CC-7: HISTORY OF INDIA (c.
1206-1526)
II. SULTANATE POLITICAL STRUCTURE
(C). EMERGENCE OF PROVINCIAL DYNASTIES:
BAHAMANIS, VIJAYANAGAR, GUJRAT, MALWA,
JAUNPUR AND BENGAL.
PART- III
BENGAL
Being a distant province, Bengal had always been a problematic province for
the Delhi Sultanate. Though Bengal was annexed to the Delhi Sultanate, a
number of times it gained independence. Bengal was the eastern most province
of the Delhi Sultanate. Long distance, uncomfortable climate, poor means of
transport and communication made it difficult for the Sultans of Delhi to control
the province of Bengal.
Bakhtiyar Khilji, one of the military commanders of the Muhammad of Ghur
was the first Muslim invader who annexed Bengal and Bihar by over throwing
the Sena dynasty of Bengal. After his death his successors declared
independence. Later Balban, the Sultan of Delhi brought Bengal under the
control of Delhi Sultanate and appointed his son Bughra Khan as the Governor
of Bengal. But soon after the death of Balban his son declared Bengal as an
independence province.
In order to solve the problems of the province of Bengal Ghyasuddin Tughlaq
divided the Bengal province into three administrative units-Lakhnauti, Satgaon,
Sonargaon. The problems of the Bengal province continued after finally Bengal
emerged as an independent regional state in the 14th century.
The history of Bengal entered a new phase when Haji-Shamsh-ud-din Ilyas
khan founded a new dynasty, the Ilyas Shahi dynasty which ruled for around
125 years up to 1538 though in phases. Haji-Shamsh-ud-din Ilyas khan unified
the independent kingdom of Bengal. Besides he made incursions into Nepal and
Orissa. Even Firoz Shah Tughlaq had no alternative but to make peace treaty
with him which decided river Kosi as the boundary between the two kingdoms.
His reign was marked the development of an impressive coinage system and
large-scale construction of monuments. Pandua and Guar, the capitals of Bengal
were adorned by magnificent buildings. Under Haji-Shamsh-ud-din Ilyas khan
who ruled from 1342 to 1357 CE, Bengal emerged as the leading diplomatic,
economic and military power in the subcontinent. He was a popular ruler and
organised an inclusive and pluralistic administration. He died in 1357 CE and
was succeeded on the throne by his son Sikandar Shah (1358-1389 CE) who
also successfully defied Firoz Shah Tughlaq’s attempt to subdue him in 1359
CE. After this Bengal was left alone for nearly two hundred years and was not
invaded again till 1538 CE.
Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah (1389-1409 CE), the next Sultan of Bengal was an
able and benevolent ruler. He was one of the important rulers of the Ilyas Shah
dynasty who was known for his love for justice. He sent an ambassador to
China and carried on a flourishing trade with the Far East through the port of
Chittagong.
There was a brief spell of Hindu rule under Raja Ganesh who was a Brahmin
Zamindar of Dinajpur (North Bengal), succeeded by his son Jadu Sen (Who was
converted to Islam and given the name Jalalluddin), who in turn was succeeded
by his son Shamshuddin Ahmad Shah. The dynasty of Raja Ganesh was in
power from 1414 to 1435 CE. Later the old Ilyas Shahi dynasty was restored by
Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah and his successors (1435-1487 CE). However, for a
short period of seven years the Habshis came to rule over Bengal (1487-1494
CE), who were then overthrown by Alauddin Hussain Shah. He later proved to
be one of the most remarkable rulers of Bengal. He was the founder of the
Hussain Shahi dynasty of Bengal
Alauddin Hussain Shah (1494-1519 CE) is considered as the greatest of all the
Sultans of Bengal as under him not only did Bengal frontiers expanded but he
also brought a cultural renaissance in Bengal and the Bengali language enriched
a lot. He conquered Kamarupa, Kamata, Jajnagar and Orissa. He was very
efficient, liberal and very tolerant towards other religion. He paid great respect
to the Vaishnava Saint Sri Chaitanya. He came into conflict with Sikandar
Lodhi and had to make peace with him. On his death in 1518 CE his son Nasib
Khan ascended the throne and took the title of Nasir-ud-din Nasrat Shah.
Nasir-ud-din Nasrat Shah (1518-1533 CE) continued his father’s expansionist
policies, adding more territories to his Sultanate during the early years of his
reign. He was an able and powerful ruler. He was married to Ibrahim Lodi’s
daughter and gave refuge to Afghan Lords. During the invasion of Babur the
Mughal emperor, he remained neutral and later made a treaty with Babur and
saved Bengal from Mughal invasion. He was succeeded by his son Alauddin
Firuz Shah, under whose reign Mughal army entered Assam and reached
Kaliabor, but he was assassinated by his uncle Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah.
The reign of Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah (1533-1538 CE) was marked by the
struggle between Humayun and Sher Shah Suri and the ultimate fall of the
Hussain Shahi dynasty. He was the last Sultan of the Hussain Shahi dynasty and
was a weak, pleasure-loving and easy going ruler. Sher Shah Suri captured
Gaur in 1538 CE and initiated a period of Afghan rule in Bengal under the Sur
empire. Later in 1586 CE Akbar, the Mughal Emperor conquered Bengal and
made it into a Subah (province) of the Mughal empire.
ADD THIS PART WITH
CC-7: HISTORY OF INDIA (c.1206-1526)
II. SULTANATE POLITICAL STRUCTURE
(C). EMERGENCE OF PROVINCIAL DYNASTIES: BAHAMANIS,
VIJAYANAGAR, GUJRAT, MALWA, JAUNPUR AND BENGAL.
PART- I
VIJAYANAGAR
The concept of Kingship among the rulers of Vijayanagar was very high. The
king was the supreme authority in civil, military and judicial matters. There was
a well-organised administration under the Vijayanagar kingdom. The king
(Rayas) was the highest court of appeal. Succession to the throne was mostly on
the principle of hereditary. The king was assisted by a council of ministers in hi
day to day administration. The kingdom was divided into rajyas or mandalam
(provinces), below which there was nadu (district) followed by sthala (sub-
district) which was followed by grama or village.
The empire of Vijayanagar was very rich. According to the accounts of the
foreign travellers, the Vijayanagar kingdom was one of the wealthiest kingdom
in the world at the time. Agriculture was the chief occupation of the people. The
ruler made arrangements for irrigation facilities. New tanks were built and dams
were constructed across the river like Tungabhadra. There were numerous
industries and they were organised into guilds. There were a number of sea port
on the Malabar coast, the chief being Cannanore. Commercial contacts with
Arabia, Persia, South Africa and Portugal on the west and with Burma, the
Malay Peninsula and China on the east flourished. The chief export items were
cotton, silk, spices, rice etc. The chief import items were horses, pearls, copper,
etc. The art of ship building had developed.
Foreign travellers left vivid account on the splendour of buildings and luxurious
social life in the city of Vijayanagar. The temple building activity further gained
momentum during this period. The chief characteristic of the Vijayanagar
architecture were the construction of tall Raya Gopurams or gateways and the
Kalyanamandapam with carved pillars in the temple premises. The most
important temples of the Vijayanagar style were found in the Hampi ruins or the
city of Vijayanagar. The Vittalaswamy and the Hazara Ramaswamy temples
were the best examples of this style.
NOTES AND REFERANCE
Puri, Gopal k., Indian History
SUGGESTED READING
Chandra, S, History of Medieval India (800-1700)
