English
Masalman armB were carried far to the east across the Megna, which had hitherto proved a great barrier to Mnsnlinnn extension, right up to Silhat and the westeru portions of Tiperah and Noakhali districts, including Chittagong. Great theistic movements having for their object the con¬ ciliation of the two raoea, sprang np. Kabir and Chaitnnyn, the great spiritnat- leaders who preached catholic dootrines, flourished in this period. 1 This was in 1388 A.fc. 96 ' Alt Mubarik. And Malik 4 Ali Mubarik collecting a large army proclaimed himself Sultan Alau-d-din, marched with his forces against Sultan Fxkhru-il-din, and, in the a year 741 A H., after lighting captured him. and slaying him, 1 avenged the murder of Qndr Khan. Ye murdered, whom hast thou murdered, that to-day they have murdered thee ? To-morrow they will kill him who has to-day killed thee! Alter this, Sultan ‘Alau-d-din, after leaving an oHicicnt force to garrison Lakhnauti, himself proceeded to subjugate the out¬ lying provinces of Bengal. The rule of Sultan Fakhru-d-din lasted two years and five months. -o- THE ACCESSION TO THE THRONE OF ‘ ALI MU BARI K STYLED SULTAN ‘ALAU-D-DiN.* It is said that in the beginning Malik ‘All Mubarik was one of the trusty servants of Malik Firuz Rajab. And MalikFiruz was l The account in Badaoni (vol. I, p. 230 Pers. (text) gives a different ver¬ sion. liadaoni states os follows On the death of Bahram Khan, Governor of Sunargaon, in 739 A. H, Malik FakhruJdin who was his Silahdar or Quarter¬ master General, revolted, assumed the title of FaMiruddin, and fonght against Qadr Khan, Governor of Lakhnauti, and was defeated. A second time, Faklirnddin fonght against Qadr Kh5n, and defeated the latter (Qadr Khan’s own soldiers killing Qadr KhSn), established his rule over Snnargnon Province, and detached his officer Mukhalis to operate against Lakhnauti. Ali Mnbarik, Adjutant General (Ariz-i-Lnghkar) of the Army of Qadr Khan killed Mukliali?, established his own independence tin Lakhnanti), and sent out letters to the Emperor Mohammad Shah Tughlak, who sent out Malik- Tnsaf, who died on his way to Bengal. After this, the Emperor being engaged with other affairs, did not send ont any others to Bengal For State reasons (observing the hostility of Fakhruddm of Sunargaon) Ali Mubarik in Lakh¬ nauti assumed regal honours and the title of Snltin Alau-d-din. Malik Ilyas Haii, who was a tribal chief and a military commander, after some days, in collusion with certain Omara and Maliks of Lakhnanti, killed Alau-d-din, and himself assumed the title of £ amsu-d-din. In 741 A. H., the Emperor Muhammad ShSh Tughlak marched to Sunargaon, captured Fakirnddin, brought him to Lakhnanti, and killed him, and then retired to Delhi. Thence¬ forth Shamsnddin Ilyas Hnji ruled independently over Bengal. His name appears from his coins (published in Thomas’s “Initial Coinage), to be Alau-d-din Abnl Mniaffar *Ali Shah. His capital appears to have 97 a nephew of Sultan Ghmsu-d-din Tughlak Shah, and a cousin of Saltan Muhammad Shah. When Sultan Muhammad SliSh ■ — •• ascended the throne of Delhi, in the first year of his reign, he appointed Malik Firuz to be his Secretary. At that time, some misdemeanour came to pass on the part, of Haji Ilj'as, foster-brother of ‘Ali Mubarik, and owing to that he (Haji Ilyas) escaped from Delhi. When Malik Firuz demanded him from ‘ Ali Mubarik, the latter searched for him. When no trace of his whereabouts was obtained, ‘ All Mubarik informed Malik Firuz of his escape- Malik Firuz remonstrating with him, banished him also fiom his presence. ‘Ali Mubarik started for Bengal. On the way he saw in ft dream Hazrftt Shah Makhdfnn Jnlalu-d-din Tabrizi 1 (may God sanctify his sepulchre !) and showing submissiveness and humility pleased the saint, who said : “ We have bestowed on you the Subah of Bengal, but you should build for us a shrine.” ‘ Ali Mubarik agreeing lo this, enquired in what place the shrine vas required to be built. The saint replied : “ In the town of Panduah, at a place where thou slmlt find three bricks, one over the other, and one fresh hundred-leaved rose beneath those bricks; at that place the shrine should he built.” When he reached Bengal, entering the service of Qadr Khan he stayed there, until gradually he became generalissimo of Qadr Khan’s army. And when Malik Fakhru-d-din revolting against Qadr Khan, and killing his benefactor, assumed the reins of sovereignty, ‘All Mubarik proclaiming himself Sultan ‘Alau-d-din aud drawing his forces against Fakhru-d-dlu, as has been mentioned before, avenged the murder of his benefactor, by slaying Fikhru-d-din. With great promptitude, posting a garrison at Lakhnauti, Sultan Alau-d-din turned his attention to the conquest of other pro¬ vinces of Bengal. When he introduced the Khutbah and the boon at Panduah, from the circumstance that his coins appear all to have been minted at Firuzab td (t.c, Panduah). Indeed, PandQah is known as ‘Ali Shah’s capital.’ 1 Shaikh Jnlaluddin Tabrizi was a disciple of Shaikh Said Tabrizi. After travelling for some time, he joined Shaikh Rbahabaddin and becamo ie latter’s Khalifa or chief disciple. He was a great friend of Khwajah Qufcbuddiu and Shaikh Bahanddin. Shaikh Najmuddin the jnnior who was at the time Shaikh uUalam of Delhi, bore ill-feeling towards him i a!? 8 fal “ 0 accamioua ag‘"Bt his piety and character, and so ? r tind t0 Bengal He i8 baried Rt th0 P° rt of Deomahal (Maldivo) See Beir, Vol. I, p. 231 and Ain. 13 98 coin of the kingdom of Bengal after his own name, becoming intoxicated with luxury and success, he forgot the injunction of the saint, so that one night he saw in a dream the saint, who said: “ ‘Alau-d-din, yon have obtained the kingdom of Bengal, but forgotten my bidding.” ‘Alau-d-din on the following day searching for the bricks, and finding them agreeably to the direc¬ tions of the saint, erected there a shrine, the trace whereof exists up to this time. At that time Haji^Ilyas also came to Panduah. Sultan ‘Alau-d-din for some time kept him a prisoner, but by tho intercession of Ilyas’s mother, who was the nurse of Sultan ‘Alau- d-din, he released him, and giving him an important position admitted him to his presence. Haji Ilyas in a short time gaining over the array to his side, one day with the help of eunuchs slew Sultan ‘Alau-d-din, and proclaiming himself Shamsu-d-din Bhangrah usurped the provinces of Lakhnauti and Bengal. Ihe reign of Sultan ‘Alau-d-din lasted one year and five months. -Qi- REIGN OF HAJI ILYAS STYLED SULTAN SHAMSU-D- DlN. When Sultan ‘Alau-d-din was killed, and the sovereignty of Bengal passed to Haji Ilyas ‘Alai, proclaiming himself Sultan Shamsu-d-din he mounted the throne in the holy city of Panduah. 1 As he took much bhang , he was called Shamsu-d-din Bhangrah. In conciliating the people, and winning the heart of the army, he put forth noble efforts. After a wl.ile, mustering an army, he went to Jajnagar, and from there obtaining many valuables and presents and large elephants, returned to his capital. And owing to the decay which had set in in the Empire of Delhi from the 1 Panduah is situate 12 miles north of English Bazar in Maldah district. Prom the beginning of the reign of ShamsQddm Wjhs to the end of the reign of Rajah Kans, si* kings ruled there for a period of 52 years, from 743 to 795 AH But perhaps ‘All Mubarik shonld also be included amongst the kings who ruled at Panduah. His reign appears to have ""<* ™ (1340 A.C.) Professor Blochmann calls PandGah ‘Ah Shah s capital (J.A.S B., XLII 254) and Professor Blochmann's statement seems to be supported by the narrative of our author, m,, the statement about ‘All Mabbfl.: building• a shnne of the saint Jalliluddin at Panduah, and also about Shamsuddin Ilya s iur. at Panduah. In 795 A.H. (1392), king Jallaludd.n (son of Rajah _> who became a Muhammadan, removed the capital back again Lakbnauti. 99 time of Sultan Muhammad Shah, for thirteen years the Emperors of Delhi did not turn their attention to Bengal. Sultan Shamsu- d-drn 1 with absolute independence devoted himself to the adminis¬ trative affairs of Bengal, subjugated gradually all the tracts up to the limits of Bauaras, and enhanced more than before Ins pomp and power, until the throne of Delhi passed to Firuz Shah * son 1 Haji Ilyas first appears to have in 740 A.H. made himself master of Western Bengal, whilst at that time Ikhiiuruddin Abul Mazaffar Ghazi §hah (sou of Mubarak Sl:*h) still reigued at Sunargaon in Eastern Bengal, Haji llyltf shortly after ^753 A.H..) subdued Easleru Bengal also, and established himsfilf at Sunargaon, and fouudod a dynasty which continued (with a brief break) to reigu over Bengal till 890 A.H. or nearly a century and a half. He extended his western boundaries as far as Benares, foanded Hajipur, and though Fircz Shah Tughluk the Emperor led an expedition into Bengal to punish him, lie had to return unsuccessful. For llyaB Shah’s coinage, see Thomas’s Initial Coinage of Bengal, J.A.S., 1867, pp. 57, 58. The nearest contemporary occouut of this King will be fouud in Torikh-i-Firuz Shaln p. 586 by Ziauddin Barui and Siruj Atif p. 77. % Saltan Firuz Shah Tughlak alias Malik FIraz Birbak was a son of an ancle of Muhammad Shah Tughlak, and a nephew of Ghiasu-d-din Tughlak Shah. Uis father was Rajab Salar who .abandoning all worldly affairs, became a saint. When fifty years old, in 755 All., he was crowned os Emperor of Hindustan. He was a wise, noble and enlightened sovereign, Ho paid special attention to improvement of agriculture and of the econo¬ mical condition of the country.