Cardamom Dreams: The Saga of India
- Thread starter Badshah
- Start date
So his given name is foreshadowing?
Or prophetic, according to later chronicles?
Or prophetic, according to later chronicles?
His given name is simply not used. Much the same way people mention Shah Jahan as Shah Jahan, even when his given name is Khurram, (Though there are exceptions to this.)
You'll see in either the next, or the next few updates, depending on what people want to see next.
EDIT: So sorry I couldn't have the update up. I caught a terrible cold this week. I'll try and get one up next week....
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My name is Abdurrahman Khan. I am a traveller, and I have undertaken a quest, for my sake, and perhaps for the betterment of others, but I can only hope my travels will reveal to me the secrets of this ancient land that has become my home. I was born in Kabul, in the cold winter, as the passes to the rest of the empire were shut, and I have grown up wandering with my father as we entered Hindustan to reclaim our emperor's rightful throne. I have seen many events occur, including the death of our great emperor Humayun and the ascension of his son Akbar, who may yet prove greater still.
As I write this, my fateful slave, Abdullah, is packing many of my things, as we prepare to go southwards on the first leg of my journey. Golconda is quite far away from Agra, and while I have no qualms against a slight bit of tardiness, we must make haste...for I have no retinue, and before long the roads will be unsafe, and I would rather keep my head, let alone my gold. God willing, we will be able to travel far before the night sky falls over us.
As I write this, my fateful slave, Abdullah, is packing many of my things, as we prepare to go southwards on the first leg of my journey. Golconda is quite far away from Agra, and while I have no qualms against a slight bit of tardiness, we must make haste...for I have no retinue, and before long the roads will be unsafe, and I would rather keep my head, let alone my gold. God willing, we will be able to travel far before the night sky falls over us.
How the East was Won
Abdurrahman Khan in 1563
Abdurrahman Khan in 1563
When Abdurrahman Khan (1529-1613) began his journey from Agra in 1563, he had only a small package of things, along with his slaves, Abdul, but an unfortunate incident with some bandits along the way left him with nothing, as his faithful slave would be killed in the encounter, and his belongings stolen away. Indeed he would never take that journey to Golconda, forced instead to return back to Agra and to the imperial court.
Now in retrospect, the Mughal court was quite rowdy that year, as Akbar had only just shed the firm hands of Bairam Khan from the throne, and thus Agra was the scene of many courtiers yearning to establish their influence over the young Emperor....but he had begun to cement his authority over them at the same time, with the execution of his foster-brother Adham Khan for murdering Atgah Khan, the wakil [1] of the empire. Furthermore, it was said that the Emperor's brute strength and aggressive tendencies also tended to render many of them feeble in response, creating a complicated web of intrigues, where Akbar would weed out those whom he felt were overbearing, while those very same people would attempt to stay in power. It was this web in which Abdurrahman would enter, as he rendered his services as a courtier in Akbar's court.
Initially, he would find himself embroiled in the various problems going on in the court, but over the years he had gained the emperor's trust, citing the importance of traveling and ascertaining knowledge not only within the borders of the empire, but outside, to protect and enhance the intellectual growth within Agra. [2]
It was this philosophy of his, that ultimately led him to a very similar conclusion as Malik Bahadur would have into the years....that the foundations of India would need to be rebuilt, before change could be effectuated. His writings within the Gurkannama(1617)[3], demonstrate an acute awareness of this fact, almost lamenting the reliance upon force that the empire leaned on to demonstrate its power, rather than relying upon culture and a strong state to do the same. In 1569, well after the births of the Crown Prince Husain, and his brothers, Hassan and Salim, he had shown great support towards the idea that the Princes not only receive a classical Persian education, but also knowledge of Hindustani. He had further proved to be a great patron of fusing various elements of the Persian culture that had been pervading Agra and the Indian culture of the empire as a whole to create a unique identity. In this fashion, the growing prevalence of the Urdu language and the publication of the Razmnama [4] owed a lot to Abdurrahman Khan.
Page from the Razmnama
By 1575, with the creation of the Ibadat-Khanna [5] for religious debate, and ultimately the manifestation of the Din-e-Lahi, Khan would see much of his influential policies, practically applied, and though Akbar continued to speak of the Din-e-Lahi as a separate faith (though one that combined all others), Abdurrahman would see it as a tool....creating out of it, an order that devoted itself to certain principles, and so would see to it becoming a catalyst towards changing the face of the subcontinent. That Din-e-Lahi continues to be a prominent part of the Imperial Court in Delhi, is a testament to its true nature...one that would surpass its initial steps as a religious measure...as one that would trigger constant focus on modernisation and bring about consistent movement, and as a neutral arbiter in a land full of religions. In this respect, this would prove to be his crowning achievement, even though Akbar was the progenitor. In his later years, he would continue to write his thoughts into his journals, and chose to take a more active role in military campaigns. Akbar chose to grant him the title of general, though he left more experienced men in charge of the actual strategy...as a result, he would take part in much fighting against the various Rajput clans, and managed to grow considerable resentment towards them. That his own son, Ram Khan [6],was steadfast friends with Raja Amar Singh II of Mewar would prove to be a bone of contention between father and son.
Ibadat-Khana
Following Akbar's death, Abdurrahman would take a smaller role in court, eventually retiring to Lahore, and later Kabul, as age began to wear him down. His death was a sad and solemn affair, meeting him in 1613, and his tomb, paid for by Emperor Akbar II, would be a meagre token to the man who built modern India. Though this would consist the majority of the travels he had continually wanted to undertake, his dream would continue to live on, as the poet and traveller Feroz Dhillon would prove.
*****
As a note, yes, Abdurrahman is fictional.
[1] Prime Minister
[2] This would become a sort of central idea to Din-e-Lahi as the search for knowledge meant discovering others' customs and traditions. Abdurrahman was of a curious sort who wanted to find out more about the strange men arriving at Indian shores, but wanted to see what their society was like, rather than just hearing their tales.
[3] The Gurkannama would be Abdurrahman's quintessential work, and the most cited. These are a collection of his journals, and his works that weren't as...contiguous. They are also his thoughts on the workings of India and the Mughal court, hence the title.
[4] The Mahabharata, as translated into Persian.
[5] House of Worship. This was a place for religious debate, built by Akbar. Originally restricted to Muslims, it was later expanded to those of all religions and atheists as well. The ideas here would lead to the Din-e-Lahi of OTL. Here, however, things are a little bit different.
[6] Abdurrahman quite liked Hindu myths, and kept a copy of the Ramayana with him as well. Hence his son's unusual name.
[2] This would become a sort of central idea to Din-e-Lahi as the search for knowledge meant discovering others' customs and traditions. Abdurrahman was of a curious sort who wanted to find out more about the strange men arriving at Indian shores, but wanted to see what their society was like, rather than just hearing their tales.
[3] The Gurkannama would be Abdurrahman's quintessential work, and the most cited. These are a collection of his journals, and his works that weren't as...contiguous. They are also his thoughts on the workings of India and the Mughal court, hence the title.
[4] The Mahabharata, as translated into Persian.
[5] House of Worship. This was a place for religious debate, built by Akbar. Originally restricted to Muslims, it was later expanded to those of all religions and atheists as well. The ideas here would lead to the Din-e-Lahi of OTL. Here, however, things are a little bit different.
[6] Abdurrahman quite liked Hindu myths, and kept a copy of the Ramayana with him as well. Hence his son's unusual name.
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Great update!
I'm assuming, based on the reference to Akbar II, that Jahangir does not rebel. That avoids that unfortunate precedent and will allow him to follow his father's policies even more directly then he did. It'll also stabilize the northwestern region of the subcontinent and will certainly have a effect on Sikhism within the empire. Khusrau's revolt will likely not take place, meaning that Sikhism will continue to develop more peacefully. That could have a beneficial effect on the religion, as its syncretism was the sort of thing that might appeal to Jahangir.
I'm looking forward to seeing where you take this. Will updates continue to focus on the Mughals, or will there be posts about other areas as well?
Cheers,
Ganesha
I'm assuming, based on the reference to Akbar II, that Jahangir does not rebel. That avoids that unfortunate precedent and will allow him to follow his father's policies even more directly then he did. It'll also stabilize the northwestern region of the subcontinent and will certainly have a effect on Sikhism within the empire. Khusrau's revolt will likely not take place, meaning that Sikhism will continue to develop more peacefully. That could have a beneficial effect on the religion, as its syncretism was the sort of thing that might appeal to Jahangir.
I'm looking forward to seeing where you take this. Will updates continue to focus on the Mughals, or will there be posts about other areas as well?
Cheers,
Ganesha
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Nice one. I hadn't known about the historical Din e-Lahi, which sounds fascinating - a bit like the Baha'i faith avant la lettre, but also very different. It seems like TTL's Din-e-Lahi will still be mostly a court religion (which makes sense, given that it's a little too intellectual for a mass movement) but it will endure after Akbar's lifetime and will mediate relations between the empire's various faiths. You also seem to be foreshadowing it as the basis for an imperial civil service. I could see it working like a charm, but I could also imagine it failing spectacularly if all the commoners decide that it's an apostasy and unite against it. Should be interesting to see what happens.
Something I should definitely mention is that historically Akbar had twins before Jahangir, Husain and Hassan. They later died a few months later, but here, they survive. I still had Salim exist, but here he is the third son, rather than the first....as such, the dynamic should certainly prove more....interesting, to say the least.
Din e Lahi was pretty weird, in that sense....it didn't really work as a religion on its own, but rather served as a complementary side dish....in many ways, it sort of worked like Akbar's Illuminati. Here, Abdurrahman's influence is also leading it to be wider in perspective, though membership will still be left to Akbar's main cabinet.
And historically, Akbar did get condemned as apostate by the ulema....it fortunately didn't work out so well.
Also, Malik Bahadur will still prove to be a different force to reckon with.
Hopefully, by Christmas Break I can begin some more updates, but for now, I'm busy with a heck load of math.
No problem. I'm looking forward to updates whenever you make them!
Cheers,
Ganesha
Thanks....I felt that this one was a long time coming....once this semester is over and math is out of the way, I hope I can write some more.
An Unappreciated Father
But to really analyse Sher Shah, we need to acknowledge his martial brilliance-after all, one doesn't go from mere soldier to conqueror without possessing an extraordinary proficiency in what he was doing. More importantly, however, is his class-that of the Afghan. Pre-Mughal Hindustan was more or less run by Afghans, and with the rise of the Mughals, they were effectively robbed of the conqueror status. Though at this point of time, Gujarat and Bengal (from where Sher would begin his ascent) were still independent, the prestige of Delhi....the symbolic capital of India, and thus the control of India was now under a new dynasty. This lead many scholars to believe that Sher Shah, though noteworthy on his own, was something of a reaction to the new order....a last hurrah of sorts. With this perspective, we can also understand why the Mughal Empire was so quick to war with Gujarat later on. However, it seems that irony seems to be the foundation of the Empire, as one of those it conquered was the father of what we can really call the modern Mughal Empire, versus the domains under Babar and Humayun earlier on. One can even say that the Indian army was Sher Shah's doing, what with his focus on fortifying the northwest of the country (at the time), and allowing soldiers to move quickly to the troubled areas due to the GTR. Even more importantly however, is that the Road allowed trade and culture to flourish in India, as cuisine, music, art and goods would move from Kabul to Chittagong and back again.
One can even say that he served as a uniting force for the imperial brothers, dissuading Kamran from absorbing Humayun's domains during his exile in Persia that later on allowed the reconquest to happen successfully. It should, however, serve as a testament to his martial skill, that it only happened after his death and the death of his son. Without this, who knows what may have happened?
What can one say when writing about Sher Shah Suri? Traitor, as he is taught to be throughout India today, for his role in the near demise of the Mughal dynasty seemed apt in the past, but we can, through the power of hindsight, understand that his reign, and that of Islam Shah, proved a net benefit to the Empire...pushing it beyond that of just another Shah of Delhi into the premier force in the subcontinent. His improvements upon the Grand Trunk Road, still India's most important, and pursuit of administrative reform formed the framework for Akbar's rule later on. After all, it was he, who introduced Rupees, Mohurs and Dams, which continue to be used today.
But to really analyse Sher Shah, we need to acknowledge his martial brilliance-after all, one doesn't go from mere soldier to conqueror without possessing an extraordinary proficiency in what he was doing. More importantly, however, is his class-that of the Afghan. Pre-Mughal Hindustan was more or less run by Afghans, and with the rise of the Mughals, they were effectively robbed of the conqueror status. Though at this point of time, Gujarat and Bengal (from where Sher would begin his ascent) were still independent, the prestige of Delhi....the symbolic capital of India, and thus the control of India was now under a new dynasty. This lead many scholars to believe that Sher Shah, though noteworthy on his own, was something of a reaction to the new order....a last hurrah of sorts. With this perspective, we can also understand why the Mughal Empire was so quick to war with Gujarat later on. However, it seems that irony seems to be the foundation of the Empire, as one of those it conquered was the father of what we can really call the modern Mughal Empire, versus the domains under Babar and Humayun earlier on. One can even say that the Indian army was Sher Shah's doing, what with his focus on fortifying the northwest of the country (at the time), and allowing soldiers to move quickly to the troubled areas due to the GTR. Even more importantly however, is that the Road allowed trade and culture to flourish in India, as cuisine, music, art and goods would move from Kabul to Chittagong and back again.
One can even say that he served as a uniting force for the imperial brothers, dissuading Kamran from absorbing Humayun's domains during his exile in Persia that later on allowed the reconquest to happen successfully. It should, however, serve as a testament to his martial skill, that it only happened after his death and the death of his son. Without this, who knows what may have happened?
Sher Shah Suri considered a traitor!!! I don't know where you got such an idea. In all the history books on that period, I have seen Sher Shah mentioned as an extra-ordinary brilliant general and more important, administrator. He is viewed as a model ruler whose footsteps Akbar dutifully followed, though Sher Shah was his father Humayun's bitter enemy who dethroned him and drove him into exile. If Akbar was born in a tent in desert instead of a Delhi Palace, the person responsible for it was none other than Sher Shah. Still Akbar was intelligent enough to adopt the administrative reforms of Sher Shah and improvise them. If Sher Shah had lived longer say for another twenty years, Mughal dynasty would have ended with Humayun and perhaps Akbar would have never got a chance to rule! The Suri Empire would have taken the place of the Mughal Empire!
I'm writing from an ITTL perspective. The Mughals (which are still in existence ITTL) continue to push him as such precisely because he was such a good ruler....I thought the update was pretty clearly the stance of someone who wishes to revisit and revise the official Mughal chronicles of the history in that period.
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