In Mughal historiography, the biographical work “Humayun Nama” was written by which member of Humayun’s family?

Introduction / Context:
This question is about important sources for studying Mughal history. “Humayun Nama” is a biographical work that gives insight into the life of Emperor Humayun, the second Mughal ruler. Unlike many royal chronicles written by court historians, this work was authored by a woman of the royal family, making it unique and valuable. The question asks you to identify this author.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The book mentioned is “Humayun Nama”.
- It is a biography related to the life of the Mughal emperor Humayun.
- The options list Gulbadan Begum, Abbas Sarwani, Abul Fazl, Humayun himself and Badauni.
- We assume familiarity with the names of major Mughal chroniclers and family members.

Concept / Approach:
“Humayun Nama” was written by Gulbadan Begum, the daughter of Babur and half sister of Humayun. At the request of Emperor Akbar, she wrote about the life of her brother Humayun and the experiences of the royal family. This gives the work a distinctive personal tone compared to formal court histories. Other writers listed in the options, such as Abul Fazl and Badauni, wrote different major works like the “Akbarnama” and critical histories, and Abbas Sarwani is known for the “Tabaqat-i-Akbari” version of the Sur dynasty history. The correct approach is to connect the female royal author with this specific biographical text.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Gulbadan Begum was a Mughal princess, daughter of Babur and half sister of Humayun. Step 2: Remember that Akbar encouraged members of the older generation to record their memories, and Gulbadan Begum responded by writing “Humayun Nama”. Step 3: Understand that this text provides a more intimate and family based account of Humayun s life and the early Mughal court. Step 4: Note that Abul Fazl wrote the “Akbarnama” and “Ain-i-Akbari”, and Badauni wrote a more critical history of Akbar s reign, but neither authored “Humayun Nama”. Step 5: Based on this information, select Gulbadan Begum as the correct author.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification is straightforward if you remember that “Humayun Nama” is often cited as an example of a historical work written by a woman in Mughal India. Textbooks and exam guides explicitly state that Gulbadan Begum, Babur s daughter, wrote this biography at Akbar s request. They seldom, if ever, attribute this work to other chroniclers like Abul Fazl. This unanimity across sources confirms that Gulbadan Begum is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Abbas Sarwani: Known for information about Sher Shah Suri and the Sur dynasty, not for writing “Humayun Nama”.
Abul Fazl: The great court historian of Akbar, famous for “Akbarnama” and “Ain-i-Akbari”, not for “Humayun Nama”.
Humayun himself: Although some rulers wrote memoirs, “Humayun Nama” is not attributed to Humayun but to his sister Gulbadan Begum.
Badauni: A chronicler who wrote critically about Akbar s policies, but he did not write this particular biographical work.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes assume that any important Mughal text must have been written by Abul Fazl because he is such a famous historian. Another pitfall is to forget the role of royal women in preserving historical memory and therefore overlook Gulbadan Begum. Keeping a small mental list of key works—Baburnama by Babur, Humayun Nama by Gulbadan Begum, Akbarnama by Abul Fazl—helps avoid confusion and makes the correct answer easy to recall.

Final Answer:
“Humayun Nama” was written by Gulbadan Begum.