The Rise of the Mughal Empire (Part 7): The Coronation of Emperor Akbar and the Fall of Bairam Khan

The story of how Emperor Akbar took full control of his throne and how Bairam Khan lost his power is one of the most dramatic chapters in Mughal history. In 1556, Emperor Humayun died suddenly. His son, Akbar, became the king when he was only 13 years old. Because Akbar was too young, a powerful general named Bairam Khan took charge and ruled the empire for him. However, within just a few years, everything changed.

Akbar Becomes King (1556)

In January 1556, Emperor Humayun died after falling down the stairs of his library in Delhi. At that time, Akbar and Bairam Khan were far away in Punjab, fighting a war. As soon as they heard the sad news, Bairam Khan built a temporary stage out of bricks right there in Punjab and declared the 13-year-old Akbar as the new king.

It was a very dangerous time. An Afghan general named Hemu quickly attacked and captured Delhi. However, Bairam Khan was a brilliant leader. In November 1556, he led the Mughal army to defeat Hemu in the Second Battle of Panipat. This major victory saved the Mughal Empire.

Bairam Khan's Strict Rule

After winning back the throne, Bairam Khan became the most powerful man in the empire. He ruled everything by himself for four years, from 1556 to 1560. However, he was very strict, and people in the royal court started to dislike him for three main reasons:

Too Much Power: The royal family did not like that Bairam Khan made all the big decisions alone.

Religious Differences: Bairam Khan was a Shia Muslim, while most court officials were Sunnis. People grew angry when he gave top positions only to his close Shia followers.

Severe Punishments: He executed loyal workers and elephant drivers even for minor mistakes, which deeply upset Akbar.

The Plan to Remove Bairam Khan

When Akbar turned 18, he realized he was a king only in name, while Bairam Khan held all the real power. Akbar’s foster mother, Maham Anga, along with his mother and other nobles, began to speak against Bairam Khan. They convinced Akbar that he would never be a truly independent king if Bairam Khan stayed in power.

Akbar Takes Over (1560)

In March 1560, Akbar made an excuse to go hunting and secretly left Agra for Delhi. Once he reached Delhi, he stripped Bairam Khan of all his powers and announced that he would rule the empire himself.

Akbar sent a letter to Bairam Khan and gave him three choices:

Take charge of a small region or land (jagir).

Stay as the king's personal advisor.

Go to the holy city of Mecca for a religious pilgrimage.

Bairam Khan felt deeply hurt and chose to go to Mecca. On the way, out of frustration, he tried to start a small rebellion, but Akbar’s army easily defeated him. Bairam Khan surrendered, and Akbar kindly forgave his old guardian and helped him continue his journey to Mecca.

A Tragic Ending (1561)

In January 1561, while traveling to Mecca, Bairam Khan was killed in Gujarat by a young Afghan man named Mubarak Khan Lohani. Bairam Khan had ordered the killing of this man's father in a past war, so the young man stabbed him to death to take revenge.

After Bairam Khan's death, Akbar took care of his family. He married Bairam Khan’s widow and raised his 4-year-old son, Abdul Rahim, like his own child. This boy grew up to become one of the most famous poets and generals in Akbar's court.

In the end, Bairam Khan's fall allowed Akbar to finally step out of his guardian's shadow and rule as a truly independent and great emperor.