Shah Shuja
Encyclopedia
Shāh Shujā was the second son of the Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan
and empress Mumtaz Mahal
.
or governor of Bengal
in 1639. In 1642, Shuja was also given the charge of the province of Orissa
. He ruled the provinces for more than twenty years, from 1639 to 1660. During the period there were two short breaks: first in 1647-1648, when he was with the emperor on his campaigns against rebels in the Afghan passes; and the second in 1652, when he was at Kabul
for about four months from April to July. During the later part of his duty as a Subedar
, from 1658 he twice proceeded towards the capital in his bid to contest for the throne.
Shāh Shujā built the Bara Katra
(Bengali: বড় কাটরা) between 1644 and 1646 in Dhaka
to serve as his official residence.
, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb
and Murad Baksh
. Shuja immediately crowned himself the emperor and took imperial titles. He marched with a large army, backed by a good number of war-boats in the river Ganges. However, he was beaten by Dara's army in a hotly contested Battle of Bahadurpur (in modern Uttar Pradesh
, India
). Shuja turned back to Rajmahal
to make further preparations. In the meantime, Aurangzeb
defeated Dara twice (at Dharmat and Samugarh), caught him, executed him on a charge of heresy and ascended the throne. Shuja marched again to the capital, this time against Aurangzeb. A battle took place on 5 January 1658 at the Battle of Khajwa
(Fatehpur district, Uttar Pradesh
, India
) where Shuja was defeated.
After his defeat, Shuja retreated towards Bengal
. He was pursued by the imperial army under Mir Jumla. Shuja put up a good fight against them. However, he was finally defeated in the last battle in April 1660. After each defeat he had to face desertions in his own army, but he did not lose heart. He, rather, reorganised the army with renewed vigor. But when he was going to be surrounded at Tandah, and when he found that reorganisation of the army was no longer possible, he decided to leave Bengal for good and take shelter in Arakan
.
with his family and retinue in the afternoon of 6 April 1660 and reached Dhaka
on 12 April. He left Dhaka on 6 May and boarded the Arakanese ships on 12 May at Bhulua (near present-day Noakhali, Bangladesh
). He carried two vessels of gold and silver, jewel, treasures and other royal appendages to Arakan. Shuja first arrived at Chittagong and stayed for some time, from where he took the land route to Arakan which is still called Shuja Road. Thousand palanquins (carriers) carried the harem ladies and Shuja prayed Eid prayer at a place Edgoung (Eidgah) in Dulahzara which is still in Chittagong on the way to Arakan. Shuja undertook the land journey for 13 days and 13 nights with a troubled mind on the eastern bank of Naf River, half a mile north of Maungdaw town which is still known as Shuja village. Some of Shuja’s retinues there were later retained by the British army as archers army since 1826.
where he was received by an envoy of Arakan king Sanda Thudhamma and escorted to a separate quarter for the Mughal prince. Niccolai Manucci wrote: “The date of flight (of Shuja from Dacca) was June 5, 1660 and arrived in Arakan on August 26, 1660.” Harvey noted that Shuja came to Arakan as Sanda Thudhamma promised to provide him some of his famous ships to take him to Mecca for pilgrimage. He broke the promise. When Shuja arrived in Arakan with half a dozen camel loads of gold and jewelry, the temptation was too great for the Arakan king. Prince Shah Shuja's daughter Princess Gulrukh Banu was raped by Arakan king Sanda Thudhamma and she committed suicide, while Sultan Bang and another brother died fighting. They ran amok, nearly succeeded in firing the royal palace of Sanda Thudhamma in December 1660, while many Mughals were massacred.
The Portuguese who were famous there as pirates did save Shuja while robbed him of gold and jewels, these misfortunate events had a very profound critical breakdown effect on Shah Shuja. The surviving Mughals with Shuja escaped back to Tripura on 16 May 1661 with much difficulty and arrived in Manipur in December 1661. While Aurangzeb’s reconnaissance men were on the hunt for Shuja and for every bit of news. Conscious of this, Shuja’s men spread false news that Shuja died fighting in Arakan, while others rumoured he shipped to Mecca. There were a thousand different tales about Shuja’s fate and nothing could be conclusive.
king Sanda Thudhamma, Shuja fled back to Tripura whose king quickly dispatched Shuja to Manipur in 1661 so that it might not antagonize the military force of Aurangzeb led by Mir Jumla II
. The Mughals lately came to know of the situation but Shuja was already gone. Shah Shuja reached Manipur in December 1661 according to Cheitharol Kumbaba
. The Mughals sent a three men embassy to Manipur in late December 1661, this time to retrieve the aggrieved family of Shuja. At that time Shuja was taking shelter in at Haignang of Kairang (east of Imphal), now known as Shuja-lok (Shuja cave).
Mughals enthroned Chhatra Manikya (ruling 1661-66) in Tripura while Govinda Manikya too fled to Arakan
where he again met Shuja. In the meantime in Tripura, Chhatra Manikya was too dethroned and Govinda Manikya came back from Arakan
to claim the throne and ruled Tripura again from 1667 to 1675. The Manipur king Khunjaoba sent back a three man embassy to the court of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb
in 1662. A Mughal ambassador, Nur Beg, was held back in Manipur by the Qazi
of Manipur, Muhammad Sani. It was done so that the retreating two Mughal commanders named Dur Beg and Rustam Beg should tell about Shuja’s existence in Manipur. Yet, Shuja was sent up to Ukhrul
hill with some Muslims (already settled in Manipur) as precautionary measure from Mughal informers. Thus Tripura and Manipur kings played crucial roles in saving the life of Shah Shuja.
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
emperor Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
and empress Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal born as Arjumand Banu Begum was a Mughal Empress and chief consort of emperor Shah Jahan...
.
Governor of Bengal
Emperor Shah Jahan appointed Shah Shuja as the SubahdarSubahdar
Subahdar was one of the designations of a governor of a Subah during the Mughal era of India who was alternately designated as Sahib-i-Subah or Nazim. The word, Subahdar is of Persian origin...
or governor 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...
in 1639. In 1642, Shuja was also given the charge of the province of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
. He ruled the provinces for more than twenty years, from 1639 to 1660. During the period there were two short breaks: first in 1647-1648, when he was with the emperor on his campaigns against rebels in the Afghan passes; and the second in 1652, when he was at Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
for about four months from April to July. During the later part of his duty as a Subedar
Subedar
Subedar is a historical rank in the Indian Army, ranking below British commissioned officers and above non-commissioned officers. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British lieutenant and was introduced in the East India Company's presidency armies, to make it easier for British officers to...
, from 1658 he twice proceeded towards the capital in his bid to contest for the throne.
Shāh Shujā built the Bara Katra
Bara Katra
The Bara Katra is a historical and architectural monument located in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is a palatial building dating to the reign of the Mughal dynasty in the Bengal region...
(Bengali: বড় কাটরা) between 1644 and 1646 in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka 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...
to serve as his official residence.
Fall of Shahjahan
When Shah Jahan fell ill, a struggle for the throne started between his four sons - Dara ShikohDara Shikoh
His Highness, The Imperial Prince Dara Shikoh was the eldest son and the heir apparent of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. His name دارا شكوه in Persian means "Darius the Magnificent"...
, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
and Murad Baksh
Murad Baksh
Murad Baksh was the youngest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and empress Mumtaz Mahal, he was the Subedar of Balkh until he was replaced by his brother Aurangzeb in the year 1647....
. Shuja immediately crowned himself the emperor and took imperial titles. He marched with a large army, backed by a good number of war-boats in the river Ganges. However, he was beaten by Dara's army in a hotly contested Battle of Bahadurpur (in modern Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
). Shuja turned back to Rajmahal
Rajmahal
Rajmahal is a city and a notified area in Sahibganj district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. Rajmahal is the only sub-divisional town in Sahibganj district. It is one of the most historic place in Jharkhand...
to make further preparations. In the meantime, Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
defeated Dara twice (at Dharmat and Samugarh), caught him, executed him on a charge of heresy and ascended the throne. Shuja marched again to the capital, this time against Aurangzeb. A battle took place on 5 January 1658 at the Battle of Khajwa
Battle of Khajwa
Battle of Khajwa was a battle fought on January 5, 1659, between the newly coronated Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and Shah Shuja who also declared himself Mughal Emperor in Bengal.-Background:...
(Fatehpur district, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) where Shuja was defeated.
After his defeat, Shuja retreated towards 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...
. He was pursued by the imperial army under Mir Jumla. Shuja put up a good fight against them. However, he was finally defeated in the last battle in April 1660. After each defeat he had to face desertions in his own army, but he did not lose heart. He, rather, reorganised the army with renewed vigor. But when he was going to be surrounded at Tandah, and when he found that reorganisation of the army was no longer possible, he decided to leave Bengal for good and take shelter in Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
.
En route to Arakan
Shuja left TandahTandah
Tandah was a town in the district of Fyzabad , Oude, British India; 3 miles from the Ghogra River; 100 miles S. E. of Lucknow. It was the seat of the largest weaving colony in the province, and manufactured both coarse cloth and fine muslin....
with his family and retinue in the afternoon of 6 April 1660 and reached Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka 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...
on 12 April. He left Dhaka on 6 May and boarded the Arakanese ships on 12 May at Bhulua (near present-day Noakhali, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
). He carried two vessels of gold and silver, jewel, treasures and other royal appendages to Arakan. Shuja first arrived at Chittagong and stayed for some time, from where he took the land route to Arakan which is still called Shuja Road. Thousand palanquins (carriers) carried the harem ladies and Shuja prayed Eid prayer at a place Edgoung (Eidgah) in Dulahzara which is still in Chittagong on the way to Arakan. Shuja undertook the land journey for 13 days and 13 nights with a troubled mind on the eastern bank of Naf River, half a mile north of Maungdaw town which is still known as Shuja village. Some of Shuja’s retinues there were later retained by the British army as archers army since 1826.
Conspiracy of Arakan King
The final day on sea route took Shuja to ArakanRakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
where he was received by an envoy of Arakan king Sanda Thudhamma and escorted to a separate quarter for the Mughal prince. Niccolai Manucci wrote: “The date of flight (of Shuja from Dacca) was June 5, 1660 and arrived in Arakan on August 26, 1660.” Harvey noted that Shuja came to Arakan as Sanda Thudhamma promised to provide him some of his famous ships to take him to Mecca for pilgrimage. He broke the promise. When Shuja arrived in Arakan with half a dozen camel loads of gold and jewelry, the temptation was too great for the Arakan king. Prince Shah Shuja's daughter Princess Gulrukh Banu was raped by Arakan king Sanda Thudhamma and she committed suicide, while Sultan Bang and another brother died fighting. They ran amok, nearly succeeded in firing the royal palace of Sanda Thudhamma in December 1660, while many Mughals were massacred.
The Portuguese who were famous there as pirates did save Shuja while robbed him of gold and jewels, these misfortunate events had a very profound critical breakdown effect on Shah Shuja. The surviving Mughals with Shuja escaped back to Tripura on 16 May 1661 with much difficulty and arrived in Manipur in December 1661. While Aurangzeb’s reconnaissance men were on the hunt for Shuja and for every bit of news. Conscious of this, Shuja’s men spread false news that Shuja died fighting in Arakan, while others rumoured he shipped to Mecca. There were a thousand different tales about Shuja’s fate and nothing could be conclusive.
Fleeing to Manipur
On the breach of trust by ArakanRakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
king Sanda Thudhamma, Shuja fled back to Tripura whose king quickly dispatched Shuja to Manipur in 1661 so that it might not antagonize the military force of Aurangzeb led by Mir Jumla II
Mir Jumla II
Mir Jumla II was a prominent subahdar of Bengal in Eastern India under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. An Iranian by birth, his original name was Mir Muhammad Saeed Ardestani...
. The Mughals lately came to know of the situation but Shuja was already gone. Shah Shuja reached Manipur in December 1661 according to Cheitharol Kumbaba
Cheitharol Kumbaba
Cheitharol Kumbaba, also spelled as Cheitharon Kumpapa, is the official royal chronicle of the kings of Manipur.It claims to trace the history of the meetei kingdom back to 33 CE, and it ends with the last king, Bodhchandra, in 1955...
. The Mughals sent a three men embassy to Manipur in late December 1661, this time to retrieve the aggrieved family of Shuja. At that time Shuja was taking shelter in at Haignang of Kairang (east of Imphal), now known as Shuja-lok (Shuja cave).
Mughals enthroned Chhatra Manikya (ruling 1661-66) in Tripura while Govinda Manikya too fled to Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
where he again met Shuja. In the meantime in Tripura, Chhatra Manikya was too dethroned and Govinda Manikya came back from Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
to claim the throne and ruled Tripura again from 1667 to 1675. The Manipur king Khunjaoba sent back a three man embassy to the court of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
in 1662. A Mughal ambassador, Nur Beg, was held back in Manipur by the Qazi
Qadi
Qadi is a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law appointed by the ruler of a Muslim country. Because Islam makes no distinction between religious and secular domains, qadis traditionally have jurisdiction over all legal matters involving Muslims...
of Manipur, Muhammad Sani. It was done so that the retreating two Mughal commanders named Dur Beg and Rustam Beg should tell about Shuja’s existence in Manipur. Yet, Shuja was sent up to Ukhrul
Ukhrul
Ukhrul is a town in Ukhrul district in the state of Manipur, India. It is the administrative headquarter of the Ukhrul district. There are also four Sub-Divisions in the district for administering the villages in and around it. The villages however are govern by the 'Church' and the 'Village...
hill with some Muslims (already settled in Manipur) as precautionary measure from Mughal informers. Thus Tripura and Manipur kings played crucial roles in saving the life of Shah Shuja.