah Suri
Medini Rao, who had been an ally of the Rana. In the chased Humayun out of the
succeeding years, he captured Bihar and Bengal and country and established the
also the region in the Gangetic Doab including Etawah, second Afghan rule in Delhi.
Rapri, Kalpi and the forts of Dholpur, Bayana and Sher Shah’s original name
Gwalior. Babur died in 1530 CE, leaving the task of was Farid Khan. He left his
consolidating Mughal power to his successors. house since he had a quarrel
with his step mother. He
Humayun (1530 CE-1540 CE and joined the ruler of Bihar and
1555-1556 CE) became a regent since the Sher Shah Suri
Babur was succeeded by his ruler was a minor. He later became the ruler and laid
eldest son, Humayun. He had the foundation of the Sur Dynasty. He conquered
to deal with many problems. many territories and annexed Punjab, Sind, Multan,
His father had divided the Gwalior, Malwa and parts of Rajasthan.
annexed territories between Military
him and his brothers. Among Sher Shah Suri reorganised the army partly on tribal
his brothers, Kamran got Kabul lines and partly along the lines of Alauddin Khalji’s
and Kandhar, Askari got
forces. He revived Khalji’s system of branding of
Sambhal and Hindal got Alwar horses. Sher Shah introduced the system of policing
and Mewat. Kamran, the most the roads by the village chiefs. He also improved the
ambitious of all his brothers espionage system in order to curb crime.
never let him live in peace. Humayun
Administration
Moreover, Humayun had to face the nobility of
Sher Shah was a capable military and civil
Afghans led by Sher Shah Suri and Bahadur Shah, the
administrator. He divided the whole empire into 47
ruler of Gujarat. Though Humayun was initially
provinces or sarkars, which were further divided into
successful against both of them, Bahadur Shah soon
districts called parganas. In each pargana, the amin
wrested back Gujarat and Malwa. Humayun spend the
looked into the civil cases, while the criminal cases
next two years in fruitless expeditions into Gujarat. In
were dealt with by a qazi and mir-i-adal. Akbar later
1539 CE, Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in the
built on these reforms and extended them further.
Battle of Chausa and later in the Battle of Kannauj in
Assessment of land was done carefully. Officials were
1540 CE. Humayun fled to Sindh and then to Persia,
asked to be strict at the time of assessment and
where he took refuge with the king of Persia.
lenient at the time of collection. Officials like the
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