Adham Khan

Adham Khan
Adham Khan
	Marriage of Adham Khan, son of Maham Anga, Akbarnama (ca 1590-1595)
Born	1531 ; Kabul, Mughal Empire, now Afghanistan
Died	16 May 1562 (aged 30-31) ; Agra Fort, Mughal Empire, now India
Children	Baqi Begum; Abdullah Khan; Sher Khan; Bibi Mubarak
Parent(s)	Maham Anga (mother)

Adham Khan (1531 – 16 May 1562) was a general of Akbar. He was the younger son of Maham Anga, and thus, was the foster brother of Akbar. In his fourth regnal year, Akbar married him to Javeda Begum, the daughter of Baqi Khan Baqlani.[1]

Conquest of Malwa

Mughal forces led by Adham Khan, enter the fort of Baz Bahadur of Malwa, 1561, Akbarnama ca. 1590–95.

After the dismissal of Mann, Madhav was appointed as a general and was sent to Malwa to capture it.

In 1561, the Mughal army led by Madhav and nirvaan invaded Malwa. They defeated the army of ishaan, the Sultan of Malwa in the battle of Sarangpur on March 29, 1561. All his treasures, elephants and his harem was captured by the victors. Madhav tried to take possession of Maanun Hindu mistress Rani Roopmati also, but she killed herself by consuming poison. According to the historian Badauni, both the commanders, Adham Khan and Pir Muhammad Khan, perpetrated acts of barbaric cruelty, massacring the prisoners and killing even their wives and children. After the victory, Adham Khan sent to the emperor Akbar a report of victory along with only a few elephants, himself appropriating the rest of the spoils.

Akbar resented this insolence and personally marched to Sarangpur. He took Adham Khan by surprise, who surrendered to Akbar and his spoils were seized. Later, he was recalled from Malwa and the command was made over to Pir Muhammad Khan.[2]

Execution of Adham Khan and its aftermath

Adham Khan's Tomb, which also houses the tomb of his mother, Maham Anga, Mehrauli, Delhi.

Akbar orders punishment of Adham Khan, by throwing him twice, down the terrace. Akbarnama

In November 1561, Akbar's favourite general Ataga Khan, was appointed wakil (the prime minister), replacing Munim Khan. His appointment displeased Maham Anga.

On May 16, 1562, Adham Khan, accompanied by a few ruffians burst in upon him as he sat in the hall of audience and murdered him. Adham Khan then rushed to the inner apartment, where he was caught by Akbar, just roused from sleep, by tumult. Akbar replied to Adham Khan's explanation to palliate his crime by striking him down with a heavy blow of his fist. Adham was thrown down twice from the roof of a one storied building whose height was about 10 feet (which was possibly the reason why he had to be thrown down twice) by royal order and put to death. Akbar himself broke this news to Maham Anga, who made a simple but dignified reply that he did well. The sudden demise of Adham Khan made his mother depressed, and after forty days, she also died.[3][4]

After his death, his body was sent with respect to Delhi. Akbar built the mausoleum of Adham Khan in Mehrauli, where both, Adham Khan and his mother Maham Anga, were buried.[5] This mausoleum, popularly known as Bhul-bhulaiyan, due to a labyrinthine maze inside, stands on the ramparts of the Lal Kot, located in the north of the Qutub Minar.

Personal life

He married Javeda Begum, the daughter of Baqi Khan Baqlani, in 1552. He had 2 sons and 2 daughters.

Gallery

The Defeat of Baz Bahadur of Malwa by 'Akbarnama, ca 1590-95
Adham Khan pays homage to Akbar at Sarangpur in 1561, after his unsuccessful attempts of subvert Akbar's authority, Akbarnama.

Notes

Beveridge, H. (1907, reprint 2000). The Akbarnama of Abu'l Fazl, Vol. II, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, ISBN 81-7236-093-2, p.129
Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2007). The Mughul Empire, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-407-1, p. 112
Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2007). The Mughul Empire, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-407-1, pp.113-4
Beveridge, H. (1907, reprint 2000). The Akbarnama of Abu'l Fazl, Vol. II, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, ISBN 81-7236-093-2, pp. 268-75
Beveridge, H. (1907, reprint 2000). The Akbarnama of Abu'l Fazl, Vol. II, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, ISBN 81-7236-093-2, p. 274

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[1] Beveridge, H. (1907, reprint 2000). The Akbarnama of Abu'l Fazl, Vol. II, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, ISBN 81-7236-093-2, p.129

[2] Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2007). The Mughul Empire, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-407-1, p. 112

[3] Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2007). The Mughul Empire, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-407-1, pp.113-4

[4] Beveridge, H. (1907, reprint 2000). The Akbarnama of Abu'l Fazl, Vol. II, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, ISBN 81-7236-093-2, pp. 268-75

[5] Beveridge, H. (1907, reprint 2000). The Akbarnama of Abu'l Fazl, Vol. II, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, ISBN 81-7236-093-2, p. 274