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Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor, and ruled from 1530-1556. He was 22 and inexperienced when he came to power. In 1540 he was challenged by Farid Khan Sur, or Sher Shah, an ethnic Afghan from Eastern India and the Shah's ally, the Lodi dynasty. The rule of Sher Shan was a time of economic reform for the Mughal Empire. Humayun fled to the Safavid Empire and reluctantly converted to Shia Islam for the protection of Shah Tahmasb. Sher Shah died in 1546, and although he was one of the greatest rulers in India, his son was from an able leader. After only nine years in power, Humayan returned to the throne in 1555 with troops from Shah Tahmasb. During his period in exile, his wife gave birth to Akbar the Great. He died on February 22, 1556 from injuries he sustained after falling down a flight of stairs while descending from the second floor of his library to pray. His greatest accomplishment was in his support for the arts. His exposure in Iran to Safavid art inspired him to recruit painters for the Mughal Empire and thus give birth to the Mughal style of painting. Humayun's greatest architectural feat was his Din-Panah (Refuge of Religion) citadel at Delhi which was destroyed by Sher Shah.
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