Bairam Khan is Assassinated by an Afghan at Patan

The painting captures the violent end of Bairam Khan, who had guided the young Akbar after his father’s death but later fell from favor. His assassination, carried out by Afghan rivals while he traveled toward Mecca, symbolizes the perilous nature of court politics. Though his death was politically motivated, the scene also underscores Akbar’s eventual clemency: Bairam Khan’s young son, Abd’ur-Rahim, was adopted by the emperor and later became one of his most trusted nobles.

The composition employs a nocturnal setting, illuminated by flickering torches that cast sharp contrasts on faces and water. Figures are arranged dynamically around the fallen Bairam Khan, their weapons and postures conveying urgency. The artists used fine brushwork to render textures—fabric, skin, and ripples on the lake—while maintaining the flattened perspective typical of Mughal manuscript painting. The use of red ink to label the artists reflects a deliberate effort to acknowledge individual craftsmanship within a collaborative imperial project.

Commissioned by Akbar, the Akbarnama was written by Abu’l Fazl between 1590 and 1596. The illustrated version held by the V&A is among the earliest known, produced shortly after the text’s completion. The manuscript was likely assembled in the imperial atelier, drawing on the finest painters of the era. The inclusion of artists’ names in the margins suggests a shift toward recognizing individual artistry, a practice documented in Abu’l Fazl’s A’in-i Akbari, which lists many of the painters involved.

The assassination occurred during a period of intense political realignment in the early Mughal court. Bairam Khan’s fall from power mirrored broader tensions between Persian-influenced elites and Afghan factions. His murder was not an isolated act but part of a larger struggle for influence over the young emperor. The painting, created decades later, served not only as historical record but also as a visual reminder of the consequences of ambition and the emperor’s role as arbiter of justice.

The Akbarnama’s illustrations, including this scene, established a visual language for Mughal historiography that influenced later imperial manuscripts. By naming individual artists and integrating detailed narrative, the work elevated manuscript painting to a respected imperial art form. The legacy of Bairam Khan’s son, Abd’ur-Rahim, further extended the political resonance of the image, as his rise under Akbar transformed a moment of violence into a narrative of imperial mercy and continuity.