English
When he reached Tirhut, Sultan Nasiru-cl-din % whose fief had not been confiscated during Alau-d- diu’s reign owing to his good conduct and who resided in a corner of Laklmauti, not findiug strength in himself to contend against Tughlak Shah, submitted to his fate, marched from Laklmauti to Tirhut, and presenting himself before the Emperor offered 1 On the defeat of Khusrau Khnn, (Tarikh-i-Firoz Rhahi, pp. 420 and 421) the nobles placed Ghuzi-ul-Mulk on the throne of Delhi. Ghazi-ul- Slalk then assumed the title of Ghiasu-d-din Tughlak Shah. His father was a Turkish slave, named Malik, of SuU.au Ghiasu-d-din Balban, and his mother wus of a Fun jab family. Brave, noble, and magnanimous, he was the founder of the Tughlak dynasty which reigned for ninety* four years at Delhi (13.0-14U AC.). He founded the city of Tughlri- kabad, about 4 miles cast of Delhi. He reigned from 1320 to 1324 A.C. In order to put dowu the n9samptiou of entire independence by Bahadnr RhSh at Sunargaon in Bengal, Ghiasu-d-din Tughlak marched to Snnargaon, fought a decisive engagement, took Bahadur Shfih a prisouer, and marched back with the latter towards Delhi, storming the fort of Tirhnt, and leaving Na?irn* d-din as Governor of Vilayet-i-Laklmauti. Gh\a9u-d-din divided Bengal into three provinces, namely (1) Vilayet-i-Luklinaini, (2) \ ilayet-i-Satgnon. (3) Vilayet-i-Sunargaon, placing each under a distinct Governor, and placing a Viceroy (stationed at Sunargaon) over all the Governors. Tarikh-i-Firuz-Shahi p. 451. * This Na*iru-d-din was a grandsou of Sultan Xasiru-d-din Bughra Shah, son of Emperor Balban. He wa9 Governor of Laklmauti, but had been ousted by his brother Bahadur Shah, king of Bengal, who held his court at Sunargaon. This Na$iru-d-diu and another brother Bnghra Khan had taken refuge at the time with the. Emperor of Delhi (Tughlak Shah) who at their instigation invaded Bengal to chastise their brother, Bahadur Shah (king of Bengal). The text, however, is misleading, and would incorrectly indicate that the Nasiru-d-din here referred to is SulHn Xiairu-d-din Bughra Shah, king of Bengal (son of Emperor Balbau). See, however, Blocbmann's “Contributions to History and Geography of 'Bengar’ and Tarikh-i-Firuz ghahi, pp. 450-451. numerous presents. Sultan Ghiasu-d-din Tughlak Shah treated him honourably, bestowed on him the Royal Umbrella and the Royal Staff, and ratified according to the old custom the continu¬ ance of Sultan Nasiru-d-din’s fief. And bringing to his presence Bahadur Shah who had proved hostile, the Emperor enrolled him in the ranks of nobles. He, too, submitting to the Emperor, behaved like one of the nobles. Emperor Ghiasu-d-din, appoint¬ ing his adopted sod, Tatar Khan, Governor of Sunargaon, and entrusting to Nasiru-d-din the over-lordsliip of Sunargaon, Gaur and Bengal, returned to Delhi. 1 But soon after, Sultan Nasiru-d-din died. The period of the rule of Bahadur Shah in Bengal was thirty-eight years. RULE OF QADR KHAN. When Sultan Ghiasu-d-din Tughlak Shah returned from Bengal, before he could reach Delhi, on the way, in the month of Rabiu-l-awwal in the year 725 A.H., he perished under the roof of a newly built pavilion. His son, Ulagh Khan *, ascended the throne of Delhi and proclaiming himself Muhammad Shah bestowed on all the nobles offices and Jagirs, and bestowing I he title of Qadr 1 This text is not quite accurate on all points. See note ante, regard¬ ing the fortunes of the Balbani dynasty in Bengal. * Ulagh Khan or Alagh Khan alias Fakhru-u-din Juna, nephew and son-in-law of Emperor Ghiasu-d-din Tughlak Shah, on the death of the latter by the accidental fall of the roof of a newly erected pavilion, ascended the throne of Delhi under the title of Sultan Muhammad Shih Tughlak in 725 A.H. An accomplished scholar, a general of the first order, a man of consummate ability, his eccentricity and visionary schemes marred his success as a sovereign. His great ambition was to extend his empire over the world, and to be a second Alexander. He fruitlessly threw away the pick of his splendid army for the invasion of Persia and the conquest of China. Though the fertility of his genius evolved and organised a revenue system, his financial ecoentricity ‘ in establishing a fixed currency of copper coins completely disorganised it. He received an embassy from the Khalifa of Egypt, who sent out to him the investiture of Royalty. In his reign a severe famine broke out in Delhi, and iu consequence there was a general exodus of its population to Bengal. He restored a a dur &bsii to the kingdom ofSunargaon on certain conditions, but 8ub6eq ' 16D * jy dethroned him. In his reign, Bengal became independent under d-din. (See Tarikh-i-Firuz §hihi, pp. 428, 46S, 467 to 461, 473, 476, 47 , 80 , 492 .) Khun on Malik Bedar Khilji, who was one of his leading nobles, ho assigned to him the country of Lakhnnuti, which had fallen vacant by the death of Saltan Ni?ii-u-d-din. And giving the title of Bahrain Khan to Tatar IOjan, whom Tughlak Shah had appointed Governor of Sunargaon, and who was an adopted brother of Saltan Muhammad Shah, and bestowing on him in one day one hundred elephants and one thousand horses and one knror gold coins, and conferring on him the royal umbrella and the staff, and making him Viceroy of Bengal and Sunargaon, he sent him to Bengal with all honours. And after fourteen years’ administration of that country, Qadr Khan was killed at the hands of his servant, Fakhru-d-din, ns will be related hereafter. 94 CHAPTER II. AN ACCOUNT OF THE INDEPENDENT MUSALMAN KINGS WHO IN THE KINGDOM OF BENGAL MOUNT¬ ED THE THRONE, AND RECITED THE KHUTBAH AFTER THEIR OWN NAMES. It ought to be known that from the reign of Sultau Qntbu- d-din Aibak to the reign of Sultan Ghiasn-d-din Md. Tughlak Shah, seventeen Emperors ruled at Delhi for a period of one hundred and fifty years, and that in the kingdom of Bengal its rulers exercised authority as Viceroys of I he Emperors of Delhi, and that the Khutbah and the coins of the Emperors of Delhi were current in Bengal. If any of the Viceroys rebelling intro¬ duced the Khutbah and the coins after their own names, the Emper¬ ors of Delhi considering their chastisement uecessary, swiftly punished thcui. In the reign of Muhammad Shah, Qadr Ifham beincr appointed Governor of Lakhnauti, for fourteen years admin¬ istered the affairs of that State. Then Malik Fakhru-d-din, who was Qadr Khan’s Armour-Superintendent, meddhug in administrative matters, obtained ranch influence, and, resolving in mind to usurp the Viceroyalty, watched for an opportunity. Finding Qadr Khan off his guard, Fakhru-d-din revolted, killed bis owu master, and became Viceroy of the kingdom of Bengal- When the Empire of Muhammad Shah, the Emperor of Delhi, fell into complete decay, aiming in his mind amongst other thiDgs at the Emperor’s capture, Fakhru-d-din withdrew his hand from submission to the Emperor of Delhi, and proclaimed himself king i The Emperor of Delhi, owing to confusion in h.s own l The period of the Independent Musalmau Kinga of Bengal lasted from 1338 to 1538 A C. and began with Fakhru-d-din Abnl Mnzaffar Mubarak hl-ab, who ll Zahdar or alonr-bearer to Bahrain Khan, the Governor of Sonar- - 0q hiB master’s death in 739 H. or 1338 A.C., Fakhra killed Qadr Khan, Governor*o^Lakhnanti, and subdned provinces Snnargaon, and assumed iudepcndcuee under the t.llo of l a&rud ( - 95 Empire, could not direct his attention towards the kingdom of Bengal. From that time, the kingdom of Bengal became in¬ dependent and distinct from the Delhi Empire. Fakbru-d-din was the first king who had the ghutbah of sovereignty recited after his own name in the Kingdom of Bengal. 1 -o—— AN ACCOUNT OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF SULTAN FAKHRU-D-PlN. When Saltan Fnkhru-d-din ascended the throne of the kingdom of Lakhnanti, he sent ont his officer Mukhali? Kban with on efficient army for the subjugation of the outlying pro¬ vinces of Bengal. Malik ‘ All Mubarik, the generalissimo of Qadr Khan, encountered him with a large army, and after much fighting killed Mukhalis Khan, and routed the latter’s entire force. Sultan Fakljrn-d-din who had jnst become king, and was not confident of the loyalty of his officers, did not venture to attack i-Firnz, Shnhi, p. 480). His coins minted nt Snnargaon, (published in Thomas’s “ Initial Coinage wonld indicate that he reigned for ten years and some months. Ibn-i-Batutah mentions that he was an eminent man, and ver^ generous His capital appears to have been ot Snnargaon. His son-in-latv, Zafar Khin fled from Sunargaon to Firuz §hfih in Delhi, who Ht his request (Tarikh-i-Firuz Shiilii by Shnmsi-Sir.ij, pp. 105-114) invaded Bengal n second time during Seknudur Shah’s reign. Bengal attained grent prosperity during the rnle of these Independent Mnsalman Kings. Forts and ' public buildings were erected, Mosques, Colleges, Stndents’ Hostels nnd Travellers’ Guest-houses and Khanqnhs were established in all parts of the Kingdom, tanka excavated, and roads laid down. Two great Royal Honse9—one of Haji Ilyas and another of Alati-d-din Husain Shah (with a brief break of about forty years, during which Rajah Kans nnd his successors usurped the Bengal Kingdom ) reigned during this period. The Kingdom of Bengal received territorial expansion daring this period. Western Assam (or Kamrup), portions of Koch- Behar, and portions of Jnjnngnr (or Orissa*, the whole of North Behar, (Tnrikh-i-'FirQZ Shalii. p. 586) and eastern portions of South Behar up to generally the town of Behar, were subject to the Bengal Kingdom.