Description
Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad (Persian pronunciation: [na'siːrʊdiːn mʊha'mad]; 6 March 1508 – 27 January 1556), better known by his regnal name Humāyūn , was the second Mughal emperor, who ruled over territory in what is now Eastern Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Northern India, and Pakistan from 1530 to 1540 and again from 1555 to his death 1556. At the time of his passing, the Mughal Empire spanned almost one million square kilometres.
In December 1530, Humayun succeeded his father Babur to the throne of Delhi as ruler of the Mughal territories in the Indian subcontinent. Humayun was an inexperienced ruler when he came to power at the age of 22. His half-brother Kamran Mirza inherited Kabul and Kandahar, the northernmost parts of their father's empire; the two half-brothers would become bitter rivals.
Early in his reign, Humayun lost his entire state to Sher Shah Suri but regained them 15 years later with Safavid aid. His return from Persia was accompanied by a large retinue of Persian noblemen, signalling an important change in Mughal court culture. The Central Asian origins of the dynasty were largely overshadowed by the influences of Persian art, architecture, language, and literature. To this day, stone carvings and thousands of Persian manuscripts in India dating from the time of Humayun remain in the subcontinent. Following his return to power, Humayun quickly expanded the Empire, leaving a substantial legacy for his son, Akbar.
