Arranging Mughal Chronicles by Completion Period

This question asks us to arrange four significant historical texts from the Mughal period in the Indian subcontinent based on the time they were completed. Understanding the period of each ruler and when these official court histories or memoirs were written is key to solving this.

Understanding Each Text

Let's look at each text and its historical context:

• Humayun Nama (D): This is a memoir written by Gulbadan Begum, the daughter of Emperor Babur and half-sister of Emperor Humayun. It chronicles the life and times of her brother, Humayun. While it covers Humayun's reign (1530-1540 and 1555-1556), the book was commissioned by her nephew, Emperor Akbar, and was completed during Akbar's reign.
• Akbar Nama (C): This is the official chronicle of the reign of Emperor Akbar (1556-1605). It was written by Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, one of Akbar's court historians. The work was completed towards the end of Akbar's reign, specifically around 1602-1603 CE.
• Badshah Nama (B): This is a generic name for the official chronicles of the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658). The most prominent Badshah Nama was written by Abdul Hamid Lahori, which covers the first 20 years of Shah Jahan's rule. This part was completed around the 1650s CE. Other parts were written by different authors, continuing the history.
• Alamgir Nama (A): This is the official chronicle of the first ten years of the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb (reigned 1658-1707, also known as Alamgir). It was written by Mirza Muhammad Kazim. This portion was completed around 1688 CE. Later, Saqi Musta'id Khan wrote the Ma'asir-i-'Alamgiri, which completed the history of Aurangzeb's reign after his death.

Ordering the Texts by Completion Period

Based on the approximate completion dates, we can arrange the texts chronologically:

1. Humayun Nama (D): Written during Akbar's reign (1556-1605), covering Humayun's life. Likely completed earlier than Akbar Nama, possibly in the later part of the 16th century.
2. Akbar Nama (C): Completed around 1602-1603 CE.
3. Badshah Nama (B): Completed around the 1650s CE (covering Shah Jahan's early reign).
4. Alamgir Nama (A): Portion covering the first 10 years of Aurangzeb's reign was written around 1688 CE.

Therefore, the sequential order according to their period of completion, from earliest to latest, is Humayun Nama, Akbar Nama, Badshah Nama, and Alamgir Nama.

The sequence is D, C, B, A.

Final Arrangement

The correct sequence based on completion period is D, C, B, A.

Revision Table: Mughal Historical Texts

Additional Information: Mughal Court Histories

The Mughal emperors were keen patrons of history writing. Many official court histories, often called 'Nama' (meaning book or account), were commissioned to document the events of their reign. These works serve as crucial primary sources for understanding the political, administrative, social, and cultural aspects of the Mughal Empire.

• These histories were typically written by learned scholars and officials patronized by the court.
• They often followed a standard format, describing the emperor's lineage, early life, accession, campaigns, administration, court life, and significant events.
• While valuable, it's important to remember that these histories were often written from the perspective of the imperial court and may present a biased view, highlighting the ruler's achievements and downplaying difficulties or opposition.
• Other important Mughal texts include the autobiography of Babur (Baburnama) and the account of Jahangir's reign (Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri).