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{{Short description|Mughal military commander and statesman (1501–1561)}}
'''Bairam Khan''' (]: '''بيرام خان''') (d. ]) was a ] military general who served as the regent to the underage ] ruler ], who came to power in 1556. Bairam was very important in securing Akbar's rule during the young ruler's first years in power. He also contributed greatly to the reconquest of the Mughal empire under ], while his most notable battle was at the ]. he was appointed as a guardian for akbar (one of the greatest indian kings)
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = PORTRAIT OF NAWAB BAIRAM KHAN (dated ca. 1710 – 40).jpg
| caption = Portrait of Bairam Khan, {{circa|1710–1740}}, ]
| office1 = ] of the ]
| successor1 = ]
| term_start1 = 1556
| term_end1 = March/April 1560
| office2 = ]
| successor2 = ]
| term_start2 = 14 February 1556
| term_end2 = March/April 1560<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chandra|first1=Satish|title=Medieval India : from Sultanat to the Mughals|date=2005|publisher=Har-Anand Publications|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788124110669|page=95|edition=Revised}}</ref>
| monarch1 = ]
| office3 = ] of the ]
| term_start3 = 27 January 1556
| term_end3 = March/April 1560
| monarch3 = ]
| birth_date = {{birth date |1501|01|18|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite book |title=The Indian Historical Quarterly |date=1949 |volume=25-26 |page=318 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kd4BAAAAMAAJ&q=1501 |access-date=13 August 2017 |publisher=Calcutta Oriental Press |language=en}}</ref>
| birth_place = ] <small>(present-day ], ] or ])</small>
| death_date = {{death date and age|1561|1|31|1501|01|18|df=yes}}
| death_place = ], ] <br> {{small|(present-day ], ])}}
| spouse = Jamal Khan's daughter<br />]
| children = ]
| profession = Chief advisor of ], Military commander and commander-in-chief of ] and Mughal Statesman
| allegiance = ]
| serviceyears = c. 1517/1518–March/April 1560
| rank =
| commands = ]
| battles = Battle of Ludhiana<br>]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br>]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />] (as the leader of a rebel faction of the Mughal Army)
}}
{{For|the 1946 Indian film about the general|Behram Khan}}
'''Muhammad Bairam Khan''' ({{Langx|fa|محمد بیرم خان}};<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 98|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref> 18 January 1501 – 31 January 1561), commonly known as '''Bairam Khan''' or '''Bayram Khan''' was an important military commander, and later commander-in-chief of the ] army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the ], ] and ]. He was also the guardian, chief mentor, adviser, teacher and the most trusted ally of Akbar.<ref name="Mikaberidze">{{cite book |editor-last=Mikaberidze |editor-first=Alexander |title=Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World a Historical Encyclopedia. |date=2011 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=Santa Barbara |isbn=9781598843378 |page=707}}</ref> Akbar honoured him as ''Khan-i-Khanan'', which means "King of Kings".<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 133|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref> Bairam was originally called Bairam "]", but later became honoured as ].<ref name="Thackston-xix">Thackston, Wheeler M. (2002) ''The Baburnama: Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor'' The Modern Library, New York, p.''xix'', {{ISBN|0-375-76137-3}}</ref><ref>Ahmed, Humayun,(2011) ''Badsha Namdar'', National Library, Dhaka, pp.''200-233.'' {{ISBN|978-984-502-017-6}}</ref> Bairam Khan was an aggressive general who was determined to restore Mughal authority in ].<ref name="Mikaberidze" />


== Biography ==
Bairam was dismissed upon Akbar's coming-of-age in 1560. He then left upon a ] to ].


=== Early life and ancestors ===
When Bairam asked Akbar to execute ], Akbar refused - so Bairam instead seized his sword and decapitated Hemu himself.
Bairam Khan was born in the region of ] in ], and belonged to the ] ] clan of the ] confederation.{{sfn|Schimmel|1980|page=77}}{{sfn|Ansari|1989|pages=3–5}} The Kara Koyunlu had ruled Western Persia for decades before being overthrown by their ] rivals. Bairam Khan's father, Seyfali Beg Baharlu, and grandfather, Janali Beg Baharlu, had been part of ]'s service.<ref name="Thackston-xix"/> His great-grandparents were Pirali Beg Baharlu and his wife, a daughter of the Kara Koyunlu ruler ]; Piroli's niece through his sister Pasha Begum had been one of the wives of Babur.<ref name="Ray1955">{{cite book|last=Ray|first=Sukumar|title=Ancestry and early life of Bairam Khan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nB7jAAAAMAAJ|series=Indian History Congress - Proceedings of the Sixteenth Session |year=1955|publisher=Indian History Congress|page=249}}</ref> Bairam entered Babur's service at the age of 16.


=== Service under Humayun ===
He was killed by a ] Afghan while traveling through ] .
Bairam Khan contributed greatly to the establishment of the ] under ] when he was entrusted with the position of ''muhardar'' (keeper of the seals) and took part in military campaigns in ], ] and ].<ref name="Ray, Sukumar 1992 page 11">Ray, Sukumar & Beg, M.H.A. (1992) Bairam Khan, Mirza Beg, 1992, page 11, {{ISBN|969-8120-01-7}}</ref> In 1540, during the ], he was captured by ]'s men, but later managed to make an adventurous escape, and rejoined Humayun at ] in July 1543.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 98|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref> He accompanied Humayun during his exile in ] and helped conquer ] before serving as its ] for nine years. In 1556, he played a leading role as a commander in Humayun's reconquest of ].<ref>Ray, Sukumar & Beg, M.H.A. (1992) Bairam Khan, Mirza Beg, 1992, page 27, {{ISBN|969-8120-01-7}}</ref>


=== As regent of Akbar ===
]
At the time of Humayun's death at 27 January 1556, Bairam Khan was leading a campaign against ] in ] (in present-day ]) as the then Prince ]'s ''ataliq'' (guardian) and ''sipahsalaar'' (commander-in-chief) of the ]. To consolidate the Mughal Empire, Bairam Khan kept Humayun's death a secret, sending reassuring messages of his recovery and having ] Bekasi, a loyal cleric in Delhi (who looked similar to Humayun) dressed up in the imperial robes and make the usual daily appearance before the people from the balcony of the fort, till Akbar's coronation. He also secured the ] of his rival, ] by appointing him as the governor of Delhi.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 132–133|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref>
]
]
On 14 February 1556, ] was crowned as the new ] and his first deed was to appoint Bairam Khan as '']'' (Prime Minister) and grant him the lofty titles of '']'' and ''sipahsalaar itizad-i-daulat qahira'' (commander-in-chief of the army, mainstay of victorious dominion). Under Bairam Khan's leadership, the Mughal army moved to ], where they encamped for five months and managed to drive Sikandar Suri deeper into the ]. However, the Mughals now had to face a far greater threat from ], ] of ], the final ruler of the ].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 134–135|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref>


Taking advantage of the political instability in the Mughal Empire, Hemu swiftly took ], ] and ]. Leaving behind a small force to keep Sikandar Suri in check, Bairam Khan moved the Mughal Army towards ] and ordered Tardi Beg (who had been defeated by Hemu at the ], near Delhi on 7 October 1556 and retreated) to meet the imperial army there. At Sirhind, differences arose between Bairam Khan and Tardi Beg as to what would be their military strategy in the future. Shortly afterwards, Bairam Khan had Tardi Beg executed for his cowardice during the Battle of Tughlaqabad, though there is some doubt as to whether these allegations were true as Tardi Beg was a senior official and a political rival of Bairam Khan and his execution certainly helped consolidate the authority of Bairam Khan.<ref>{{cite book|last=Tripathi|first=Ram Prasad|title=Rise and Fall of the Mughal Empire|year=1960|edition=2nd|pages=158–177|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uK8qAAAAYAAJ }}</ref> Conveniently, Akbar was absent during the whole incident as he was out on a hunting trip. Tardi Beg's execution helped discipline the demoralised Mughal army.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 135–138|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref>
]
]


On 5 November 1556, the Mughals clashed with Hemu's army at the ]. After a fiercely contested battle, the Mughals were victorious. Hemu was captured and decapitated, either by Bairam Khan{{sfn|Chandra|2005|p=93}} or Akbar<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref> and Delhi and Agra subsequently reconquered. After resting for a month at Delhi, Akbar and Bairam Khan resumed their campaign against Sikandar Suri, who had attempted to attack Lahore; he was driven back to the hill-fortress of Mankot (in present-day Jammu and Kashmir) where he waited for six months for Afghan reinforcements, to no avail. Disheartened, he finally surrendered to Akbar on 25 July 1557, where he was treated with clemency and given a fief in Bihar.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 138–141|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref>


=== Dismissal ===
{{India-mil-bio-stub}}
Towards his last years, relations between Bairam Khan and Akbar grew sour. The main reason was that Bairam Khan had begun to take several decisions without consulting the Emperor first, such as when he unilaterally dismissed his former favourite ], who was a senior Mughal official. Akbar felt jealous that a leash was kept on his private expenses while Bairam Khan's servants grew rich. He had also become increasingly irritable, and executed two of Akbar's favourite personal ], one of which had not been able to restrain an imperial elephant, which killed one of Bairam Khan's animals, and the other had not been able to restrain his elephant which nearly overturned a small boat on which Bairam Khan was resting. After the final incident, Akbar decided that Bairam Khan could no longer stay in his position. In March or April 1560, Akbar told him that he could either retire and stay in the palace or go on the ] pilgrimage to ]. He could take whatever land he wished so that his servants could send him remittances of the harvest annually.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 143–146|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref>
{{mughal-stub}}

bairam khan helped akber to win many places in india
=== Rebellion ===
Rejecting the advice of his close friends and supporters he decided not to rebel, but later his political opponents ] and her son ] sent Pir Muhammad to trail him and 'pack him off to Mecca'. This insult goaded Bairam Khan to rebel,<ref>Chandra 2007, p. 227</ref> and he turned back. Pir Muhammad retreated at the sight of Bairam Khan's deadly Turkoman horse archers. Akbar tried in vain to send another ] to Bairam Khan, ordering him to continue his pilgrimage. Bairam Khan left his family in the fortress of Tabar-e-Hind (in present-day ]) and headed towards ], intent on taking ]. Forced to fight his former mentor, Akbar sent his foster father ] with a strong vanguard to halt or slow down Bairam Khan's force while he followed with the main army. Near the village Gunecur, near Jalandhar, Shams-ud-Din stopped Bairam Khan's force. He tried to negotiate, but Bairam Khan remained adamant about fighting.

Despite having a much smaller army, Bairam Khan gave a tough fight to his adversary but was eventually defeated. However, Bairam Khan managed to retreat with the majority of his force to ]-] adjoining ] ] (Mughal Imperial Hunting Grounds) from where he surrendered and was treated by Akbar with immense respect. Akbar gave him the options of staying in the court as his personal adviser, picking a ] of his choice, or continuing his pilgrimage. Bairam Khan chose the last option.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 146–149|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiagrid.com/cgi-bin/viewarticle.cgi?cat=art&dmmy=ok&postid=4499&stq=1350|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713024808/http://www.indiagrid.com/cgi-bin/viewarticle.cgi?cat=art&dmmy=ok&postid=4499&stq=1350|url-status=dead|title=Rahim-Abdul Rahim Khankhanan at Indiagrid|archivedate=13 July 2011}}</ref>

=== Assassination ===
]
While travelling through ] he was assassinated on 31 January 1561<ref name="Bose-205">{{Cite book|editor-last=Bose |editor-first=Mandakranta |year=2000 |title=Faces of the Feminine in Ancient, Medieval, and Modern India |location=New York |publisher=Oxford University Press|page=205 |isbn=978-0-19-512229-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lNOUSo6Eb-oC&pg=PA205}}{{Not in citation||date=December 2023}}</ref> at ], a religious site near ], by a group of Afghans led by Mubarak Khan Lohani, whose father had been killed while fighting with the Mughals at the ] in 1555. According to the ], the group of Afghans had apparently come to pay their respects to him, so he allowed them to come closer. Thereupon, Mubarak stabbed him with a dagger in the back with such force that the point came out of his chest, and another Afghan struck him on the head, fatally wounding him. Bairam Khan passed away saying the ]. His corpse was later found by a group of locals, who buried him at the tomb of a nearby ] saint.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 149|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref>

His son and wife managed to escape to ], where they stayed for several months before Akbar heard of their plight and had them escorted to ]. Bairam's wife, Salima who was also the cousin of Akbar, married Akbar after his death. Bairam's son, ], became an important part of Akbar's administration and was one of the ''nav-ratans'' (nine gems) of Akbar's court.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40ywDAAAQBAJ|title=The Great Mughals and their India p. 149|first=Dirk|last=Collier|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=9789384544980|via=Google Books}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Bairam Khan was a ] and was disliked by some of the ] Turkic nobles.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Richards |first=John F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HHyVh29gy4QC&pg=PA13 |title=The Mughal Empire |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-521-25119-8 |series=The New Cambridge History of India |location=Cambridge, England |page=13}}</ref> Although a Shia, he attended Friday services in the ] of a noted ]. He also promoted Sheikh Gadai, the son of ]'s court poet Jamali ], to the position of ''sadurat-i-mamalik'' (]) in 1559.{{sfn|Schimmel|1980|p=77}}<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Elliot |first1=Henry |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924073036752/page/n271/mode/2up?view=theater |title=The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians p. 259 |last2=Downson |first2=John |date=1867 |publisher=London: Trübner & Co. |via=Wayback Machine}}</ref>

===Marriages===
The ''Gazetteer of Ulwur'' states:

{{quote|Soon after Babar's death, his successor, Humayun, was supplemented by Sher Shah in 1540 A.D., later followed by Islam Shah in 1545 A.D. During the reign of the latter, a battle was fought and lost by the Emperor's troops at Firozpur Jhirka in Mewat, on which, however, Islam Shah did not lose his hold. Adil Shah, the third of the Pathan interlopers, who succeeded in A.D. 1552, had to contend for the Empire with the returned Humayun.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/stream/TheImperialGazetteerOfIndiaVolXXI/TXT/0000%20-%200103.txt |title=Full text of "The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume- XXI|access-date=2014-01-11}}</ref>}}

In these struggles for the restoration of Babur's dynasty ]s apparently do not figure at all. Humayun seems to have conciliated them by marrying the elder daughter of Jamal Khan, the nephew of Babur's opponent ], and having his minister, Bairam Khan, marry Jamal's younger daughter.<ref name="Mayaram2003">{{cite book |last=Mayaram |first=Shail |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yi6QpFCZBy8C&pg=PA95 |title=Against History, Against State: Counterperspectives from the Margins |publisher=Columbia University Press |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-231-12730-1 |location=New York |page=95}}</ref> Bairam's other wife was ], who married Akbar after his death.<ref name="Haidar2004">{{cite book |last=Haidar |first=Mansura |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zSZuAAAAMAAJ |title=Indo-Central Asian Relations: From Early Times to Medieval Period |publisher=Manohar |year=2004 |isbn=978-81-7304-508-0 |page=323}}</ref>

==In popular culture==

* '']'', a 1946 Indian Hindi-language film by ] (who also starred in the titular role), is based on the life of Bairam Khan and his role in the founding of the Mughal Empire.<ref>{{Bollywood Hungama movie|id=behram-khan|title=Bairam Khan}}</ref>
* He was portrayed by actor ] in the 2008 Indian ] '']'' by ].
* Other notable portrayals include by ] in the television series '']'' (2013–2015) which aired on ]
* Also by ] in ]'s '']'' (2013–2015).

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
* {{cite encyclopedia | article = BAYRAM KHAN | last = Ansari | first = N.H. | encyclopedia = Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. IV, Fasc. 1 | pages = 3–5 | year = 1989 }}
* {{cite book|last1=Schimmel|first1=Annemarie|title=Islam in the Indian Subcontinent|date=1980|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-9004061170}}

==Further reading==

===English===
* Singh, Damodar (2003) ''Khan-i-Khanan Bairam Khan: a political biography'' Janaki Prakashan, Patna, India, {{OCLC|54054058}}
* Shashi, Shyam Singh (1999) ''Bairam Khan : soldier and administrator'' (Series ''Encyclopaedia Indica'' volume 58) Anmol Publishing, New Delhi, India, {{OCLC|247186335}}
* {{EI3|last=Streusand|first=Douglas E.|title=Bayrām Khān|year=2012|url=https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-3/bayram-khan-COM_24001?s.num=6&s.f.s2_parent=s.f.book.encyclopaedia-of-islam-3&s.q=Khan}}
* Pandey, Ram Kishore (1998) ''Life and achievements of Muhammad Bairam Khan Turkoman'' Prakash Book Depot, Bareilly, India, {{OCLC|5007653}}.
* Ray, Sukumar (1992) ''Bairam Khan'' Institute of Central and West Asian Studies, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan, {{OCLC|29564939}}.

===Hindi===
* Agravāla, Sushamā Devī (1994) ''Bairamakhām̐ aura usake vaṃśaja kā Mugala sāmrājya meṃ yogadāna'' Rāmānanda Vidyā Bhavana, New Delhi, India, {{OCLC|34118191}}, in Hindi. (Contribution of Bairam Khan, 1524?-1561, Mogul nobleman, to the Mogul Empire.)
* Devīprasāda, Munśī (2001) ''Khānakhānā nāmā'' Pratibhā Pratishṭhāna, New Delhi, India, {{ISBN|81-85827-89-3}}, in Hindi. (On the life and achievements of Bairam Khan, 1524?-1561, ruler in the Mogul Empire and Khane Khana Abdul Rahim Khan, 1556–1627, Braj poet.)

===Bengali===
* ] (2011) ''Badsha Namdar'', Dhaka, Bangladesh, {{ISBN|978-984-502-017-6}}

==External links==
* {{commonscatinline}}
*

{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 06:56, 4 January 2025

Mughal military commander and statesman (1501–1561)

Bairam Khan
Portrait of Bairam Khan, c. 1710–1740, Aga Khan Museum
Grand Vizier of the Mughal Empire
In office
1556 – March/April 1560
MonarchAkbar
Succeeded byMunim Khan
Vakil of the Mughal Empire
In office
14 February 1556 – March/April 1560
Succeeded byMunim Khan
Regent of the Mughal Empire
In office
27 January 1556 – March/April 1560
MonarchAkbar
Personal details
Born(1501-01-18)18 January 1501
Badakhshan (present-day Afghanistan, China or Tajikistan)
Died31 January 1561(1561-01-31) (aged 60)
Patan, Sultanate of Gujarat
(present-day Gujarat, India)
Spouse(s)Jamal Khan's daughter
Salima Sultan Begum
ChildrenAbdul Rahim
ProfessionChief advisor of Akbar, Military commander and commander-in-chief of Mughal army and Mughal Statesman
Military service
AllegianceMughal Empire
Years of servicec. 1517/1518–March/April 1560
CommandsMughal Army
Battles/warsBattle of Ludhiana
Battle of Khanwa
Battle of Ghaghra
Siege of Sambhal
Battle of Chausa
Battle of Kannauj
Battle of Machhiwara
Battle of Sirhind
Second Battle of Panipat
Battle near Gunecur (as the leader of a rebel faction of the Mughal Army)
For the 1946 Indian film about the general, see Behram Khan.

Muhammad Bairam Khan (Persian: محمد بیرم خان; 18 January 1501 – 31 January 1561), commonly known as Bairam Khan or Bayram Khan was an important military commander, and later commander-in-chief of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal Emperors, Humayun and Akbar. He was also the guardian, chief mentor, adviser, teacher and the most trusted ally of Akbar. Akbar honoured him as Khan-i-Khanan, which means "King of Kings". Bairam was originally called Bairam "Beg", but later became honoured as Khan. Bairam Khan was an aggressive general who was determined to restore Mughal authority in India.

Biography

Early life and ancestors

Bairam Khan was born in the region of Badakhshan in Central Asia, and belonged to the Baharlu Turkoman clan of the Kara Koyunlu confederation. The Kara Koyunlu had ruled Western Persia for decades before being overthrown by their Ak Koyunlu rivals. Bairam Khan's father, Seyfali Beg Baharlu, and grandfather, Janali Beg Baharlu, had been part of Babur's service. His great-grandparents were Pirali Beg Baharlu and his wife, a daughter of the Kara Koyunlu ruler Qara Iskander; Piroli's niece through his sister Pasha Begum had been one of the wives of Babur. Bairam entered Babur's service at the age of 16.

Service under Humayun

Bairam Khan contributed greatly to the establishment of the Mughal empire under Humayun when he was entrusted with the position of muhardar (keeper of the seals) and took part in military campaigns in Benares, Bengal and Gujarat. In 1540, during the Battle of Kannauj, he was captured by Sher Shah Suri's men, but later managed to make an adventurous escape, and rejoined Humayun at Sindh in July 1543. 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.

As regent of Akbar

At the time of Humayun's death at 27 January 1556, Bairam Khan was leading a campaign against Sikandar Shah Suri in Punjab (in present-day India) as the then Prince Akbar's ataliq (guardian) and sipahsalaar (commander-in-chief) of the Mughal army. To consolidate the Mughal Empire, Bairam Khan kept Humayun's death a secret, sending reassuring messages of his recovery and having Mullah Bekasi, a loyal cleric in Delhi (who looked similar to Humayun) dressed up in the imperial robes and make the usual daily appearance before the people from the balcony of the fort, till Akbar's coronation. He also secured the loyalty of his rival, Tardi Beg by appointing him as the governor of Delhi.

On 14 February 1556, Akbar was crowned as the new Mughal Emperor and his first deed was to appoint Bairam Khan as Vakil (Prime Minister) and grant him the lofty titles of Khan-i-Khanan and sipahsalaar itizad-i-daulat qahira (commander-in-chief of the army, mainstay of victorious dominion). Under Bairam Khan's leadership, the Mughal army moved to Jalandhar, where they encamped for five months and managed to drive Sikandar Suri deeper into the Siwalik hills. However, the Mughals now had to face a far greater threat from Hemu, Vakil of Adil Shah Suri, the final ruler of the Sur dynasty.

Taking advantage of the political instability in the Mughal Empire, Hemu swiftly took Gwalior, Delhi and Agra. Leaving behind a small force to keep Sikandar Suri in check, Bairam Khan moved the Mughal Army towards Sirhind and ordered Tardi Beg (who had been defeated by Hemu at the Battle of Tughlaqabad, near Delhi on 7 October 1556 and retreated) to meet the imperial army there. At Sirhind, differences arose between Bairam Khan and Tardi Beg as to what would be their military strategy in the future. Shortly afterwards, Bairam Khan had Tardi Beg executed for his cowardice during the Battle of Tughlaqabad, though there is some doubt as to whether these allegations were true as Tardi Beg was a senior official and a political rival of Bairam Khan and his execution certainly helped consolidate the authority of Bairam Khan. Conveniently, Akbar was absent during the whole incident as he was out on a hunting trip. Tardi Beg's execution helped discipline the demoralised Mughal army.

On 5 November 1556, the Mughals clashed with Hemu's army at the Second Battle of Panipat. After a fiercely contested battle, the Mughals were victorious. Hemu was captured and decapitated, either by Bairam Khan or Akbar and Delhi and Agra subsequently reconquered. After resting for a month at Delhi, Akbar and Bairam Khan resumed their campaign against Sikandar Suri, who had attempted to attack Lahore; he was driven back to the hill-fortress of Mankot (in present-day Jammu and Kashmir) where he waited for six months for Afghan reinforcements, to no avail. Disheartened, he finally surrendered to Akbar on 25 July 1557, where he was treated with clemency and given a fief in Bihar.

Dismissal

Towards his last years, relations between Bairam Khan and Akbar grew sour. The main reason was that Bairam Khan had begun to take several decisions without consulting the Emperor first, such as when he unilaterally dismissed his former favourite Pir Muhammad Khan, who was a senior Mughal official. Akbar felt jealous that a leash was kept on his private expenses while Bairam Khan's servants grew rich. He had also become increasingly irritable, and executed two of Akbar's favourite personal mahouts, one of which had not been able to restrain an imperial elephant, which killed one of Bairam Khan's animals, and the other had not been able to restrain his elephant which nearly overturned a small boat on which Bairam Khan was resting. After the final incident, Akbar decided that Bairam Khan could no longer stay in his position. In March or April 1560, Akbar told him that he could either retire and stay in the palace or go on the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. He could take whatever land he wished so that his servants could send him remittances of the harvest annually.

Rebellion

Rejecting the advice of his close friends and supporters he decided not to rebel, but later his political opponents Maham Anga and her son Adham Khan sent Pir Muhammad to trail him and 'pack him off to Mecca'. This insult goaded Bairam Khan to rebel, and he turned back. Pir Muhammad retreated at the sight of Bairam Khan's deadly Turkoman horse archers. Akbar tried in vain to send another firman to Bairam Khan, ordering him to continue his pilgrimage. Bairam Khan left his family in the fortress of Tabar-e-Hind (in present-day Bathinda) and headed towards Jalandhar, intent on taking Lahore. Forced to fight his former mentor, Akbar sent his foster father Shams-ud-din with a strong vanguard to halt or slow down Bairam Khan's force while he followed with the main army. Near the village Gunecur, near Jalandhar, Shams-ud-Din stopped Bairam Khan's force. He tried to negotiate, but Bairam Khan remained adamant about fighting.

Despite having a much smaller army, Bairam Khan gave a tough fight to his adversary but was eventually defeated. However, Bairam Khan managed to retreat with the majority of his force to Talwara-Hazipur adjoining Rey Shikargah (Mughal Imperial Hunting Grounds) from where he surrendered and was treated by Akbar with immense respect. Akbar gave him the options of staying in the court as his personal adviser, picking a jagir of his choice, or continuing his pilgrimage. Bairam Khan chose the last option.

Assassination

Bairam Khan is assassinated by an Afghan at Patan, 1561, Akbarnama

While travelling through Gujarat he was assassinated on 31 January 1561 at Sahasralinga Tank, a religious site near Anhilwad Patan, by a group of Afghans led by Mubarak Khan Lohani, whose father had been killed while fighting with the Mughals at the Battle of Machhiwara in 1555. According to the Akbarnama, the group of Afghans had apparently come to pay their respects to him, so he allowed them to come closer. Thereupon, Mubarak stabbed him with a dagger in the back with such force that the point came out of his chest, and another Afghan struck him on the head, fatally wounding him. Bairam Khan passed away saying the takbir. His corpse was later found by a group of locals, who buried him at the tomb of a nearby Sufi saint.

His son and wife managed to escape to Ahmedabad, where they stayed for several months before Akbar heard of their plight and had them escorted to Agra. Bairam's wife, Salima who was also the cousin of Akbar, married Akbar after his death. Bairam's son, Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, became an important part of Akbar's administration and was one of the nav-ratans (nine gems) of Akbar's court.

Personal life

Bairam Khan was a Shia Muslim and was disliked by some of the Sunni Turkic nobles. Although a Shia, he attended Friday services in the mosque of a noted Sufi. He also promoted Sheikh Gadai, the son of Sikandar Lodi's court poet Jamali Kamboh, to the position of sadurat-i-mamalik (Chief Justice) in 1559.

Marriages

The Gazetteer of Ulwur states:

Soon after Babar's death, his successor, Humayun, was supplemented by Sher Shah in 1540 A.D., later followed by Islam Shah in 1545 A.D. During the reign of the latter, a battle was fought and lost by the Emperor's troops at Firozpur Jhirka in Mewat, on which, however, Islam Shah did not lose his hold. Adil Shah, the third of the Pathan interlopers, who succeeded in A.D. 1552, had to contend for the Empire with the returned Humayun.

In these struggles for the restoration of Babur's dynasty Khanzadas apparently do not figure at all. Humayun seems to have conciliated them by marrying the elder daughter of Jamal Khan, the nephew of Babur's opponent Hasan Khan Mewati, and having his minister, Bairam Khan, marry Jamal's younger daughter. Bairam's other wife was Salima Sultan Begum, who married Akbar after his death.

In popular culture

Notes

  1. Chandra, Satish (2005). Medieval India : from Sultanat to the Mughals (Revised ed.). New Delhi: Har-Anand Publications. p. 95. ISBN 9788124110669.
  2. The Indian Historical Quarterly. Vol. 25–26. Calcutta Oriental Press. 1949. p. 318. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  3. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 98. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Mikaberidze, Alexander, ed. (2011). Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World a Historical Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. p. 707. ISBN 9781598843378.
  5. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 133. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Thackston, Wheeler M. (2002) The Baburnama: Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor The Modern Library, New York, p.xix, ISBN 0-375-76137-3
  7. Ahmed, Humayun,(2011) Badsha Namdar, National Library, Dhaka, pp.200-233. ISBN 978-984-502-017-6
  8. ^ Schimmel 1980, p. 77.
  9. Ansari 1989, pp. 3–5.
  10. Ray, Sukumar (1955). Ancestry and early life of Bairam Khan. Indian History Congress - Proceedings of the Sixteenth Session. Indian History Congress. p. 249.
  11. Ray, Sukumar & Beg, M.H.A. (1992) Bairam Khan, Mirza Beg, 1992, page 11, ISBN 969-8120-01-7
  12. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 98. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  13. Ray, Sukumar & Beg, M.H.A. (1992) Bairam Khan, Mirza Beg, 1992, page 27, ISBN 969-8120-01-7
  14. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 132–133. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  15. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 134–135. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  16. Tripathi, Ram Prasad (1960). Rise and Fall of the Mughal Empire (2nd ed.). pp. 158–177.
  17. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 135–138. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  18. Chandra 2005, p. 93.
  19. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  20. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 138–141. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  21. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 143–146. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  22. Chandra 2007, p. 227
  23. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 146–149. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  24. "Rahim-Abdul Rahim Khankhanan at Indiagrid". Archived from the original on 13 July 2011.
  25. Bose, Mandakranta, ed. (2000). Faces of the Feminine in Ancient, Medieval, and Modern India. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-19-512229-9.
  26. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 149. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  27. Collier, Dirk (1 March 2016). The Great Mughals and their India p. 149. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9789384544980 – via Google Books.
  28. Richards, John F. (1993). The Mughal Empire. The New Cambridge History of India. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-521-25119-8.
  29. Elliot, Henry; Downson, John (1867). The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians p. 259. London: Trübner & Co. – via Wayback Machine.
  30. Full text of "The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume- XXI. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  31. Mayaram, Shail (2003). Against History, Against State: Counterperspectives from the Margins. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-231-12730-1.
  32. Haidar, Mansura (2004). Indo-Central Asian Relations: From Early Times to Medieval Period. Manohar. p. 323. ISBN 978-81-7304-508-0.
  33. Bairam Khan at Bollywood Hungama

Sources

  • Ansari, N.H. (1989). "BAYRAM KHAN". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. IV, Fasc. 1. pp. 3–5.
  • Schimmel, Annemarie (1980). Islam in the Indian Subcontinent. BRILL. ISBN 978-9004061170.

Further reading

English

  • Singh, Damodar (2003) Khan-i-Khanan Bairam Khan: a political biography Janaki Prakashan, Patna, India, OCLC 54054058
  • Shashi, Shyam Singh (1999) Bairam Khan : soldier and administrator (Series Encyclopaedia Indica volume 58) Anmol Publishing, New Delhi, India, OCLC 247186335
  • Streusand, Douglas E. (2012). "Bayrām Khān". In Fleet, Kate; Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John; Rowson, Everett (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam (3rd ed.). Brill Online. ISSN 1873-9830.
  • Pandey, Ram Kishore (1998) Life and achievements of Muhammad Bairam Khan Turkoman Prakash Book Depot, Bareilly, India, OCLC 5007653.
  • Ray, Sukumar (1992) Bairam Khan Institute of Central and West Asian Studies, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan, OCLC 29564939.

Hindi

  • Agravāla, Sushamā Devī (1994) Bairamakhām̐ aura usake vaṃśaja kā Mugala sāmrājya meṃ yogadāna Rāmānanda Vidyā Bhavana, New Delhi, India, OCLC 34118191, in Hindi. (Contribution of Bairam Khan, 1524?-1561, Mogul nobleman, to the Mogul Empire.)
  • Devīprasāda, Munśī (2001) Khānakhānā nāmā Pratibhā Pratishṭhāna, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-85827-89-3, in Hindi. (On the life and achievements of Bairam Khan, 1524?-1561, ruler in the Mogul Empire and Khane Khana Abdul Rahim Khan, 1556–1627, Braj poet.)

Bengali

External links

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