Kamran Mirza

Kamran Mirza, sometimes known simply as Kamran, (born 1509, Kabul; died 1557, Mecca) was the second son of Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty. He was half-brother to Babur's eldest son Humayun, who would go on and inherit the Mughal throne, but he was full brother to Babur’s third son, Askari.

During the Reign of Babur

While his father, Babur, was conquering northern India from 1525 onwards, Kamran remained in Kandahar in order to secure his northern flank. He was still in charge of the northern part of the newly formed empire, when his father died in 1530. According to the Mughal historian Abul Fazl, Babur’s last words to Humayun were “do nothing against your brothers, even though they may deserve it.”

In India

In 1538 Kamran first crossed into India, bringing with him 12,000 soldiers, while Humayun was away fighting in Bengal. He appeared to have come in order to put down the rebellion of his brother Hindal against Humayun. However, despite Humayun’s calls for help, Kamran offered him no aid whatsoever. After Humayun returned from his defeat at the Battle of Chausa, Kamran refused to place his troops under Humayun’s command as he was more interested in taking power for himself. Seeing no chance of furthering his ambition, Kamran withdrew back to Lahore.

Rivalry with Humayun

Following his success in the Battle of Kaunaj in 1540, the new ruler of northern India, Sher Shah, ordered Humayun to leave India and settle in Kabul. Kamran was unwilling to hand the city over to his brother though. At this point Kamran went behind Humayun's back and offered to support Sher Shah, if the latter would give him the Punjab in return. His offer was refused. At this point Humayun was urged by his advisors to put his brother to death, but he refused.

After a series of disastrous attempts to retake his throne, Humayun crossed the Indus in 1543. Rather than welcoming him, Kamran sent his younger brother Askari out to catch him and bring him to Kabul. Humayun managed to escape his brother’s clutches though and sought refuge in the court of the ruler of Persia, Shah Tahmasp I.

When Humayun was in Persia, Kamran offered the Shah, the city of Kandahar if he would hand his brother over to him. Shah Tahmasp favoured Humayun in this fraternal squabble however, and provided him with troops with which he defeated Kamran.

Conflict over Kabul

Humayun was able to enter Kabul in November 1545 in a bloodless takeover, as Kamran’s rule had been oppressive, and the population of the city was keen to be rid of him.

After his ignominious flight, Kamran managed to retake Kabul twice but he remained a hated figure to the residents of the city, as his periods of rule involved atrocities against large numbers of them.

Following his third and final ejection from Kabul, Kamran went to the court of Humayun’s enemy, Islam Shah, where he was effectively rebuffed in his hopes for an alliance against his brother. He then wound up in the Punjab, where a local ruler handed him over to Humayun in 1553.

Architecture

The only significant architectural structure built by Kamran exists today in Lahore, Pakistan. It is called Kamran ki Baradari. "Bara" means twelve and "dar" means doors. Kamran ki baradari was a twelve door building on the bank of River Ravi. The river changed its course over time, with the result that the Baradari stands not on the bank but in the waters as an island while the gardens have deteriorated.

Exile and death

Although Humayun resisted the pressure to put his rebellious brother to death, he was persuaded that something needed to be done about him so he reluctantly had him blinded. Humayun then sent him off to perform the Hajj to Mekkah, where he died in 1557.

Personal information

Kamran was the second or third son born to Babur, but the second surviving son. His mother was Gulrukh Begum, sister of Sultan Ali Mirza Taghai Begchik.

Wives and children:
* (Gulrukh?) Begum , his first cousin, daughter of his maternal uncle Sultan Ali Mirza Taghai Begchik; married at Kabul in November 1528; presumably mother of
** Habiba Sultan Begum, born about 1530; married (A) in Hazara, 1544, Esan Daulat Aq Sultan Chaghatai, son of Aiman Kwaja Khan Chaghatai; divorced 1551/1552; married (B) 1551/1552 Mirza Abdu-r Rahman Khan Dughlat
** Gulrukh Begum, died after February 1615; married Ibrahim Husain Mirza Bayqra, died 1573, son of Sultan Muhammad Mirza.
* Hazara Begum, niece of Khizr Khan Hazara ; alive in October 1545
* Mah Begum Qibchaq Moghol, daughter of Sultan Wais Kulabi Qibchaq Moghol;alive in October 1545
* Mah Afroz Begum, alive in October 1545; mother of a daughter:
** Haji Begum, died 1583. Haji is evidently a surname. Mah Afroz Begum is said by Gulbadan Begum to be the mother of Haji Begum. When Gulbadan went on pilgrimage to Mekkah in 1575, she was accompanied by 2 daughters of her late brother Kamran: Haji Begum and Gulizar Begum. 4 daughters of Kamran are known by their names: Habiba, Gulrukh, Ayisha and Gulizar. None of them can be identified with Haji begum: Gulrukh was still alive in 1615; Ayisha's mother was Daulat Bakht Agacha; Gulizar went to Mekkah with Haji, and Habiba is mentioned by Gulbadan together with Mah Afroz, but the latter is identified at the same time as the mother of Haji Begum, and not of Habiba as well.
* Muhtarima Khanum, daughter of Shah Mohammed Sultan Chaghatai and Khadija Sultan Khanum Chaghatai; she married (B) in 1557/1558 Ibrahim Sultan Mirza Miranshah, died 1560, son of Suleiman Mirza Miranshah and Haram Begum. She had a daughter by Kamran:
** Gulizar Begum, born bef. 1550; went to Mekkah in 1575. Gulbadan Begum informs us that Muhtarima had a daughter by Kamran, but unfortunately does not name her. As Ayisha's mother was Daulat Bakht Agacha, and Habiba and Gulrukh were most presumably born of the first wife, Muhtarima's daughter must be Gulizar, or another unatested daughter of Kamran.
* Mah-i-Kuchuk Begum, married before 21st February 1547; died at Mekkah, May 1558), only child of Mir Shah Husain Arghun, Lord of Sind, Kandahar and Kabul, by his wife, Mah-i-Kuchuk Begum, daughter of Mirza Muhammad Muqim Beg Aghun. She accompanied Kamran to Mekkah in 1553
* a daughter of 'Abdu'llah Khan Mughal.
* Daulat Bakht Agacha, a concubine, alive in 1550; mother of
** Ayisha Sultan Begum, born bef. 1550; presumably married to Fakhruddin Khan Mashhadi (died 1578)

* by an unidentified concubine, Kamran had a son:
** Abu'l-Qasim Ibrahim Mirza, died 1567

References

* "The Great Moghuls" by Bamber Gascoigne