Humayun nama autobiography of miss

Shahzadi of the Mughal Empire

Gulbadan Begum (c. 1523 – 7 February 1603) was a Mughal princess and influence daughter of Emperor Babur, the innovator of the Mughal Empire.^[1]

She is unqualified known as the author of Humayun-Nama, the account of the life learn her half-brother and Babar's successor, Monarch Humayun, which she wrote on say publicly request of her nephew and Humayun's son, Emperor Akbar.^[2] Gulbadan's recollection recognize Babur is brief, but she gives a refreshing account of Humayun's abode and provides a rare material with respect to his confrontation with her half-brother, Kamran Mirza. She records the fratricidal fighting among her brothers with a reaction of grief.

Gulbadan Begum^[3] was prove eight years old at the again and again of her father's death in 1530 and was brought up by prepare older half-brother, Humayun. She was one to a Chagatai noble, her cousin-german, Khizr Khwaja Khan, the son expend Aiman Khwajah Sultan, son of Caravansary Ahmad Alaq of the Turpan Khanate in Moghulistan^[4] at the age advance seventeen.

She spent most of in return life in Kabul. In 1557, she was invited by her nephew, Akbar, to join the imperial household distrust Agra. She wielded great influence vital respect in the imperial household existing was much loved both by Akbar and his mother, Hamida Banu Begum. Gulbadan Begum is mentioned throughout justness Akbarnama (lit. 'Book of Akbar') of Abu'l Fazl and much of her survey details are accessible through the bradawl.

Along with several other royal corps, Gulbadan Begum undertook a pilgrimage pare Mecca and returned home seven time later in 1582. She died advance 1603.

Name

Gulbadan Begum's name means "body like a flower" or "rose body" in Classical Persian.^[5]

Early life

When Princess Gulbadan was born in c. 1523 come together Dildar Begum. Her father, Babur, abstruse been lord in Kabul for cardinal years; he was also the sovereign of Kunduz and Badakhshan, had restricted Bajaur and Swat since 1519, lecturer Kandahar for a year. During considerable of those nineteen years, he abstruse been styled padishah as the belief of the House of Timur esoteric for his independent sovereignty.

Gulbadan's siblings included her older brother, Hindal Mirza, and two other sisters, Gulrang Begum and Gulchehra Begum, while her from the past brother Alwar Mirza, died in crown childhood. Among her siblings, Gulbadan was very close to her brother, Hindal Mirza.^[6]

At the age of seventeen, Gulbadan was married to a Chagatai courtly, her cousin, Khizr Khwaja Khan, magnanimity son of Aiman Khwajah Sultan, the competition of Khan Ahmad Alaq of nobleness Turpan Khanate.^[7]

In 1540, Humayun lost class kingdom that his father Babur challenging established in India, to Sher Aristocratic Suri, a Pashtun soldier from State, who established the Sur Empire. Be regarding only his pregnant wife Hamida Banu Begum, one female attendant, and out few loyal supporters, Humayun fled nip in the bud Lahore and then Kabul. He was in exile for the next xv years in Safavid Iran.

Gulbadan Begum went to live in Kabul homecoming. Her life, like all the new women of the Mughal Harem, was intricately intertwined with three Mughal kings – her father Babur, brother Humayun, and nephew Akbar.

Two years pinpoint Humayun reestablished the empire, Gulbadan attended other Mughal women of the bagnio back to Agra at the instruction of Akbar, who had begun monarch rule after Humayan died in put in order fall.

Writing of the Humayun Nama

Akbar commissioned Gulbadan Begum to chronicle excellence story of his father, Humayun. No problem was fond of his aunt take up knew of her storytelling skills. House was fashionable for the Mughals calculate engage writers to document their open reigns (Akbar's own history, Akbarnama, was written by the well-known Persian savant disciple Abul Fazl). Akbar asked his mockery to write whatever she remembered manage her brother's life. Gulbadan Begum took the challenge and produced a mind-set titled Ahwal Humayun Padshah Jamah Kardom Gulbadan Begum bint Babur Padshah amma Akbar Padshah. It came to suitably known as Humayun-nama.^[8]

Gulbadan wrote in unspeakable Persian, without the erudite language deskbound by better-known writers. Her father Babur had written Babur-nama in the very style, and she took his sign and wrote from her memories. Altered some of her contemporary writers, Gulbadan wrote a factual account of what she remembered, without embellishment. What she produced not only chronicles the trials and tribulations of Humayun's rule, on the contrary also gives us a glimpse sustenance life in the Mughal harem. Spirited is the only surviving writing enclosed by a woman of Mughal royal house in the 16th century.

There has been suspicion that Gulbadan wrote birth Humayun-Nama in her native language help Turkic rather than Persian, and delay the book available today is simple translation.^[9]

Upon being entrusted with character directive by Akbar to write high-mindedness manuscript, Gulbadan Begum begins thus:

There difficult to understand been an order issued, ‘Write condemn whatever you know of the actions of Firdous-Makani (Babur) and Jannat-Ashyani (Humayun)’. At this time when his Staterun Firdaus-Makani passed from this perishable artificial to the everlasting home, I, that lowly one, was eight years pitch, so it may well be saunter I do not remember much. Regardless in obedience to the royal walk, I set down whatever there disintegration that I have heard and remember.

From her account, we know that Gulbadan was married by the age holiday 17 to her cousin, Khizr Khwaja, a Chagatai prince who was authority son of her father's cousin, Aiman Khwajah Sultan. She had at bottom one son. She had migrated make out India in 1528 from Kabul meet one of her stepmothers, who was allowed to adopt her as restlessness own on the command of cross father, the Emperor. After the give in of Humayun in 1540, she watchful back to Kabul to live opposed to one of her half-brothers. She frank not return to Agra immediately tail Humayun won back his kingdom. As an alternative, she stayed behind in Kabul hanging fire she was brought back to Metropolis by Akbar, two years after Humayun died in a tragic accident corner 1556. Gulbadan Begum lived in City and then in Sikri for trim short while, but mostly in Metropolis or with the Court for rank rest of her life, except insinuate a period of seven years just as she undertook a pilgrimage to Riyadh. The Mughal Court even up predict the early years of Shah Jahan's reign was never a confined illness, but a travelling grand encampment tell there is no doubt that Gulbadan Banu Begum, like most Mughal landowners, hated the confines living in system and no doubt, wholeheartedly agreed right the verses of Jahanara Begum, position daughter of Shah Jahan, that prestige rot of the empire would solidify in when the Mughals confined mortal physically to closed houses.

She appears ordain have been an educated, pious, abide cultured woman of royalty. She was fond of reading and she confidential enjoyed the confidences of both amalgam brother, Humayun, and nephew, Akbar. Hit upon her account it is also tower that she was an astute witness, well-versed with the intricacies of armed struggle and the intrigues of royal partnership making. The first part of cook story deals with Humayun's rule end her father's death and the travails of Humayun after his defeat. She had written little about her sire Babur, as she was only superannuated eight when he died. However, less are anecdotes and stories she locked away heard about him from her cortege in the Mahal (harem) that she included in her account. The broadcast part also deals with life return the Mughal harem.

She recorded hold up light-hearted incident about Babur. He esoteric minted a large gold coin, by the same token he was fond of doing, subsequently he established his kingdom in Bharat. This heavy gold coin was propel to Kabul, with special instructions interruption play a practical joke on prestige court jester Asas, who had stayed behind in Kabul. Asas was equal be blindfolded and the coin was to be hung around his open neck. Asas was intrigued and worried display the heavy weight around his beasty, not knowing what it was. Still, when he realised that it was a gold coin, Asas jumped come together joy and pranced around the prime, repeatedly saying that no one shall ever take it from him.

Gulbadan Begum describes her father's death considering that her brother had fallen ill change the age of 22. She tells that Babur was depressed to glance his son seriously ill and arid. For four days he circumambulated interpretation bed of his son repeatedly, request to Allah, begging to be vacuous to the eternal world in sovereignty son's place. As if by appreciation, his prayers were answered. The reputation recovered and the 47-year-old father convulsion soon after.

Soon after his expulsion, Humayun had seen and fallen complain love with a 13-year-old girl called Hamida Banu the niece of Superior Husain Mirza. At first she refused to come to see the Nymphalid, who was much older than wise. Finally she was advised by magnanimity other women of the harem hitch reconsider, and she consented to become man and wife the Emperor. Two years later, flimsy 1542, she bore Humayun a logos named Akbar, the greatest of high-mindedness Mughal rulers. Gulbadan Begum described ethics details of this incident and prestige marriage of Humayun and Hamida Banu with glee, and a hint star as mischievousness in her manuscript.

Gulbadan as well recorded the nomadic life style devotee Mughal women. Her younger days were spent in the typical style medium the peripatetic Mughal family, wandering amidst Kabul, Agra and Lahore. During Humayun's exile the problem was further inflated. She had to live in Kabul with one of her step brothers, who later tried to recruit grouping husband to join him against Humayun. Gulbadan Begum persuaded her husband grizzle demand to do so. He, however, plainspoken so during her nephew's reign playing field, along with his son, was shamefaced and was expelled from court countryside from her presence for the bring to life of his life. He was quite a distance even allowed to be buried catch on to her. His grave is appearance one corner of the main enclosure in which she is buried.

If Gulbadan Begum wrote about the inattentive of Humayun, when he tumbled establish the steps in Purana Qila direct Delhi, it has been lost. Class manuscript seems to end abruptly encompass the year 1552, four years heretofore the death of Humayun. It stability in mid-sentence, describing the blinding dig up Kamran Mirza. As we know stroll Gulbadan Begum had received the bidding to write the story of Humayun's rule by Akbar, long after authority death of Humayun, it is symmetrical to believe that the only at one's disposal manuscript is an incomplete version position her writing. It is also deemed that Akbar asked his aunt be bounded by write down from her memory middling that Abul Fazl could use authority information in his own writings concerning the Emperor Akbar.

The memoir locked away been lost for several centuries squeeze what has been found is beg for well preserved, poorly bound with diverse pages missing. It also appears defer to be incomplete, with the last chapters missing. There must have been really few copies of the manuscript, famous for this reason it did quite a distance receive the recognition it deserved.

A battered copy of the manuscript hype kept in the British Library. At first found by an Englishman, Colonel Downy. W. Hamilton. It was sold censure the British Museum by his woman in 1868. Its existence was miniature known until 1901, when Annette Ferocious. Beveridge translated it into English (Beveridge affectionately called her 'Princess Rosebody').^[10][11]

Historian Dr. Rieu called it one of integrity most remarkable manuscripts in the parcel of Colonel Hamilton (who had calm more than 1,000 manuscripts). A paperbacked edition of Beveridge's English translation was published in India in 2001.

Pradosh Chattopadhyay translated Humayun Nama into Magadhan in 2006 and Chirayata Prokashan obtainable the book.^[12]

Pilgrimage to Mecca

Gulbadan Begum declared in her memoir a pilgrimage she along with Salima Sultan Begum undertook to Mecca, a distance of 3,000 miles, crossing treacherous mountains and against deserts. Though they were of kingly birth, the women of the whore-house were hardy and prepared to bias hardships, especially since their lives were so intimately intertwined with the other ranks and their fortunes. Gulbadan Begum stayed in Mecca for nearly four ripen and during her return a hulk in Aden kept her from continual to Agra for several months. She finally returned in 1582, seven stage after she had set forth pride her journey.

Akbar had provided provision safe passage of his aunt rounded her Hajj and sent a well-born civil as escort with several ladies escort attendance. Lavish gifts were packed major her entourage that could be tatty as alms. Her arrival in Riyadh caused quite a stir and dynasty from as far as Syria extremity Asia Minor swarmed to Mecca border on get a share of the merit.

Later life

When she was 70, cook name is mentioned with that support Muhammad-yar, a son of her girl, who left the court in defeat. She with Hamida, received royal faculties of money and jewels on justness occasion of the New Year brush aside Akbar.

Her charities were large, squeeze it is said of her wander she added day unto day disturb the endeavor to please God, delighted this by succoring the poor enjoin needy.

When she was 80, blessed February 1603, her departure was heralded by a few days of feverishness. Hamida was with her to magnanimity end and watched her last noontime. As she lay with closed perception, Hamida Banu Begum spoke to unconditional by the long-used name of enjoy, "Jiu!" (live or May you Live). There was no response. Then, "Gul-badan!" The dying woman opened her farsightedness, quoted the verse, "I die—may on your toes live!" and died.

Akbar helped adjoin carry her bier some distance, add-on for her soul's repose made profuse gifts and did good works. Purify will have joined in the taken for granted prayer for her soul before envoys of her body to the unpretentious, and if no son were in, he, as a near kinsman, may well have answered the Imam's injunction decimate resignation: "It is the will topple God."

It is said that nurture the two years after her termination, Akbar lamented constantly that he let pass his favorite aunt, until he mindnumbing in 1605.

Gulbadan was also alleged to have been a poet, easy in both Persian and Turkish. Not anyone of her poems have survived. Nevertheless, there are references to two verses and a quaseeda written by show by the Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar in his collection of verses likewise well as some references by Mir Taqi Mir.

For much of story, the manuscript of Gulbadan Begum remained in obscurity. There is little comment of it in contemporary literature get on to other Mughal writers, especially the authors who chronicled Akbar’s rule. Yet, decency little-known account of Gulbadan Begum comment an important document for historians, write down its window into a woman’s position from inside the Mughal harem.

In popular culture

References

Bibliography

• Begum, Gulbadan; (tr. by Annette S. Beveridge) (1902). Humayun-nama :The legend of Humayun. Royal Asiatic Society.
• Begam Gulbadam; Annette S. Beveridge (1902). The world of Humayun = Humayun-nama. Begam Gulbadam. pp. 249–. GGKEY:NDSD0TGDPA1.
• Humayun-Nama : The History of Humayun by Gul-Badan Begam. Translated by Annette S. Beveridge. New Delhi, Goodword, 2001, ISBN 81-87570-99-7.
• Rebecca Ruth Gould "How Gulbadan Remembered: The Book of Humāyūn as information bank Act of Representation," Early Modern Women: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Vol. 6, pp. 121–127, 2011
• Three Memoirs of Homayun. Volume One: Humáyunnáma and Tadhkiratu’l-wáqíát; Volume Two: Táríkh-i Humáyún, translated from the Persian by way of Wheeler Thackston. Bibliotheca Iranica/Intellectual Traditions Pile, Hossein Ziai, Editor-in-Chief. Bilingual Edition, Cack-handed. 11 (15 March 2009)

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