Iliyas Shahi Period
The dynasty founded by iliyas shah ruled Bengal for nearly one hundred and fifty years (1342-1487 AD) with an interruption of about twenty-three years (1412-1435/36 AD). The period of Iliyas Shahi rule is important and significant for various reasons. The Independent Sultanate, inaugurated by Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah, was consolidated and witnessed widespread expansion. The Muslim administration was given a distinct shape in this period. Arts and literature, particularly Bangla literature, flourished. The Muslim rulers were obliged to take the local people into confidence and opened the door for their participation in the administration of the country. Thus the process of transformation of alien Muslim rule into Bengali Muslim rule was started during this period. Above all, the whole territory, which was hitherto known not by any unitary name but by its different regional names such as Vanga, Gauda etc, came to be designated as Bangalah.
Haji Iliyas, the founder of the dynasty and the real founder of the Independent Sultanate of Bengal, was a Sijistani noble. Initially he was in the service of Malik Firuz of Delhi and afterwards came under Izzuddin Yahya, the imperial governor of Satgaon. He rose there to the position of Malik and, in 1338, after the death of Izzuddin Yahya, became the master of Satgaon. Consolidating his power at Satgaon, Haji Iliyas marched against Ali Mubarak of Lakhnauti in 740 AH /1339 AD and was involved in long-drawn hostilities which resulted in the victory of Haji Iliyas. He ascended the throne of Lakhnauti with the title of Sultan Shamsuddin Abul Muzaffar Iliyas Shah in 1342 AD and thereby laid the foundation of the Iliyas Shahi Sultanate in Bengal. Iliyas Shah was a vigorous and efficient ruler and by his sagacity and political acumen earned for himself the titles of Shah-i-Bangalah, Shah-i-Bangaliyan and Sultan-i-Bangalah. He died at pandua in 1358 AD after a reign of about sixteen years and was succeeded by his son sikandar shah.
Sikandar enjoyed a long and prosperous reign of about 33 years and died sometime around 1390 in the course of a fight with his son Azam Shah at Goalpara near Pandua. On his death, Azam Shah ascended the throne with the title of Sultan ghiyasuddin azam shah in 793 AH/ 1390-91 AD. He was a capable ruler with a profound regard for the law. He is also known for his friendly relations with foreign countries. He died in 813 AH/1410-11 AD and was succeeded by his son saifuddin hamza shah who ruled Bengal for a short period of one year and a few months (813 AH/1410-11 814 AH/1411-12 AD). During his reign raja ganesha, a Hindu Zamindar of Bhaturiah in Rajshahi District, became powerful and it was at his instigation that the sultan's slave Shihabuddin killed his master and himself ascended the throne of Bengal. When these things were happening, muhammad shah bin hamzah shah probably declared himself sultan somewhere in Bengal and issued coins. Possibly he could not maintain his position and ultimately was defeated by Raja Ganesha and Shihabuddin and, thus, the rule of the Iliyas Shahi dynasty was interrupted.
Shihabuddin Bayazid Shah, the slave of Sultan Saifuddin Hamza Shah ruled Bengal from 814 AH/1411-12 AD to 817 AH/1414 AD. The cordial relations between Shihabuddin and Raja Ganesha did not last long. Shihabuddin led a revolt against Raja Ganesha and for a time he succeeded in confining him and eclipsing his authority. He assumed the title of Sultan Shihabuddin Bayazid Shah and issued coins in his own name. Soon Ganesha hatched a conspiracy against the sultan, attacked him and killed him in 817 AH/1414 AD. Alauddin Firuz, son of Shihabuddin Bayazid, somehow escaped to southern or southeastern Bengal and tried to establish his authority there. But Raja Ganesha attacked and killed him and himself ascended the throne of Bengal in 817 AH/1414 AD.
House of Raja Ganesha
On becoming the ruler of Bengal Raja Ganesha began to oppress the Muslims. At this stage, nur qutb alam, the saint of Pandua, sought the intervention of Sultan Ibrahim Sharqi of Jaunpur. Raja Ganesha requested the saint to exert his influence so that Ibrahim Sharqi withdrew from Bengal. The saint conceded to the request of Ganesha when the latter agreed to convert his son Jadu to Islam and to install him on the throne of Bengal. Ibrahim Sharqi left Bengal in 818 AH/1415 AD.
Jadu, as Jalaluddin Abul Muzaffar Muhammad Shah, minted coins in 818 AH. He ruled for a short period of one year and a few months when in 819 AH/1416-17 AD his father Raja Ganesha seized the throne and reconverted him (Jalaluddin) to Hinduism. It appears that this time Raja Ganesha ruled Bengal up to 821 AH/1418 AD under the title of Danuj Mardan Dev. His younger son Mahendra succeeded him. But within a very short time he was ousted by his brother Jadu in 821 AH/1418 AD who, after his reconversion to Islam, assumed the title of jalaluddin muhammad shah. He had a peaceful reign of about fifteen years. He died in 837 AH/1433 AD and was succeeded by his son shamsuddin ahmad shah who reigned up to 839 AH/1435 AD. The tyranny of Ahmad Shah drove everybody to despair and two of his slaves, Nasir Khan and Shadi Khan, conspired against him and killed him. Nasir Khan and Shadi Khan soon quarreled over the throne. The former ascended the throne killing the latter, but was destined to rule only for a few days. The nobles soon opposed his authority and slew him.
Later Iliyas Shahi dynasty Following the murder of Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah, the nobles placed Nasiruddin, a descendant of Sultan Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah, on the throne of Bengal in 839 AH/1435-36 AD. Thus the Iliyas Shashi dynasty was restored. Assuming the title of nasiruddin mahmud shah, the new sultan reigned peacefully for about twenty-four years. He died in 864 AH/1459-60 AD and was succeeded by his son ruknuddin barbak shah, who was just, liberal, learned and a wise sultan. He had a fancy for Abyssinian slaves, and recruited them in large numbers. The Habshi slaves, consequently, became a powerful factor in Bengal politics. Barbak Shah died in 879 AH/1474 AD and was succeeded by his son shamsuddin yusuf shah. The distinguishing feature of Yusuf Shah's reign was that he strictly and impartially applied the Sharia laws in state affairs and charged the Ulama to see that the laws of Islam were followed in all spheres of life.
After Yusuf's death (probably in 886 AH/1481 AD), the nobles raised his son Sikandar II to the throne. But the nobles deposed him after a nominal reign of a few days and offered the throne to Fath Shah, son of Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah. Fath Shah assumed the title of jalaluddin fath shah. Towards the close of his reign the Abyssinian slaves became very powerful in the court of Bengal and occupied most of the important positions. Fath Shah was murdered in 893 AH/1487 AD by one of his slaves, named Barbak. With the death of Fath Shah the rule of the Iliyas Shahi dynasty came to an end.
Conquests
The period from 1342 to 1487 witnessed remarkable expansion of the territory of the Bengal Sultanate. Consolidating his authority at Lakhnauti, Iliyas Shah launched upon a career of conquest. The time was opportune for him. The political conditions that prevailed at that time on the western frontier of Bengal allured him to turn his attention towards the west. He first attacked Tirhut (North Bihar) and occupied it easily in 745 AH/1344 AD. In 1350 he made a bold thrust across the inhospitable region of Terai in Nepal which was yet untrodden by Muslim soldiers.
Iliyas Shah advanced as far as the capital Kathmandu and returned with immense wealth after destroying some temples. Then he led a campaign against Eastern Bengal, conquered Sonargaon, defeating ikhtiyaruddin ghazi shah in 753 AH/1352 AD, and became the first independent Muslim sultan to have united the entire Muslim possessions in Bengal. Afterwards he led an expedition to the southwest and invaded Jajnagar (Orissa) and advanced as far as Chilka Lake. He also invaded Bihar and soon his dominions extended up to Benaras. His success in the west brought him into direct conflict with Sultan firuz shah tughlaq of Delhi who in vain marched upon Bengal to bring Iliyas Shah under subjugation. As a result of this invasion Iliyas Shah was deprived of his conquests west of Lakhnauti, but he continued to rule Bengal as an independent sultan. Iliyas Shah also succeeded in exerting his influence on the neighbouring Kingdom of Tippera. Towards the close of his reign, he added one more laurel to his crown by leading a successful campaign against Kamarupa in 758 AH/ 1357 AD and conquering a portion of it.
Sikandar Shah, the next sultan, was also a military leader of high calibre. During his reign Firuz Shah Tughlaq again made an attempt to reduce Bengal to submission, but failed to do so and had to return disappointed. Sikandar successfully defended his Sultanate and maintained its integrity. He issued coins from Kamarupa in 759 AH. He might have lost Kamarupa towards the end of his reign. There is very little information about the conquest of Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah. He captured Kamarupa in 1394-95 AD though he failed in his attempt to capture Kamta.
Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah extended his territory up to Fathabad (Faridpur). khan jahan conquered Khulna and Jessore during the reign of Nasiruddin Mahmud. Mahmud perhaps mounted an unsuccessful expedition against Orissa. He is also supposed to have marched upon Mithila to conquer it but Bhairab Singh, King of Mithila might have baffled his attempt. Nasiruddin Mahmud ruled over a vast territory bounded by the districts of Bhagalpur to the west, Mymensingh to the east, Gaur- Pandua to the north and Hughli to the south.
Bakerganj was conquered during the reign of Ruknuddin Barbak Shah. He sent an army under shah ismail ghazi to attack Gajapati, Raja of Mandaran. Ismail Ghazi attacked and defeated Gajapati. Subsequently Ismail Ghazi was engaged in a protracted war to ward off the Assamese intrusion in the northeastern border areas of the Sultanate. Then Barbak Shah appointed Ismail Ghazi to lead an army against Kameshvara, King of Kamarupa. The Kamarupa king surrendered voluntarily and Kamarupa came under the sway of Barbak Shah. He is also reported to have conquered a portion of Tirhut. Barbak Shah ruled over a vast territory comprising the regions of north, east, west, south and southeast Bengal and portions of Bihar.
During the reign of Yusuf Shah the Bengal Sultanate was further extended in western and northern Bengal. Besides, a large part of eastern Bengal came under his control. Jalaluddin Fath Shah continued to rule the Sultanate that he inherited from his predecessors and further extended it to Sylhet in the east and to the river Damodar in the southwest.
Administration
The administration of the Iliyas Shahi sultans opened a new chapter in the history of Bengal. The sultans were aware of the fact that their very existence depended upon the co-operation of the local people. So they adopted a liberal policy in administration. Besides the title of sultan, the Iliyas Shahi rulers adopted a variety of other titles. Of these mention may be made of Sultan al-Muazzam, al-Sultan al-Azam, Sultan al-Salatin, Sultan al-Zaman, Sikandar al-Thani, Nasir al-Islam wa al-Muslimin, Ghauth al-Islam wa al-Muslimin, al-Mujahid fi Sabil al-Rhaman, al-Adil, Al-Badhil etc. At the same time, they also recognised the theoretical sovereignty of the Khalifah. But this was only in name; they were independent for all practical purposes.
The administrative organisation of the Iliyas Shahi Sultanate was the result of an evolutionary process; various rulers effected improvements and changes. The sultans had gradually evolved a system of administration for the centre as well as the administrative units. The sultan was the pivot of administration, which depended for its efficiency on his personal supervision. He was the head of the executive and was responsible for the peace and security of the Sultanate and was the chief lawgiver and the final court of appeal. He was also the supreme commander of the army. Though the sultan of Bengal was all in all in the empire, yet the supremacy of the Shariah and the influence of the Ulama limited his power.
The diversity of administration and requirement of spectacular ceremonials necessitated the attendance of many officials and servants of different ranks. The royal household played a significant role in the actual administration of the Sultanate. The sultan also maintained a splendid court. Quite a big retinue of nobles, amirs and high officials of the state attended the court. The sultan himself carried out a good deal of administrative work.
Iliyas Shahi sultans appointed some ministers and high officials and entrusted them with the responsibility of different departments like finance, judiciary, military affairs etc. The chief minister was called the wazir. He was in charge of the office of the Diwan-i-wazirat. He acted as the head of all the departments and kept a vigilant eye on the work of each department. But his immediate concern was finance. Besides the office of the Diwan-i-wazirat others forming part of the state administration were the Diwan-i-Risalat, the Diwan-i-Insha and the Diwan-i-Ariz. The Diwan-i-Risalat dealt with diplomatic and foreign correspondence and kept in close touch with the envoys sent to and received from foreign rulers. The Diwan-i-Insha dealt with royal proclamations and dispatches. The chief of this department was the dabir-i-khas, who was assisted in his work by a number of Dabirs, Katibs and Kar-i-farmans. The Diwan-i-Ariz dealt with army matters. The Ariz-i-Lashkar was the head of this department. High-ranking military officers were entitled Sipah-Salar, sar-i-laskar, Wazir Lashkar and Mir Bahr. References to military ranks such as sar-i-khail, Amir, Malik and Khan are available in different sources. In addition to the four ministries there was the department of justice presided over by the qazi. The kotwal was the head of the police and was responsible for maintaining peace and order in the city. It was his duty to keep the sultan informed of all daily occurrences in his jurisdiction.
For the efficiency of administration, the Iliyas Shahi sultans divided Bengal into a number of administrative units. But these were not homogenous, with uniform administrative systems in them, and their number varied from time to time. Possibly it depended partly on necessity and partly on the prevailing political condition in the centre. The larger administrative units were known as Iqlim, while the smaller units were called Arsah or Mulk. The ruler of an administrative unit was the head of the military and civil administration.
There are references to the administration of some cities, which were variously called Shahr and Qasbah. These cities were not separate administrative units but component parts of bigger units like Iqlim or Arsah. There were also some military outposts known as Thanas. Thanas were placed under the control of the bigger units adjacent to them. The smaller unit after Iqlim and Arash was the Mahal, an aggregate of many villages, and primarily a revenue unit. But later on, in order to enforce revenue regulations and to maintain law and order, some responsibility for civil administration was also given to it.
Arts and literature
The Iliyas Shahi sultans were great patrons of the arts and literature. After consolidation of his authority over Bengal, Iliyas Shah rightly realised the necessity of winning the support of the local people. Hence, Iliyas Shah initiated a policy of patronising local culture, art and literature.
The Iliyas Shahi sultans made a bold attempt to develop a grand architectural style befitting the dignity of the new Sultanate. The Iliyas Shahi architectural style represents an amalgam of local and Muslim elements. In fact, it demonstrates reconciliation between the traditional Muslim features and the indigenous architectural elements. The Bengali masons and artisans followed the traditional Muslim pattern in erecting the building and then incorporated local elements such as piers, curved cornices and various types of ornamentation depicting local tradition and motifs in brightly expressive terracotta plaques. These local elements in effect turned the Muslim architecture of Bengal into Bengali Muslim architecture.
Of all the sultans of the Iliyas Shahi dynasty the reign of Sikandar Shah is marked by architectural development such as Bengal had never witnessed before. The most magnificent building of his reign is the adina mosque at Hazrat Pandua, built in 766 AH/1374 – 75 AD. This mosque was planned in the conventional style. It was the most ambitious structure of its kind ever essayed in eastern India. It is a bold creation, unique of its kind. Of the other monuments erected during the Iliyas Shahi period, mention may be made of the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah at Sonargaon, the kotwali darwaza, the dakhil darwaza, the Nim Darwaza, the chika building, the chamkathi mosque, the tantipara mosque, the lattan mosque, the Kadamrasul Masjid and the darasbari mosque of Gaur, the mosque of Mullah Ata at Gangarampur in the district of Dinajpur, the mosque of Mullah Simla in Hughli and the Sona Masjid of Pandua.
The period also witnessed the development of calligraphic styles. A beautiful form of Tughra is noticeable in Iliyas Shah's inscription found at Bainapukur, Calcutta. A style was evolved by arranging the shafts of vertical letters rather prominently so as to produce the impression of a row in the Muslim prayer congregation or of a marching army, while the main parts of the letters are set at the base forming loops and ringlets. Nasiruddin Mahmud's Pandua inscription of 863 AH and Barbak Shah's Deotala inscription of 868 AH are two notable examples of this style. The next important development is the setting of curved letters across the shafts producing an altogether new design variously called 'the Bow and Arrow' or the 'Boat and Oar' designs. Two notable examples of this style are Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah's Bhagalpur inscription of 860 AH and the Hatkhola inscription of Ruknuddin Barbak Shah of 868 AH. The high-water mark of this style was reached in the time of Shamsudin Yusuf Shah.
The Iliyas Shahi sultans accorded recognition and status to Bengali language and literature. They extended liberal patronage to the Bengali poets and men of letters. As a result of their patronage, Bengali language and literature developed rapidly. Sultan Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was famed for his learning and enlightenment and also for appreciating the literary and intellectual attainments of others. He contributed a good deal to the development of Bengali language and literature. Under his patronage shah muhammad sagir wrote his famous poetical work yusuf-zulekha. It effected a revolution in Bengali literature, which was greatly enriched with the addition of the religious stories of Islam and the introduction of the romantic tale as a new theme for Bengali poets.
Probably Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah asked krittivas to write the Ramayana in Bengali. Ruknuddin Barbak Shah extended his patronage to Muslim and Hindu scholars alike. During his reign Zaynuddin composed the rasulbijay and Ibrahim Qayum Faruqi composed the Safarnamah. From the Safarnamah we get the names of a few scholars and poets of the time. They are-Amir Zaynuddin Harwi, Amir Shihabuddin Hakim Kirmani, Mansur Shirazi, Malik Yusuf bin Hamid, Sayyid Jalal, Sayyid Muhammad Rukn, Syyid Hasan and Shaikh Wahedi. Barbak Shah equally extended his patronage to Hindu scholars and poets. During his reign Raimukuta Brhaspati acquired fame and glory. Barbak Shah honoured maladhar basu, the compiler of the srikrishnavijay, with the title of 'Gunaraj Khan'. The son of Maladhar Basu was also honoured with the title of 'Satyaraj Khan'. It is to be mentioned here that the courtiers and nobles of Barbak Shah evinced similar interest in arts and letters. An officer of Barbak Shah named Kuladhara patronised a Brahmin named Govardhana who composed a Sanskrit work titled Puransarvaswa. Shamsuddin Yusuf Shah and Jalaluddin Fath Shah also extended their patronage to the development of Bengali literature and some poets flourished during their periods.
Importance of the Iliyas Shahi period The rule of the Iliyas Shahi dynasty occupies a distinct and significant place in the history of Bengal. The Muslim Kingdom of Bengal, known as the Kingdom of Lakhnauti, was transformed into the Sultanate of Bangalah. During this period, for the first time the different parts of Bengal were united under the sole authority of Sultan Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah. From this time, the united territories of Bengal received the name of Bangalah and its people came to be known as the Bengalis. This unification of Bengal also integrated the Bengali-speaking people into one politico-social union and laid the foundation of Bangalah and Bangalees. The Sultanate founded by Iliyas Shah maintained an independent existence for nearly two hundred years. During this period things changed greatly and the rudiments of a well-organised system of administration started to take shape.
Bengal's economy also made great strides during this time. There was remarkable prosperity in agriculture, industries and commerce. The abundance of agricultural and industrial products and the large volume of trade, both external and internal, evoked the wonder and admiration of foreign merchants and travellers.
Great changes took place in the field of art and architecture. The Iliyas Shahi sultans made a bold attempt to develop a grand architectural style befitting the dignity of the new Sultanate. Bangla language and literature received the patronage of the Iliyas Shahi sultans. Territorial expansion as well as the growth and consolidation of Muslim society marked the Iliyas Shahi period.
The Iliyas Shahi dynasty, with remarkable consistency, produced a succession of able rulers who were noted for their tolerance and enlightenment. To have ruled over a people of an alien faith for nearly seventy years was in itself a great achievement; to be restored was an even greater one. It was a singular proof of their popularity. [ABM Shamsuddin Ahmed]
Bibliography
1. Ziauddin Barani, Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi, Calcutta, 1862;
2. Yahiya bin Ahmad, Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi, Calcutta, 1931;
3. Abdul Karim, Banglar Itihas (sultani Amal) in Bangla, Dhaka, 1977;
4. ABM Shamsuddin Ahmed, Bengal under the Rule of the Early Iliyas Shahi Dynasty, Unpublished Thesis, Dhaka University, Dhaka, 1987.
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