Humayun’s Bengal Campaign and Struggle with Sher Khan (Sher Shah Suri)
Medieval History › Mughal Period · Topic 6.8
Sher Khan, master of Chunar and Bihar, outmanoeuvred Humayun by capturing Rohtas and Gaur while the Mughals took six months to win Chunar. Humayun refused Sher Khan's offer, marched to Bengal, was cut off from Agra by Hindal's revolt and Sher Khan's pressure, and lost at Chausa (1539) and Kanauj (1540), which made him a prince without a kingdom.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Mughal Period
At a Glance
- Rival Sher Khan, later Sher Shah
- Forts Chunar and Rohtas
- Bengal Gaur captured by Sher Khan; Humayun there for three to four months
- Chausa March 1539
- Kanauj May 1540
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: Mughal Period
Where Does It Fit?
This is the eighth topic of the category on the Mughal period. The previous topic covered Humayun in the west, and this topic covers his struggle in the east. The next topic describes Sher Shah’s rule and the Sur empire. Previous topic: Humayun’s Gujarat Campaign Against Bahadur Shah.
How Did Sher Khan Become So Powerful?
In short: while Humayun was away in Malwa and Gujarat, Sher Khan became the unquestioned master of Bihar and built a large army.
In 1532, after Dadrah, Humayun besieged Chunar, a powerful fort that commanded the land and river route between Agra and the east and was called the gateway of eastern India. It was held by an Afghan sardar, Sher Khan, the most powerful of the Afghan sardars. After four months Sher Khan persuaded Humayun to let him keep the fort, promising loyalty and sending a son as a hostage. Humayun accepted because he was anxious to return to Agra, alarmed by Bahadur Shah, and unwilling to divide his forces. During Humayun’s Malwa campaign (February 1535 to February 1537) Sher Khan became the unquestioned master of Bihar. Afghans rallied round him and, though he still professed loyalty to the Mughals, he planned to expel them. Bahadur Shah helped him with heavy subsidies. These resources let him recruit a large army that included 1200 elephants, with which he defeated the king of Bengal and made him pay an indemnity of 13,00,000 dinars.
How Did He Outmanoeuvre Humayun?
| Step | Event |
|---|---|
| Chunar | Humayun besieged it again at the end of the year; despite the master-gunner Rumi Khan it took six months to capture |
| Rohtas | Meanwhile Sher Khan captured by treachery the powerful fort of Rohtas, where he left his family in safety |
| Gaur | He invaded Bengal a second time and captured its capital, Gaur |
| Offer | He offered to surrender Bihar and pay ten lakh dinars annually if allowed to keep Bengal |
It is not clear how sincere the offer was. Humayun rejected it because Bengal was rich, a centre of manufacture and foreign trade, and the wounded king of Bengal who reached his camp urged that resistance was continuing. The king soon died of his wounds, so Humayun had to campaign in Bengal alone.
What Went Wrong in Bengal?
Humayun’s march to Bengal was the prelude to the disaster at Chausa. Sher Khan left Bengal for south Bihar and let Humayun advance without opposition so that he could cut his communications and bottle him up. At Gaur, Humayun quickly restored law and order, but this solved none of his problems. His younger brother Hindal attempted to assume the Crown at Agra, and with Sher Khan’s activities Humayun was cut off from news and supplies from Agra. After three to four months at Gaur he started back, leaving a small garrison. Despite discontent among the nobility, the rains and constant Afghan harassment, he got his army back to Chausa near Buxar without serious loss, which was a big achievement. Kamran advanced from Lahore to Agra to quell Hindal but sent no reinforcements to Humayun.
What Happened at Chausa and Kanauj?
| Battle | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chausa (March 1539) | Misled by an offer of peace, Humayun crossed to the east bank of the Karmnasa, giving the Afghan horsemen full scope; he chose his ground badly and was taken unawares. He escaped by swimming across the river with the help of a water-carrier; about 7000 Mughal soldiers and many prominent nobles were killed and immense booty fell to Sher Khan |
| Between | Kamran, who had a battle-hardened force of 10,000 at Agra, would not lend it to Humayun, and Humayun would not give him command of the armies; suspicion grew and Kamran returned to Lahore with his army |
| Kanauj (May 1540) | The hastily assembled Mughal army was no match, though the battle was bitterly contested and Askari and Hindal fought valiantly; it decided the issue |
Humayun became a prince without a kingdom, with Kabul and Qandhar remaining under Kamran. For two and a half years he wandered in Sindh and neighbouring regions. Neither the rulers of Sindh nor Maldeo, the powerful ruler of Marwar, would help, and his own brothers turned against him. He then took shelter with the Iranian king and recovered Qandhar and Kabul in 1545.
What Does the Struggle Show?
After Chausa, only the fullest unity among the Timurid princes and nobles could have saved the Mughals, and this unity was missing. Sher Khan was the most skilful general the Afghans ever produced, and his army in 1539 was very different from the one a year before, having gained battle experience and confidence. As an analytical point, the Bengal campaign was a political and military mistake: Humayun should have realised he could not challenge Sher Khan without more careful preparation. For the overall judgement, see Humayun’s Reign and Conflict with the Afghans, and for what Sher Khan did next, see Sher Shah Suri and the Sur Empire (1540–1556).
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Chronology Chausa and Kanauj are standard dates
- Causation Disunity and poor generalship
- Link Leads to Sher Shah’s rule
What Came Next?
The next topic describes Sher Shah and the Sur empire. Next topic: Sher Shah Suri and the Sur Empire (1540–1556).
Key People and Terms
- Chunar Gateway fort of eastern India
- Rohtas Fort taken by Sher Khan by treachery
- Gaur Capital of Bengal
- Chausa Battle site near Buxar
- Rumi Khan Mughal master-gunner
- Karmnasa River crossed at Chausa
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Chunar: gateway of eastern India.
- Chausa: March 1539; Kanauj: May 1540.
- Humayun stayed three to four months at Gaur.
- Hindal tried to take the Crown at Agra.
- Exile in Sindh: two and a half years.
Do Not Confuse With
- Chausa and Kanauj Near Buxar in 1539 versus on the Ganga in 1540
- Chunar 1532 and Chunar 1537 First siege ended by a deal versus the six-month siege
- Kamran and Hindal Brother who held back troops versus brother who rebelled at Agra
Memory Hook
Chunar deal, Rohtas by treachery, Gaur taken, Chausa lost, Kanauj lost, exile.
Mains Angle
Questions on this phase ask why Humayun lost to Sher Khan. These points add depth.
- Strategy Sher Khan’s use of space and communications
- Unity Brothers’ suspicions
- Judgement Poor ground at Chausa
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Why did Humayun lose the battles of Chausa and Kanauj?”
How to Answer
- Rise Sher Khan’s resources.
- Error Bengal campaign.
- Disunity Hindal and Kamran.
- Result Exile and a lost kingdom.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Chunar important?
Chunar was a powerful fort that commanded the land and river route between Agra and the east and was known as the gateway of eastern India. Humayun's repeated sieges of it show how much it mattered in the struggle with Sher Khan.
What happened at Chausa in 1539?
Misled by an offer of peace, Humayun crossed the Karmnasa and was taken unawares by Sher Khan's Afghan horsemen. About 7000 Mughal soldiers and many nobles were killed, and Humayun escaped by swimming across the river.
What happened at Kanauj in 1540?
The hastily assembled Mughal army fought bitterly against Sher Khan, with Askari and Hindal fighting valiantly, but lost. The battle decided the issue between Sher Khan and the Mughals, and Humayun became a prince without a kingdom.
Why did Kamran not help Humayun?
Kamran had lost confidence in Humayun's generalship and would not lend his 10,000 battle-hardened troops, while Humayun would not give Kamran command of the armies lest he use it to seize power. Suspicion grew and Kamran returned to Lahore.
Where did Humayun go after Kanauj?
Humayun wandered in Sindh and nearby regions for two and a half years, finding no help from the rulers of Sindh or Maldeo of Marwar. He then took shelter with the Iranian king and recovered Qandhar and Kabul in 1545.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The battle of Chausa was fought in 1539.
Humayun crossed the Karmnasa and was surprised.
2 Kanauj was fought in 1540.
It decided the issue with Sher Khan.
3 Kamran sent his 10,000 troops to help Humayun at Kanauj.
He returned to Lahore with his army.
4 Sher Khan captured the fort of Rohtas by treachery.
He left his family there.
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