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Chapter II		94
Account of the Independent Musalman kings of Bengal— Bengal becomes independent in the reign of Emperor Muhammad Shah Tughlak— Fakhru-d-din proclaims himself independent King of Bengal— Note by the Translator on the period of the Independent Musalman kings of Bengal— Great territorial extension of the Bengal kingdom, and commencement of great theistic movements during this period— Kabir and Chaitanya flourish— Bengal attains peace and prosperity: Forts, Mosques, Colleges, Students’ Hostels and Travellers’ Guest-houses established, tanks excavated and roads laid down— Two Moslem Royal Houses— one of Haji Ilyas, and another of Syed Alau-d-din Husain Shah (with a brief break) reign during this period— Reign of Sultan Fakhru-d-din— Reign of Sultan Ali Mubarik, surnamed Alau-d-din— Reign of Haji Ilyas, surnamed Sultan Shamsu-d-din— Haji Ilyas extends his western frontiers as far as Benares, and founds Hajipur in Behar— Emperor Firuz Shah Tughlak succeeds to the throne of Delhi, and invades Lakhnauti in 754 A.H. and reaches Panduah in the Maldah district— Sultan Shamsu-d-din retires to the fort of Ekdalah— Note by the Translator on the site of Ekdalah— Note by the Translator on the first Bengal expedition of Emperor Firuz Shah Tughlak— The patron-saint of Haji Ilyas, named Shaikh Rajah Biyabanī, dies— Rains set in, and Emperor Firuz Shah retires from Bengal, without achieving success— Peace proclaimed between Emperor Firuz Shah and Shamsu-d-din— Reign of Sikandar Shah— Emperor Firuz Shah Tughlak’s second Bengal expedition in 760 A.H. (1359 A.C.)— The Emperor withdraws without achieving anything decisive— Note by the Translator on Emperor Firuz Shah’s second Bengal expedition, including his march to Orissa and his hunting in its forests— Sikandar Shah builds the Adinah Mosque at Panduah— Dialogue between Sikandar Shah and his Queen— Battle between Sikandar Shah and his son, Ghiasu-d-din at Goalpara, near Jaffargunge in the Dhaka or Dacca district— Sikandar Shah defeated and killed— Reign of Ghiasu-d-din— Sultan Ghiasu-d-din invites the immortal Persian poet, Hafiz, to his Court at Sunargaon— Hafiz excuses himself, but sends a lyric— Ghiasu-d-din’s Court at Sunargaon an asylum for the learned and the cultured— Sultan Ghiasu-d-din lies buried at Sunargaon— Remarkable judicial integrity of the Judge Qazi Siraju-d-din, and law-abiding nature of the king Sultan Ghiasu-d-din— Reign of Saifu-d-din Sultauu-s-Salatin— Reign of Shamsu-d-din— Usurpation of Rajah Kans, Zamindar— Raja Kans aims at the extirpation of Islam from Bengal— Dauntless behaviour of one of the Musalman ’Ulama, named Shaikh Badrul Islam— The saint, Nur Qutbu-l-’Alam, invites over to Bengal Sultan Ibrahim Sharqi, King of Jaunpur, to put down Rajah Kans— Sultan Ibrahim (accompanied by an eminent scholar, Qazi Shahabu-d-din) comes to Bengal, and arrives in Panduah— Rajah Kans terrified asks the saint’s forgiveness and offers his son Jado as a convert to Islam, and himself abdicates in favour of his son— The saint appeased— Jado assumes the name of Jallalu-d-din— The saint now asks Sultan Ibrahim to withdraw, as to fight against a Musalman king was unlawful under the Moslem Law or Shara— Parley between the saint and Qazi Shahabu-d-din— Sultan Ibrahim, annoyed and vexed, withdraws to Jaunpur— Rajah Kans displaces Sultan Jallalu-d-din, and re-ascends the throne, and renews oppressions on Musalmans— Shaikh Anwar, son of the saint, Nur Qutbu-l-Alam— Shaikh Zahid, nephew of Shaikh Anwar— Rajah Kans banishes Shaikh Anwar and Shaikh Zahid to Sunargaon— Shaikh Anwar killed by Rajah Kans— Rajah Kans the same day dies— Reign of Sultan Jallalu-d-din son of Raja Kans— In Sultan Jallalu-d-din’s reign, people happy and comfortable— The city of Panduah becomes very popu­lous— Jallalu-d-din builds at Gaur a Mosque, a Reservoir, the Jallali tank and caravanserai— Jallalu-d-din removes the capital from Pan­duah to Gaur— Jallalu-d-din’s mausoleum at Panduah— Reign of Ahmad Shah, son of Jallalu-d-din— Ahmad Shah proves a tyrant, and is killed— Reign of Nasir Khan, the slave— Reign of Nasir Shah a grand-son of Sultan Shamsu-d-din, and restoration of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty in Bengal— Nasir Shah just and liberal, and the people under him happy— Nasir Shah builds the fort and other edifices in Gaur— Reign of Barbak Shah, son of Nasir Shah— Barbak Shah a wise and law-abiding sovereign— Reign of Yusuf Shah— Yusuf Shah, a scholar, and a sovereign solicitous for the welfare of his subjects— Reign of Fath Shah, son of Yusuf Shah— Fath Shah, a wise and liberal sovereign— Fath Shah bestows befit­ting dignities on the nobles— People of Bengal under Fath Shah happy and prosperous— Some of Fath Shah’s coins struck in Faridpur town, named Fathabad after Fath Shah— Reign of Barbag, the Eunuch, styled Sultan Shahzada— Malik Andil, the Abyssinian— Wrestle between Sultan Shahzada and Malik Andil— Malik Andil kills Sultan Shahzada— Khan Jahan, the Bengal Vazir or Premier— A State Council convened by the Vazir or Premier for the election of a king— Council consults Fath Shah’s widowed Queen— Influence of Musalman ladies in Bengal in the past over society and politics— The Queen nominates as king Malik Andil, the slayer of her husband’s assassin— Reign of Malik Andil, the Abyssinian, styled Firuz Shah— Firuz Shah establishes himself in Gaur— Firuz Shah a just and liberal sovereign, and the people of Bengal under him happy, and enjoy security and peace— Firuz Shah builds a mosque, a tower and a reservoir at Gaur— The Bengal Paiks (or Infantry Corps) and their cowardice— Reign of Sultan Mahmud, son of Firuz Shah— Habsh Khan, the Administrator-General of Financial and Administrative affairs— Sidī Badr Diwana kills Habsh Khan— History of Bengal by Haji Muhammad Qandaharī referred to in the text in this history of Bengal, not now extant— Reign of Sidi Badr styled Muzaffar Shah— Syed Husain Sharif Maki, Muzaffar Shah’s Vazir— Muzaffar Shah oppressive and harsh in the collection of Revenue— People disgusted— Nobles side with the people— Civil war between the nobles and people on one side, and the King with his Afghan, Abyssinian and Bengali mercenaries on the other— Syed Husain Sharif Maki heads the popular party— People of Bengal possessed of political life and strength— Moslem monarchies strictly con­stitutional, and the powers of Moslem sovereigns strictly regulated and limited by the Shara or Muhammadan Law, whose expounders were the Ulama or the Body of the Learned— Civil war proves sanguinary— Muzaffar Shah killed, and Syed Husain Sharif Makī gains the Bengal throne— Muzaffar Shah’s mosque at Gaur— Reign of Alau-d-din Syed Husain Sharif Makī— Alau-d-din’s name on coins and inscriptions is ‘Alau-d-din Abul Muzaffar Husain Shah’— Note by the Translator on Alau-d-din Husain Shah— Husain Shah arrives as an adventurer in Bengal, and settles at Chandpur— Professor Blochmann identifies Chandpur in question near Alaipur or ‘Alau-d-din’s town’ on the Bhairab, east of Khulna (formerly in Jessore or Jasar), as the place where the Husain Shahī dynasty of Bengal Moslom independent kings had its adopted home— Husain Shah first obtained power in the district of Faridpur or Fathabad where his first coins were struck— Husain Shah’s son, Nasrat Shah, erected a mint-town at Khalifatabad (or Bagerhat, formerly in the Jessore or Jasar district)— Names of Husain Shah, his brother Yusuf Shah, and his son, Nasrat Shah and Mahmud Shah, found in connection with several pargannahs of Jessore or Jasar district— Husain Shah “the Good” still remembered from the frontiers of Orissa to the Brahma­putra— Husain Shah extends his empire into Orissa, Assam, and Chittagong, and reigns over all North Behar and all South Behar, up to the limits of Sarkar Monghyr (Mungir) where his son, Prince Danyal, erects a vault over the shrine of Pir Nafa— Husain Shah builds a Cathedral Mosque at Machain (in Dacca district), where there is still an old colony of Musalmans— The Husaini dynasty consisting of four kings reigned over Bengal for forty-four years— Rich people in Bengal use plates of gold— Husain Shah disbands the Paiks, and expels the Abyssinians from Bengal— Husain Shah removes his seat of Government to Ekdalah which adjoins the City of Gaur— Husain Shah, being himself of a noble stock, employs numerous Syeds, Mughals and Afghans of noble families in his service in Bengal— Husain Shah appoints efficient District Officers, and secures thorough peace in Bengal— Husain Shah subjugates Rajahs of the environs up to Orissa, conquers Assam, Kamrup and Kamtah— Husain Shah’s first Governor of Western Assam or Kamrup was his own son, Prince Danyal, who was followed by Musunder Ghazi, who was succeeded by Sultan Ghiasu-d-din, who introduced a colony of Muhammadans into Assam— Rajahs Rup Narain, Mal Kunwar, Gasa Lakhan and Lachmi Narain subdued— Husain Shah builds numerous mosques and rest-homes in Bengal, as well as numerous Madrassahs or Colleges— Husain Shah confers numerous gifts of lands etc. on saints and scholars— For the maintenance of the Rest-house in connection with the shrine of the saint Nur Qutbu-l-alam, Husain Shah endowed several villages— Husain Shah’s character— Amongst the sovereigns of Bengal, none equal to Husain Shah— Traces of Husain Shah’s beneficence known widely— Sultan Husain Sharqi, a refugee at the Court of Husain Shah— Emperor Babar’s invasion of India, towards the end of Husain Shah’s reign— Reign of Nasrat Shah, son of Alau-d-din Husain Shah— Nasrat Shah or Nasib Shah a wise and just and an effi­cient sovereign— Nasrat Shah re-conquers Chittagong, subdues Tirhut and Hajipur, and holds temporary sway over Azimgarh in the N. W. Province— Hajipur long the head-quarters of the Bengal Governors of Behar— Emperor Babar conquers Hindustan in 1526 A.C. (932 A.H.)— Many Afghan Omara or noblemen flee and take refuge in Bengal under Nasrat Shah— Sultan Mahmūd, brother of Sultan Ibrahim, also a refugee under Nasrat Shah— Nasrat Shah bestows on all these noble Afghan refugees par­gannahs and villages in Bengal— Nasrat Shah marries Sultan Ibrahīm’s daughter— Nasrat Shah despatches Qutb Khan with a large army from Bengal to Bharaich, to oppose the Mughal army— Khan Zaman, Emperor Babar’s son-in-law, conquers Jaunpur— Emperor Babar marches to Jaunpur, and plans to invade Bengal— Nasrat Shah sends valuable presents to Emperor Babar, who makes peace with Nasrat Shah and retires— Emperor Babar dies, Emperor Humayun ascends the throne of Delhi— Emperor Humayun plans the conquest of Bengal— Nasrat Shah sends presents to Emperor Humayun— Towards the close of his life, Nasrat Shah indulges in dissipations and oppressions— Nasrat Shah killed— Nasrat Shah builds the Qadam Rasul building and the Golden Mosque or the Sona Masjid in Gaur— Reign of Firuz Shah— Reign of Sultan Mahmūd, son of Alau-d-din Husain Shah— Makhdum ’Alam (Mahmūd Shah’s brother-in-law), Governor of Hajipur, intrigues with Sher Khan, who was in Behar— Mahmūd Shah details Qutb Khan, Commandant of Monghyr (Mungir), to conquer Behar, and to chastise Makhdum ’Alam— Qutb Khan killed, and Sher Khan wins the victory— Makhdum ’Alam killed— Sher Khan invades Bengal— The nobles of Bengal guard the passes of Teliagadhi and Sakrigali, and fight— Sher Khan enters Bengal, and attacks Mahmūd Shah, who entrenches himself in the fort of Gaur, and seeks for help from Emperor Humayun— Emperor Humayun storms the fort of Chunar— Disturbance breaks out in Behar, and Sher Khan retires from Bengal, leaving his son Jalal Khan and his noble, Khawas Khan, to besiege the fort of Gaur— Sultan Mahmud flees and Jalal Khan captures Gaur— Sher Khan marches to Gaur, and becomes master of Bengal— Sultan Mahmūd Shah erects the Cathedral Mosque at Sadullapur, a quarter of Gaur— Emperor Humayun pushes through the passes of Teliagadhi and Sakrigali— Jalal Khan and Khwas Khan retreat to Gaur to Sher Khan— Mahmūd Shah, the last independent Musalman king of Bengal, dies at Kahlgaon or Colgong— Sher Khan, on Emperor Humayun’s approach, retires from Bengal towards the hills of Jharkand or Chutia Nagpur— Emperor Humayun captures Gaur, names it Jinnatabad, introduces the Mughal Imperial khutba and coin, and halts at Gaur for three months— Owing to badness of climate of Gaur, many Mughal soldiers perish— Sher Khan wíth his Afghan soldiers marches from Jharkand or Chuta Nagpur to the fort of Rohtas, captures it, and also surprises Monghyr (Mungir)— News of Mirza Hindal’s rebellion received by Emperor Humayun, who marches back to Agra, leaving Jahangir Quli Beg as the Mughal Governor of Gaur and supported by Ibrahim Beg with five thousand cavalry— Sher Khan recaptures Gaur, ascends the throne of Bengal and assumes the title of Sher Shah— Sher Shah, a great statesman, a benevolent sovereign and a splendid general— His fiscal reforms— Sher Shah bestows jagirs, Altamghas, and Madad-i-Mash for the support of scholars and saints— His Army reforms— His public works— His vigorous administration of justice— People enjoy perfect security of life and property— Peace concluded between Emperor Humayun and Sher Shah, Bengal, together with the fort of Rohtas being left in the possession of Sher Shah— Sher Shah sud­denly attacks Emperor Humayun at Chausa, and defeats the latter— Sher Shah reduces Bengal and Behar to subjection— Shaikh Khalil, patron-saint of Sher Shah— Sher Shah leaves Khizr Khan as his Governor of Bengal, and marches to Agra— Sher Shah again defeats Emperor Humayun at Kanauj, and marches to Agra— Rule of Khizr Khan at Gaur— Khizr Khan gives himself royal airs, and is quickly supplanted by Sher Shah, who divides Bengal amongst several tribal chiefs, placing over them an over-lord in the person of Qazi Fazilat, a learned scholar of Agra— Sher Shah returns to Agra— Over-lordship of Muhammad Khan Sur in Bengal— Sher Shah’s son, Jallal Khan surnamed Islam Shah or Salim Shah, ascends the throne of Hindustan, and draws up a comprehensive Procedure Code or Dastur ul Amál— Battle between Muhammad Khan Sur and Muhammad Shah ’Adli— Muhammad Khan killed— Rule of Khizr Khan, surnamed Bahadur Shah, Muhammad Khan’s son— Battle between Khizr Khan and Muhammad Shah ’Adli near Surajgarha in the Monghyr district— Muhammad Shah killed— Reign of Jallalu-d-din, son of Muhammad Khan— Reign of Jalallu-d-din’s son— Rule of Ghiasu-d-din— Reign of Taj Khan Karani— Taj Khan, one of the most learned scholars of his time— Reign of Sulaiman Karani, brother of Taj Khan— Sulaiman Karani holds every morning a devo­tional meeting in company with 150 Shaikhs and ’Ulama, after which he transacts business during fixed hours— Sulaiman Karani, with the help of his renowned general Kalapahar, con­quers Orissa— Sulaiman Karani shifts his capital from Gaur to Tandah— Sulaiman partially subdues Kuch Behar— Peace con­cluded between Sulaiman and Emperor Humayun— Peace main­tained between Sulaiman and Emperor Akbar— Sulaiman Karani very energetic, industrious, methodic, and strict— Reign of Bayazid Khan, son of Salaiman Karani— Reign of Daud Khan, son of Sulaiman Karani— Daud Khau reigns over Bengal, Behar and Orissa— His standing army— Daud is aggressive and invades the frontiers between the kingdom of Bengal and the Empire of Hindustan— Emperor Akbar orders his general, Munim Khan, Khan-i-Khanan, Governor of Jaunpur, to oppose Daud’s advance— Peace concluded by Munim Khan with Daud— Akbar declines to ratify the treaty— Disloyalty of Daud’s premier grandee, Lodi Khan— Naval engagements between Daud Khan and Emperor Akbar— Daud retires to Patna, pursued by Emperor Akbar— Akbar captures the fort of Hajipur— Daud abandons the fort of Patna, and sails down to Bengal— Patna captured by Emperor Akbar— The Khan-i-Khanan Munim Khan pursues Daud who retires to Orissa— Todar Mal in Bengal and Orissa— Todar Mal’s loyal services to Emperor Akbar— Battle between the Mughals and the Afghans— Peace of Katak— Bengal and Behar ceded to Akbar, whilst Orissa yet retained by the Afghans— Darbar on the banks of the Mahanadi river opposite to Katak (Cuttack) City held by the Khan-i-Khanan for reception of Daud Khan who attends from Katak with his Afghan nobles— Refined chivalry and magnanimity displayed by the Khan-i-Khanan Munim Khan and Daud Khan at the State Darbar.
Akbar causes a general survey of Bengal and preparation of its Rent-Roll by his Finance Ministers, Khwajah Muzaffar Ali and Todar Mal in 1582 A.C.— The Khan-i-Khanan (Munim Khan) transfers the seat of Government of Bengal from Tandah to Gaur, when many Mughal officers including Munim Khan perish owing to malaria— Murad Khan invades Fathabad or Farid­pur— On Munim Khan’s death, Daud Khan reoccupies Bengal and Behar, and instals himself again at Tandah— Viceroyalty of Nawab Khan Jahan in Bengal, and an account of Daud Khan’s death— Akbar appoints a separate Governor for Behar— Battle of Akmahal or Rajmahal or Akbarnagar between Mughals and Afghans— Daud with his general Kalapahar defeated— Daud killed— Orissa annexed by Mughals— Extirpation of cer­tain grandees of Daud Khan— Kalapahar killed in battle— Leading Afghan grandees or Omara flee to the jungles in the tracts of Bengal— Afghans collect in Bhati (i.e. Sundarbans including Baqirganj or Backergunje) under Karīm Dād, Ibrahim and ’Isa Khan— ’Isa khan’s residence— Shahbaz Khan, the Mughal general, plunders Bakhtiarpur, occupies Sunargaon and encamps on the banks of the Brahmaputra— Khan Jahan dies, and Akbar appoints Khan ’Azim Mirza Kokah to succeed him— Afghans rally in Bhati under Osman, their chief.