Page:History of India Vol 3.djvu/285

 WEAKNESS OF THE NEW EMPEROR 227 repeated treachery toward their too magnanimous brother was of a piece with their general worthlessness. Two cousins, Mohammad Zaman and Mohammad Sultan, also made their futile bids for a throne which not one of the family was then great enough to hold. Humayun was too gentle to do the only prudent thing, to make an end of them, and to this beautiful but unwise clemency lie owed part of his misfortunes. But his worst enemy was himself. Instead of taking a statesmanlike view of the situation, meeting the most pressing danger first, and crushing one antagonist before he engaged another, he frittered away his army in divided commands and deprived it of its full strength; he left one enemy unsubdued behind him while he turned to meet another; and when victory chanced to reward his courage, rather than his tactics, he rested upon his laurels and made merry with his friends, whilst his foes used the precious time in gathering their forces for a fresh effort. Had he brought the whole of his strength to bear upon each enemy in turn, he must have been successful; for Babar's troops were still the men who had won Delhi and defeated Sanga, and Babar's generals were still in command of their divisions. But Humayun weakened their valour and destroyed their confidence by division and vacillation, neglected the counsels of the com- manders, and displayed such indecision that it is a mar- vel that any army still adhered to his falling fortunes. There were three ominous clouds on his horizon when he came to the throne. On the northwest was his brother Kamran; but as he professed loyalty, however