d concentrate. He pushed the
works so vigorously that the fort was ready by the end of the year
(1554). He then returned to Kabul. During the winter and early spring
that followed, there came to a head in Hindustan the crisis which
gave him the opportunity of carrying his plans into effect.

[Footnote 3: He died there in 1558.]

{60}

CHAPTER VII
HUMAYUN INVADES INDIA. HIS DEATH

Sher Khan Sur, who had defeated Humayun at Kanauj in 1540, had used
his victory to possess himself of the territories which Babar had
conquered, and to add somewhat to them. He was an able man, but
neither did he, more than the prince whom he supplanted, possess the
genius of consolidation and union. He governed on the system of
detached camps, each province and district being separately
administered. He died in 1545 from injuries received at the siege of
Kalinjar, just as that strong fort surrendered to his arms.

His second son, Salim Shah Sur, known also as Sultan Islam, succeeded
him, and reigned for between seven and eight years. He must have been
dimly conscious of the weakness of the system he had inherited, for
the greater part of his reign was spent in combating the intrigues of
the noblemen who held the several provinces under him. On his death,
leaving a child of tender years to succeed him, the nobles took the
upper hand. The immediate result was the murder of the young prince,
after a nominal rule of three days, and the seizure of the throne by
{61} his maternal uncle, who proclaimed himself as Sultan under the
title of Muhammad Shah Adel. He was ignorant, cruel, unprincipled,
and a sensualist of a very pronounced type. He had, however, the good
fortune to attach to his throne a Hindu, named Hemu, who, originally
a shopkeeper of Rewari, a town of Mewat, showed talents so
considerable, that he was eventually allowed to concentrate in his
own hands all the power of the State. The abilities of Hemu did not,
however, prevent the break-up of the territories which Sher Shah had
bequeathed to his son. Ibrahim Khan revolted at Biana, and occupying
Agra and Delhi, proclaimed himself Sultan. Ahmad Khan, Governor of
the country north-west of the Sutlej, seized the Punjab, and
proclaimed himself king under the title of Sikandar Shah. Shuja Khan
seized the kingdom of Malwa, whilst two rival claimants disputed the
eastern provinces. In the contests which followed Sikandar Shah for
the moment obtained the upper hand. He defeated Ibra