Humayun, Sher Shah Suri and Himu

The Mughal Empire did not run unbroken from Babur onwards. It was lost once, and won back.

After Babur died in 1530, his son Humayun struggled to hold the empire together.

Taking advantage of this, Sher Shah Suri, a powerful Afghan leader, set up the Sur Empire over large parts of north India.

The book adds four words that matter: he "introduced many lasting reforms". So an empire that did not last long made changes that did. How long someone rules and how deep their influence goes are not the same thing.

The Sur Empire itself was short-lived: Humayun soon won back the lost land.

In between came Himu (also called Hemu), a skilled military commander and chief minister (wazir) under one of the last Suri rulers.

He captured Delhi and ruled briefly under the royal name Hemchandra Vikramaditya.

He had some military successes, but was wounded at the Second Battle of Panipat, facing Babur's grandson Akbar. Captured and brought to Akbar, he was beheaded, and Akbar took Delhi back for the Mughals.