During his stay at Jallandhar Akbar received a shocking news. His future looked in peril. News was that Hemu, the commander/prime minister of Mohammad Shah Adil had captured Delhi.
Infact, when Hemu learnt about the death of Humayun he was seized by a desire to conquer Delhi. On the very same day Hemu had set out for Delhi taking via Gwalior route with a massive force. His marauding force spread such terror that the Moghul functionaries at Agra, Itawa, Kalpi, Bayana etc fled to Delhi. At Delhi Tardi Beg faced the challenge of Hemu. Tardi Beg could not hold his ground. In defeat he ran to Akbar.
It is said that Tardi Beg and Bairam Khan were jealous of each other as they both competed for the proximity of the emperor. Tardi Beg was then in disadvantaged state and carried the stigma of defeat and Bairam Khan enjoyed closer association with Akbar, he got the former killed branded as absconder.
On the other side, after capturing Delhi and Agra Hemchandra (Hemu) realised the emperor Mohammad Shah for whom he was winning battles for was not worthy of it. The clan members of Mohammad Shah were at one another’s throat for power, fishes and leaves. The commanders and soldiers also impressed upon, it was about time he staked his claim. Hence, he sat on the throne of Delhi in 1555 by the name Hemchandra Vikramaditya. The rule of Delhi lost by Hindus during Prithviraj and Jaichand rivalry was regained in Hemu.
Thus, Delhi and Agra slipped off the hands of Akbar. Several courtiers advised Akbar that Hemchandra could come after him and so, it would be better for them if they proceeded to Kabul. The advice didn’t go down well with Akbar and Bairam Khan. They rejected it outrightly.
With their forces Akbar and Bairam Khan moved towards Panipat. It was significant that thirty years back his grand father Babar had also made Panipat his watershed battle ground.
The army of Hemchandra was larger in numbers and it had far better material support and the battle equipment. He had Portugese cannons he so prided over. His force of 1500 elephants silhoutted the battle ground. He apparently was holding the upper hand and Moghuls did not know how to deal with the situation. But it was his great misfortune that an arrow spoiled all Hemu battle plans and changed the course of the battle. An enemy arrow zipped towards him and went through his eye and its head embedded in his brain. He fell down out of his senses. It at once demoralised his soldiers and they panicked. The Delhi force disintegrated.
The soldiers of Akbar pounced on the fallen enemy and took him prisoner.
Bairam Khan advised Akbar to behead the enemy with his sword and become a Gazi, a muslim faithful warrior, the slayer of kafir (non believers). But even as 14-15 year old Akbar was a rational character and a considerate person. He refused to do so.
Bairam Khan himself did the job.
At that point of time had Akbar not been a juvenile and an inexperienced ruler, he may have won over Hemu to his side instead of eliminating him. After all Hemu was more of a mercenery and had been fighting wars for Mohammad Shah Adil. He would’ve done the same for Akbar. But fanatics like Bairam Khan wouldn’t have liked it. He had been ruling on behalf of Akbar and enjoying being the real power. Hemchandra could have proved an asset like Raja Todarmal.
After gaining victory over Delhi, Akbar again went towards Sirhind. He wanted to settle score with Sikandar Suri. At that time Sikandar Suri was at Mankot (Jammu). How long could he evade the Mohgul forces? They were determined to get him. At last on May, 1557 he surrendered before Akbar. Akbar gifted him some districts of Bihar as his estate where he died many years later.
While Akbar was at Mankot he learnt that the royal begums had set out for Mankot from Kabul. So, Akbar went two kms out to receive them. Then, the royal convoy reached Jallandhar via Lahore. There Bairam Khan married Saleema, the daughter of the paternal aunt of Akbar.
Later, on January 31, 1561 Bairam Khan was assassinated. Then, Akbar married his widow Saleema who proved to be very influential of all the begums of the emperor.
On reaching Delhi in October, 1558 Akbar took a decision to shift his capital to Agra. He set out with all his paraphernalia for Agra through river course in the boats.
Although Suri Emperor and his own grandfather Babar had also made Agra their capital yet the city became really a capital when Akbar populated it under the name of Akbarabad.
Then on, Akbar never looked back. He crossed milestone after milestone. His stars remained on the rise. At last Gwalior too accepted the Moghul dominance. After capturing Gwalior-Gondwana, his road to southern expansion became clear. In the east upto Jaunpur Moghul flag fluttered high. In the west he tried to hoist Moghul flag on the fort of Ranthambhor but failed. Malwa also remained out of his empire but they didn’t constitute a big setback. He was establishing several layers of alliances and winning friends even in enemy area. Some Rajput kings like Rana Pratap remained defiant but his friends, clan folk joined the service of Moghul empire. It was some what confusing scene. A Rana would be dead set against Akbar but his brother would be the commander in Akbar’s force. In fact, Akbar was fighting a different battle. On a social level he was winning ground and was seriously engaged in finding a common ground amongst all the religions and cultures. That was what made him great. About 450 years ago in the back- ground of medieval scenario he was trying to create a secular world very similar to what modern India is founded on and is functioning under, envied by the entire world.
