Tardi Beg
Encyclopedia
Tardi Beg was a military commander in the 16th century in Mughal India. He served under the Mughal Emperors Humayun
and Akbar.
Beg was part of Humayun's forces when they retreated from India after the siege by Sher Shah
. He remained with his leader throughout his exile in Persia.
It is reported that he was disliked by both the troops and generals and was eventually killed for cowardice by Bairam Khan
.
Beg is said to have refused to give up his horse for the heavily pregnant Hamida, wife of Humayun, when she was eight months pregnant with her son Akbar. He is also said to have charged Humayun 20% interest
on a loan. Beg was further accused of deserting the city of Agra
as soon as Hemu
's forces approached.
The truth of these allegations is difficult to gauge as most were written after his death and following the great successes of Bairam Khan
, his executor. The allegations therefore may have been created to justify the action taken by Bairam.
Humayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...
and Akbar.
Beg was part of Humayun's forces when they retreated from India after the siege by Sher Shah
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
. He remained with his leader throughout his exile in Persia.
It is reported that he was disliked by both the troops and generals and was eventually killed for cowardice by Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan also Bayram Khan was a important military commander, general of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar.-Background:...
.
Beg is said to have refused to give up his horse for the heavily pregnant Hamida, wife of Humayun, when she was eight months pregnant with her son Akbar. He is also said to have charged Humayun 20% interest
Usury
Usury Originally, when the charging of interest was still banned by Christian churches, usury simply meant the charging of interest at any rate . In countries where the charging of interest became acceptable, the term came to be used for interest above the rate allowed by law...
on a loan. Beg was further accused of deserting the city of Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
as soon as Hemu
Hemu
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...
's forces approached.
The truth of these allegations is difficult to gauge as most were written after his death and following the great successes of Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan
Bairam Khan also Bayram Khan was a important military commander, general of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar.-Background:...
, his executor. The allegations therefore may have been created to justify the action taken by Bairam.