Mahmud Shah (Sultan of Bengal)
Encyclopedia
Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah (Bengali
: প্রথম নাসিরুদ্দিন মাহমুদ শাহ) (reigned 1435-1459) was a Sultan of Bengal. He was a descendant of Sultan Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah
of Bengal
. Nasiruddin took the title of Nasiruddin Abul Muzaffar Mahmud Shah when he ascended the power in 1435 AD. It was after twenty years of gap since his dynasty lost the power in the first phase.
were involved in a deadly conflict with the Lodhi sultans
of Delhi
. This kept Nasiruddin Mahmud's kingdom in peace. He devoted his time to the task of reconstruction and development. He was also able to recover Bengal
's military strength. According to historians Nizamuddin Ahmad
and Firishtah, Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah was an ideal sultan. Another historian Ghulam Husain Salim
says that by his good administration the wounds of oppression inflicted by the previous Sultan Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah
were healed.
Nasiruddin died in 1459 AD after a reign of twenty four years.
conquered Khulna
and Jessore. According to a numismatic evidence, Nasiruddin Mahmud ruled over a vast kingdom bounded by the districts of Bhagalpur
to the west, Mymensingh
and Sylhet
to the east, Gaur
and Pandua
to the north and Hughli to the south.
, Nasirudddin Mahmud made progress on Muslim settlements in different parts of Bengal
. They constructed mosques, excavated tanks and adopted similar other public architecures. Nasiruddin also built a large number of khanqas, bridges and tombs. The significant mosques of his reign were the following :
The tomb of Khan Jahan Ali
at Bagerhat and the tomb of an Allama at Hazrat Pandua
were erected during his time. He himself laid the foundations of the citadel and palace at Gaur
. Among them, a five-arched stone-bridge, part of the massive walls of the fort and the Kotwali Darwaza are still extant.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
: প্রথম নাসিরুদ্দিন মাহমুদ শাহ) (reigned 1435-1459) was a Sultan of Bengal. He was a descendant of Sultan Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah
Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah
Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah was an independent ruler of Bengal, who became the sultan of the kingdom of Lakhnauti in 1342 and after conquering the kingdom of Sonargoan in 1352, he became the sole ruler of whole Bengal and thus he became the founder of a sultanate of the unified Bengal...
of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. Nasiruddin took the title of Nasiruddin Abul Muzaffar Mahmud Shah when he ascended the power in 1435 AD. It was after twenty years of gap since his dynasty lost the power in the first phase.
History
During his reign, the Sharqi sultans of JaunpurJaunpur Sultanate
The Jaunpur sultanate was an independent kingdom of northern India between 1394 to 1479, whose rulers ruled from Jaunpur in the present day state of Uttar Pradesh. The Jaunpur sultanate was ruled by the Sharqi dynasty. The Khwajah-i-Jahan Malik Sarwar, the first ruler of the dynasty was a wazir ...
were involved in a deadly conflict with the Lodhi sultans
Lodhi dynasty
Lodi Dynasty was a Pashtun dynasty that was the last dynasty to rule the Delhi Sultanate. The dynasty founded by Bahlul Lodi ruled from 1451 to 1526...
of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. This kept Nasiruddin Mahmud's kingdom in peace. He devoted his time to the task of reconstruction and development. He was also able to recover Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
's military strength. According to historians Nizamuddin Ahmad
Nizamuddin Ahmad
Khwaja Nizam-ud-Din Ahmad was a Muslim historian of late medieval India. He was son of Muhammad Muqim-i-Harawi. He was Akbar's Mir Bakhshi...
and Firishtah, Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah was an ideal sultan. Another historian Ghulam Husain Salim
Ghulam Husain Salim
Ğulām Husayn “Salīm” Zaydpūrī was a historian who migrated to Bengal and was employed there as a post-master to the East India Company serving under George Udny . At Udny’s request, the author composed a history of Bengal entitled Riyāż al-salātīn, completed in 1787-8...
says that by his good administration the wounds of oppression inflicted by the previous Sultan Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah
Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah
Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah was a ruler of Bengal. He was the son and successor of Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah. After his father's death, he ascended the throne at the age of 14.-History:...
were healed.
Nasiruddin died in 1459 AD after a reign of twenty four years.
Ruling area
During his reign, Khan Jahan AliKhan Jahan Ali
Khan Jahan Ali , also known as Ulugh Khan and Khan-i-Azam, was a Muslim Saint and local ruler in Bagerhat . The official title Khan-i-Azam signifies that he was an officer of the Bengal Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah I...
conquered Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...
and Jessore. According to a numismatic evidence, Nasiruddin Mahmud ruled over a vast kingdom bounded by the districts of Bhagalpur
Bhagalpur
Bhagdattpuram was one of the most influential towns in "Aryavarta" . It is supposed to have been concurrent to Patliputra or Patna. Bhagdattpuram finds its mention in the Vedas and Ramayana as well. It is supposed to be the kingdom of Daanvir Karna, the son of Kunti and the Sun God...
to the west, Mymensingh
Mymensingh
Mymensingh , pronounced moy-mon-shing-haw, is a city of Bangladesh situated on the river Brahmaputra. It is the headquarters of the administrative unit Mymensingh District. Mymensingh is the anglicized pronunciation of the original name Momenshahi, referring to a ruler called Momen Shah. The cadet...
and Sylhet
Sylhet
Sylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
to the east, Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
and Pandua
Pandua
Pandua or Hazrat Pandua or Firuzabad is a historical city, presently lying in the ruined condition in Malda district of the Indian state of West Bengal. Pandua is now almost synonymously known as Adina, a small town located about 18 km North of Malda Town.The city was probably founded by...
to the north and Hughli to the south.
Spreading Islam
With the help of Khan Jahan AliKhan Jahan Ali
Khan Jahan Ali , also known as Ulugh Khan and Khan-i-Azam, was a Muslim Saint and local ruler in Bagerhat . The official title Khan-i-Azam signifies that he was an officer of the Bengal Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah I...
, Nasirudddin Mahmud made progress on Muslim settlements in different parts of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. They constructed mosques, excavated tanks and adopted similar other public architecures. Nasiruddin also built a large number of khanqas, bridges and tombs. The significant mosques of his reign were the following :
- Sixty Dome Mosque erected by Khan JahanKhan Jahan AliKhan Jahan Ali , also known as Ulugh Khan and Khan-i-Azam, was a Muslim Saint and local ruler in Bagerhat . The official title Khan-i-Azam signifies that he was an officer of the Bengal Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah I...
at Bagerhat. - The two mosques built by Sarfaraz Khan at Jangipur in the district of MurshidabadMurshidabadMurshidabad is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state in India. The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges River. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Nawabs of Bengal used to rule Bengal from this...
in 1443 AD. - The mosque built by Hilali at GaurGaurThe gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
in 1455. - The mosque built at DhakaDhakaDhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
by a woman named Bakht Binat Bibi in 1455 known as Binat Bibi MosqueBinat Bibi mosqueBinat Bibi Mosque is the first mosque to be built in Dhaka by Bakht Binat, the daughter of Marhamat, during the rule of Sultan Mahmud Shah I. Binat Bibi's mosque is located in Narinda, Dhaka.-Description:...
. - The mosque built by Khurshid Khan at BhagalpurBhagalpurBhagdattpuram was one of the most influential towns in "Aryavarta" . It is supposed to have been concurrent to Patliputra or Patna. Bhagdattpuram finds its mention in the Vedas and Ramayana as well. It is supposed to be the kingdom of Daanvir Karna, the son of Kunti and the Sun God...
in 1446 AD.
The tomb of Khan Jahan Ali
Khan Jahan Ali
Khan Jahan Ali , also known as Ulugh Khan and Khan-i-Azam, was a Muslim Saint and local ruler in Bagerhat . The official title Khan-i-Azam signifies that he was an officer of the Bengal Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah I...
at Bagerhat and the tomb of an Allama at Hazrat Pandua
Pandua
Pandua or Hazrat Pandua or Firuzabad is a historical city, presently lying in the ruined condition in Malda district of the Indian state of West Bengal. Pandua is now almost synonymously known as Adina, a small town located about 18 km North of Malda Town.The city was probably founded by...
were erected during his time. He himself laid the foundations of the citadel and palace at Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
. Among them, a five-arched stone-bridge, part of the massive walls of the fort and the Kotwali Darwaza are still extant.