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Humayun, the eldest
son of Babur, succeeded his father and became the second
ruler of the Mughal Empire. Humayun ruled India for nearly a
decade but was ousted by Sher Shah Suri, the Afghan
ruler. Humayun took shelter at the court of the Safavid ruler,
Shah of Persia, who helped in regain Delhi in 1555 AD.
Unhappily, he was not able to rule for a long time and met with
his untimely death after he fell from the stairs of the Sher
Mandal library. Haji Begum (Bega Begum), the Persian wife of
Humayun, supervised the construction of a tomb for husband. The
first grown-up example of Mughal architecture in India,
Humayun's Tomb was built by the emperor's inconsolable
widow, Haji Begum, in 1565 AD. The mughals brought with them a
love for gardens, fountains and water. Humayun's Tomb was
constructed with red sandstone and decorated marks the beginning
of a new tradition of complex style which culminated in the
Taj Mahal of Agra.
It was designed by the Persian architect, Mirza Ghyas;
Humayun's Tomb shows a marked shift from the Persian belief of
using colored tiles for decoration. It is located in the center
of a large square garden, screened by high walls, with gateways
to the south and west, the tomb is a square tower conquered by a
magnificent marble dome. The dome stands 140 feet from the base
of the patio and is topped with a copper pinnacle. In addition
to the remainder of Humayun, the complex also houses the grave
of many other illustrious members of the Mughal dynasty.
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