Sultanate of Bengal
Encyclopedia
The Sultanate of Bengal was a state that existed from the 14th through the 16th centuries. It was eventually absorbed into the Mughal fold. The Sultanate was ruled by a series of dynasties with both local and foreign origins.
proclaimed himself as monarch of the Kingdom of Lakhnauti. He would go on to consolidate his rule by conquering the other independent kingdoms of Bengal before proclaiming himself as Sultan of Bengal in 1352.
was a gradual process beginning with the defeat of Bengali forces under Sultan Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah
by Babur
at the battle of Ghaghra
.
Origins
In 1342, a local warlord, Shamsuddin Ilyas ShahShamsuddin Ilyas Shah
Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah was an independent ruler of Bengal, who became the sultan of the kingdom of Lakhnauti in 1342 and after conquering the kingdom of Sonargoan in 1352, he became the sole ruler of whole Bengal and thus he became the founder of a sultanate of the unified Bengal...
proclaimed himself as monarch of the Kingdom of Lakhnauti. He would go on to consolidate his rule by conquering the other independent kingdoms of Bengal before proclaiming himself as Sultan of Bengal in 1352.
Decline
The absorption of Bengal into the Mughal EmpireMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
was a gradual process beginning with the defeat of Bengali forces under Sultan Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah
Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah
Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah 1519–1533 , son of Sultan Alauddin Hussain Shah, was sultan of Bengal from 1519 until his assassination in 1533...
by Babur
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
at the battle of Ghaghra
Battle of Ghaghra
The Battle of Ghaghra, fought in 1529, was the last major battle for the conquest of India by the Mughal Empire. It followed the first Battle of Panipat in 1526 and the Battle of Khanwa in 1527...
.
Ilyas Shahi Dynasty
- Ilyas Shah (1342–1358)
- Sikandar ShahSikandar ShahSikandar Shah was the second Sultan of the Ilyas dynasty of Bengal. He succeeded his father Ilyas Shah. He built the celebrated Adina Mosque in Pandua in 1368.-Second campaign of Firuz Shah Tughluq:...
(1358–1393) - Ghiyasuddin Azam ShahGhiyasuddin Azam ShahGhiyasuddin Azam Shah was the third Sultan of the first Iliyas Shahi dynasty of Bengal and one of the more widely known of medieval Sultans of Bengal. His tomb is situated in Narayanganj of current day Bangladesh....
(1393–1410) - Saifuddin Hamza ShahSaifuddin Hamza ShahSaifuddin Hamza Shah was the fourth Sultan of the first Ilyas dynasty of Bengal. After the death of his father, Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah, he succeeded the throne and assumed the title Sultan-us-Salatin.-History:...
(1410–1412) - Shihabuddin Bayazid ShahShihabuddin Bayazid ShahShihabuddin Bayazid Shah was an Ilyas dynasty Sultan of Bengal for a brief period of one year. He succeeded his father Saifuddin Hamza Shah....
(1412–1414)
Ganesha Dynasty
- Raja GaneshRaja GaneshaRaja Ganesha was a Hindu ruler of Bengal, who overthrew the Ilyas dynasty rule from Bengal. The Indo-Persian historians of the medieval period considered him as an infidel usurper. The dynasty founded by him ruled over Bengal from 1415-1435. His name mentioned in the coins of his son, sultan...
(1415–1418) - Jalaluddin Muhammad ShahJalaluddin Muhammad ShahJalaluddin Muhammad Shah was the son and successor of Raja Ganesha. He ruled Bengal in two phases first 1415 to 1416 and then 1418 to 1433. He was converted to Islam by Qutb al Alam and was named Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah...
(1418–1431) - Shamsuddin Ahmad ShahShamsuddin Ahmad ShahShamsuddin Ahmad Shah was a ruler of Bengal. He was the son and successor of Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah. After his father's death, he ascended the throne at the age of 14.-History:...
(1431–1436)
Ilyas Shahi Dynasty (restored)
- Nasiruddin Mahmud ShahMahmud Shah (Sultan of Bengal)Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah was a Sultan of Bengal. He was a descendant of Sultan Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah of Bengal. Nasiruddin took the title of Nasiruddin Abul Muzaffar Mahmud Shah when he ascended the power in 1435 AD...
(1437–1459) - Rukunuddin Barbak ShahRukunuddin Barbak ShahRukunuddin Barbak Shah was the son and successor of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah. Barbak Shah was appointed the governor of the Satgaon region during the reign of his father...
(1459–1474) - Shamsuddin Yusuf ShahShamsuddin Yusuf ShahShamsuddin Yousuf Shah was the son and successor of Sultan Rukunuddin Barbak Shah. He ascended the throne in 1474 and assumed the title Shamsuddin Abul Muzaffar Yusuf Shah...
(1474–1481) - Sikandar Shah IISikandar Shah IISikander Shah II was the son and successor Sultan Shamsuddin Yusuf Shah. He took power in 1481 CE and ruled Bengal for a very short period.-History:...
(1481) - Jalaluddin Fateh ShahJalaluddin Fateh ShahJalaluddin Fateh Shah was the last ruler of later Ilyas dynasty of Bengal. He was the brother and successor of Sultan Shamsuddin Yusuf Shah.-History:...
(1481–1486)
Habshi rule
- Shahzada BarbakShahzada BarbakShahzada Barbak was the founder of the Habshi dynasty of Bengal kingdom. He was the former commander of the palace-guards of Jalaluddin Fateh Shah court.-History:...
(1486–1487) - Saifuddin Firuz ShahSaifuddin Firuz ShahSaifuddin Firuz Shah was the second ruler of the Habshi dynasty of Bengal. He was a former army commander of Bengal's Ilyas dynasty.-History:...
(1487–1489) - Mahmud Shah IIMahmud Shah IIMahmud Shah II was an infant ruler of Bengal. Habsh Khan was the effective ruler.Both of them were killed in 1490 CE by Shamsuddin Muzaffar Shah....
(1489–1490) - Shamsuddin Muzaffar ShahShamsuddin Muzaffar ShahShamsuddin Muzaffar Shah was an Abyssinian sultan of late medieval Bengal. Sidi Badr, an Abyssinian, first killed Habash Khan, the regent of the boy-king Mahmud Shah II and later killed the sultan also. He ascended the throne under the title of Shams-ud-Din Muzaffar Shah...
(1490–1494)
Hussain Shahi dynasty
- Alauddin Hussain ShahAlauddin Hussain ShahAla-ud-din Husain Shah was an independent late medieval Sultan of Bengal, who founded the Hussain Shahi dynasty. He became the ruler of Bengal after assassinating the Abyssinian Sultan, Shams-ud-Din Muzaffar Shah, whom he had served under as wazir...
(1494–1518) - Nasiruddin Nasrat ShahNasiruddin Nasrat ShahNasiruddin Nasrat Shah 1519–1533 , son of Sultan Alauddin Hussain Shah, was sultan of Bengal from 1519 until his assassination in 1533...
(1518–1533) - Alauddin Firuz ShahAlauddin Firuz ShahAlauddin Firuz Shah was the son and successor of sultan Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah. During his reign the conflict with Assam continued. The Bengal army entered Assam and reached Kaliabor. The war continued after the death of Firuz Shah...
(1533) - Ghiyasuddin Mahmud ShahGhiyasuddin Mahmud ShahGhiyasuddin Mahmud Shah was the last sultan of the Hussain Shahi dynasty, founded by Alauddin Husain Shah in 1494, of Bengal...
(1533–1538)
*Part of Delhi Sultanate
- Sher ShahSher Shah SuriSher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
(ruler of Bengal from 1532–1538; ruler of Delhi from 1539–1545) - Khidr KhanKhidr Khan(Bengal)Khidr Khan was appointed the governor of Bengal in 1539 when Sher Shah Suri ascended to the throne of Delhi. In 1541 Khidr Khan attempts to declare independence from Delhi....
1538-1541 - Qazi FazilatQazi FazilatQazi Fazilat was the governor of Bengal. He was appointed by Sher Shah Suri during his reign in Delhi.-See also:*List of rulers of Bengal*History of Bengal*History of Bangladesh*History of India...
1541-1545 - Muhammad Khan SurMuhammad Khan SurMuhammad Khan Sur was appointed the governor of Bengal by Sultan Islam Shah Suri of Delhi in 1545. But after the death of the Delhi Sultan in 1554, Muhammad Khan declared independence and styled himself as Shamsuddin Muhammad Shah.-History:During his reign, Muhammad Shah conquered Arakan...
1545-1554 as the Governor of Bengal - Shahbaz KhanShahbaz KhanShahbaz Khan is an Australian climatologist and hydrologist. He is currently Chief of Section on Sustainable Water Resources Development and Management...
1555
Muhammad Shahi Dynasty
- Muhammad Khan SurMuhammad Khan SurMuhammad Khan Sur was appointed the governor of Bengal by Sultan Islam Shah Suri of Delhi in 1545. But after the death of the Delhi Sultan in 1554, Muhammad Khan declared independence and styled himself as Shamsuddin Muhammad Shah.-History:During his reign, Muhammad Shah conquered Arakan...
Shamsuddin Muhammad Shah (1545–1555) - Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah IIGhiyasuddin Bahadur Shah IIGhiyasuddin Bahadur Shah II was an independent ruler of Bengal. He was the son of Sultan Shamsuddin Mahmud Shah.-History:Bahadur Shah came to power after deposing the governor Shahbaj Khan...
Khizr Khan Suri (1555–1561) - Ghiyasuddin Jalal ShahGhiyasuddin Jalal ShahGhiyasuddin Jalal Shah was the brother and successor of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah II. He ruled Bengal for 3 years before he died in 1563.-References:...
(1561–1564) - Ghiyasuddin Shah IIIGhiyasuddin Shah IIIGhiyasuddin Shah III was the last ruler of Bengal among Mahmud Shahi dynasty.-History:Since 1562, the Afghan Karrani dynasty began to conquer a vast area within Bengal kingdom. In 1564 Ghiyasuddin Shah III was assasinated by Taj Khan Karrani. Thus the ruling of Mahmud Shahi dynasty ended and...
(1564-1564)
Karrani Dynasty
- Taj Khan KarraniTaj Khan KarraniTaj Khan Karrani was the founder of Karrani dynasty. He was a former employee of Sher Shah Suri. He captured a vast region of south-eastern Bihar and west Bengal...
- Sulaiman Khan KarraniSulaiman Khan KarraniSulaiman Khan Karrani was a ruler of Bengal from 1565 to 1572 ascending to the throne in 1565 after the death of his elder brother Taj Khan Karrani...
- Bayazid Khan KarraniBayazid Khan KarraniBayazid Karrani was the third ruler of the Karrani dynasty of Bengal. He ascended the throne after his father Sulaiman Khan Karrani died in October 1572. After assuming power he broke allegiance with the Mughals and declared independence.-Short Lived Ruling:...
- Daud Khan Karrani