Shamsuddin Firoz Shah
Encyclopedia
Shamsuddin Firoz Shah was the independent ruler of the Bengal
. He ascended the throne with the title of Al-Sultan Al-Azam Shams Al-Duniya wa Al-Din Abu Al-Muzaffar Firoz Shah Al-Sultan and invoked the name of the Abbaside Caliph Mustasim Billah in his coins.
, he was the son of Bughra Khan and the grandson of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban
. 13th century scholar, Amir Khusrow, mentioned the names of two sons of Bughra Khan - Qaiqabad
and Rukunuddin Kaikaus
but he did not mention the name of Shamsuddin Firoz. Moreover, Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban
, following the Iranian tradition, named his grandsons as Kaikobad
, Kaikaus, Kaikhusrau, Kaimurs etc. But the name Firoz does not agree with the Iranian tradition. Furthermore, Kaikobad
was only 19 at the time of his accession to the throne of Delhi in 1288 AD. Kaikaus was a younger brother of Kaikobad
and hence, if Firoz was a younger brother of Kaikaus, he would be in his mid-thirties at the time of his accession to the throne of Lakhnauti in 1301 AD. Two of his grown-up sons are found helping their father in affairs of state. But at such an age it is unlikely for a person to have two or more grown-up sons. On these grounds and on a close examination of his coins modern scholars hold that he did not belong to the House of Balban. Shamsuddin Firoz nowhere claims himself to be the son of a sultan, but all his sons and successors call themselves Sultan bin Sultan (Sultan, the son of Sultan).
It is assumed that Shamsuddin Firoz was one of the two Firozes left by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban
to assist his son Bughra Khan, who was appointed to the governorship of Lakhnauti. Of these two officers, Firoz Iitigin, the ruler of Bihar
, was more competent. Probably Firoz Iitigin, one of the two Firozes, after the death of Rukunuddin Kaikaus
or displacing him forcibly, came to the throne of Lakhnauti in 1301 CE with the title of Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah. On his accession to the throne, Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah entrusted the governorship of Bihar
to Tajuddin Hatim Khan, one of his sons.
, north and northwest Bengal and up to Lakhnur in southwest Bengal. Rukunuddin Kaikaus
had already started the conquest of the eastern part of Bengal, and the task was completed during the time of Firoz Shah. It is said that Kaikaus
issued coins for the first time from the Kharaj of Bang. But during the time of Firoz Shah the Sonargaon
area (southeast Bengal) was included in the Muslim Kingdom. He built a mint at Sonargaon from where a large number of coins were issued. Similarly, the conquest of Satgaon, begun during the time of Kaikaus
under his general Zafar Khan, was completed during the time of Firoz Shah. From an inscription of Firoz, it is learnt that one Zafar Khan built a madrasa called Dar-ul-Khairat in 1313 CE. Very little is known about his conquest of Mymensingh
. It is only known that his son Ghiyasuddin Bahadur issued coins from Ghiyaspur mint, identified with a village having the same name, about 24 km from Mymensingh
. During the reign of Firoz Shah, Sikandar Khan Ghazi led a fruitful expedition against Matuk, a Hindu Raja of the Sundarban area. A coin of Sultan Firuz has been discovered in a village in the extreme south of Satkhira District
. The most important event of the reign of Shamsuddin Firoz Shah was the conquest of Sylhet
. According to an inscription Firoz Shah conquered Sylhet in 1303 CE. The names of the famous Sufi-saint Hazrat Shah Jalal (R) and the commander Syed Nasiruddin are associated in connection with the conquest of Sylhet.
firmly against the Khaljis. Two inscriptions of his reign, discovered in Bihar
, prove this. Thus the Bengal Sultanate during the time of Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah extended from at least the rivers Son and Ghogra in the west to Sylhet in the east and from Dinajpur
-Rangpur
in the north to Hughli and the Sundarbans in the south.
Firoz had six grown-up sons - Shihabuddin Bughda, Jalaluddin Mahmud, Ghiyasuddin Bahadur, Nasiruddin Ibrahim, Hatim Khan and Kutlu Khan. Of these six, Tajuddin Hatim Khan was the governor of Bihar
. It is evident from numismatic evidence that during the lifetime of Firoz Shah, his sons Jalaluddin Mahmud, Shihabuddin Bughda and Ghiyasuddin Bahadur issued coins in their own names from the Lakhnauti mint. Ghiyasuddin Bahadur also issued coins from the mints of Sonargaon
and Ghiyaspur.
A group of scholars, on the basis of these coins, have argued that the sons of Firoz Shah rose in rebellion against their father and alternately ruled Lakhnauti. But the minting of coins by the sons of Firoz Shah was not the result of their rebellion, rather it was the result of their sharing of power with their father. In fact, Shamsuddin Firoz Shah ascended the throne of Lakhnauti at quite an advanced age when he was the father of six grown-up sons who helped him in the affairs of the kingdom. Being satisfied with the co-operation of his sons, Firoz Shah allowed his sons to run the administration of some portions of his kingdom independently and to exercise royal authority as in the minting of coins. Had the sons revolted against their father, chaos and confusion would have prevailed and expansion of the kingdom would not have been possible.
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 ascended the throne with the title of Al-Sultan Al-Azam Shams Al-Duniya wa Al-Din Abu Al-Muzaffar Firoz Shah Al-Sultan and invoked the name of the Abbaside Caliph Mustasim Billah in his coins.
Origin
Controversies persist among scholars regarding his origin and identity. According to Ibn BattutaIbn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta , or simply Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad–Din , was a Muslim Moroccan Berber explorer, known for his extensive travels published in the Rihla...
, he was the son of Bughra Khan and the grandson of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban
Ghiyas ud din Balban
Ghiyasuddin Balban was ninth sultan of the Mamluk dynasty who ruled from 1266 to 1287.-Biography:He was son of a Central Asian Turkic noble of the Ilbari tribe, but as a child he was captured by Mongols and sold as a slave at Ghazni...
. 13th century scholar, Amir Khusrow, mentioned the names of two sons of Bughra Khan - Qaiqabad
Muiz ud din Qaiqabad
Muiz ud din Qaiqabad was the tenth sultan the Mamluk dynasty . He was the son of Bughra Khan as well as grandson of Ghiyas ud din Balban ....
and Rukunuddin Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus ruled Bengal in 1291-1300 CE. In 1291 he succeeded his father Nasiruddin Bughra Khan as an independent ruler of Bengal. In several inscriptions and coins he styled himself as Sultan-bin-Sultan and also Sultan-us-Salatin .-History:During his reign, he had divided his kingdom...
but he did not mention the name of Shamsuddin Firoz. Moreover, Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban
Ghiyas ud din Balban
Ghiyasuddin Balban was ninth sultan of the Mamluk dynasty who ruled from 1266 to 1287.-Biography:He was son of a Central Asian Turkic noble of the Ilbari tribe, but as a child he was captured by Mongols and sold as a slave at Ghazni...
, following the Iranian tradition, named his grandsons as Kaikobad
Muiz ud din Qaiqabad
Muiz ud din Qaiqabad was the tenth sultan the Mamluk dynasty . He was the son of Bughra Khan as well as grandson of Ghiyas ud din Balban ....
, Kaikaus, Kaikhusrau, Kaimurs etc. But the name Firoz does not agree with the Iranian tradition. Furthermore, Kaikobad
Muiz ud din Qaiqabad
Muiz ud din Qaiqabad was the tenth sultan the Mamluk dynasty . He was the son of Bughra Khan as well as grandson of Ghiyas ud din Balban ....
was only 19 at the time of his accession to the throne of Delhi in 1288 AD. Kaikaus was a younger brother of Kaikobad
Muiz ud din Qaiqabad
Muiz ud din Qaiqabad was the tenth sultan the Mamluk dynasty . He was the son of Bughra Khan as well as grandson of Ghiyas ud din Balban ....
and hence, if Firoz was a younger brother of Kaikaus, he would be in his mid-thirties at the time of his accession to the throne of Lakhnauti in 1301 AD. Two of his grown-up sons are found helping their father in affairs of state. But at such an age it is unlikely for a person to have two or more grown-up sons. On these grounds and on a close examination of his coins modern scholars hold that he did not belong to the House of Balban. Shamsuddin Firoz nowhere claims himself to be the son of a sultan, but all his sons and successors call themselves Sultan bin Sultan (Sultan, the son of Sultan).
It is assumed that Shamsuddin Firoz was one of the two Firozes left by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban
Ghiyas ud din Balban
Ghiyasuddin Balban was ninth sultan of the Mamluk dynasty who ruled from 1266 to 1287.-Biography:He was son of a Central Asian Turkic noble of the Ilbari tribe, but as a child he was captured by Mongols and sold as a slave at Ghazni...
to assist his son Bughra Khan, who was appointed to the governorship of Lakhnauti. Of these two officers, Firoz Iitigin, the ruler of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, was more competent. Probably Firoz Iitigin, one of the two Firozes, after the death of Rukunuddin Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus ruled Bengal in 1291-1300 CE. In 1291 he succeeded his father Nasiruddin Bughra Khan as an independent ruler of Bengal. In several inscriptions and coins he styled himself as Sultan-bin-Sultan and also Sultan-us-Salatin .-History:During his reign, he had divided his kingdom...
or displacing him forcibly, came to the throne of Lakhnauti in 1301 CE with the title of Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah. On his accession to the throne, Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah entrusted the governorship of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
to Tajuddin Hatim Khan, one of his sons.
Rise to Power
Having consolidated his position, Firoz Shah turned his attention towards the expansion of his kingdom. The Muslim principality of Lakhnauti was limited to BiharBihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, north and northwest Bengal and up to Lakhnur in southwest Bengal. Rukunuddin Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus ruled Bengal in 1291-1300 CE. In 1291 he succeeded his father Nasiruddin Bughra Khan as an independent ruler of Bengal. In several inscriptions and coins he styled himself as Sultan-bin-Sultan and also Sultan-us-Salatin .-History:During his reign, he had divided his kingdom...
had already started the conquest of the eastern part of Bengal, and the task was completed during the time of Firoz Shah. It is said that Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus ruled Bengal in 1291-1300 CE. In 1291 he succeeded his father Nasiruddin Bughra Khan as an independent ruler of Bengal. In several inscriptions and coins he styled himself as Sultan-bin-Sultan and also Sultan-us-Salatin .-History:During his reign, he had divided his kingdom...
issued coins for the first time from the Kharaj of Bang. But during the time of Firoz Shah the Sonargaon
Sonargaon
Sonargaon is the ancient capital of Isa Khan's kingdom in Bengal. It is located near the current-day city of Narayanganj, Bangladesh....
area (southeast Bengal) was included in the Muslim Kingdom. He built a mint at Sonargaon from where a large number of coins were issued. Similarly, the conquest of Satgaon, begun during the time of Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus
Rukunuddin Kaikaus ruled Bengal in 1291-1300 CE. In 1291 he succeeded his father Nasiruddin Bughra Khan as an independent ruler of Bengal. In several inscriptions and coins he styled himself as Sultan-bin-Sultan and also Sultan-us-Salatin .-History:During his reign, he had divided his kingdom...
under his general Zafar Khan, was completed during the time of Firoz Shah. From an inscription of Firoz, it is learnt that one Zafar Khan built a madrasa called Dar-ul-Khairat in 1313 CE. Very little is known about his conquest of 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...
. It is only known that his son Ghiyasuddin Bahadur issued coins from Ghiyaspur mint, identified with a village having the same name, about 24 km from 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...
. During the reign of Firoz Shah, Sikandar Khan Ghazi led a fruitful expedition against Matuk, a Hindu Raja of the Sundarban area. A coin of Sultan Firuz has been discovered in a village in the extreme south of Satkhira District
Satkhira District
The district of Satkhira consists 3296 mosques, 1305 temples, 59 churches, 35 Buddhist temples, 8 tombs and 45 shrines.-Subdivisions:Satkhira subdivision was established in 1861 under Jessore district. It was included into Khulna district in 1882. The subdivision was upgraded into a district in...
. The most important event of the reign of Shamsuddin Firoz Shah was the conquest of 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...
. According to an inscription Firoz Shah conquered Sylhet in 1303 CE. The names of the famous Sufi-saint Hazrat Shah Jalal (R) and the commander Syed Nasiruddin are associated in connection with the conquest of Sylhet.
Conquest
Firoz Shah also held BiharBihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
firmly against the Khaljis. Two inscriptions of his reign, discovered in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, prove this. Thus the Bengal Sultanate during the time of Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah extended from at least the rivers Son and Ghogra in the west to Sylhet in the east and from Dinajpur
Dinajpur
The Dinajpur District was split between India and Bangladesh. The term can refer to the following:* Dinajpur District, Bangladesh** In the district, there is the Upazila of Dinajpur Sadar* West Dinajpur district, India. It was split on 1992-04-01 into:...
-Rangpur
Rangpur
Rangpur may refer to:*Rangpur - citrus fruitplaces*Rangpur Baghoor*Rangpur, India in Gujarat*Rangpur Division in Bangladesh**Rangpur District in Bangladesh**Rangpur, Bangladesh, administrative centre of Rangpur District...
in the north to Hughli and the Sundarbans in the south.
Firoz had six grown-up sons - Shihabuddin Bughda, Jalaluddin Mahmud, Ghiyasuddin Bahadur, Nasiruddin Ibrahim, Hatim Khan and Kutlu Khan. Of these six, Tajuddin Hatim Khan was the governor of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. It is evident from numismatic evidence that during the lifetime of Firoz Shah, his sons Jalaluddin Mahmud, Shihabuddin Bughda and Ghiyasuddin Bahadur issued coins in their own names from the Lakhnauti mint. Ghiyasuddin Bahadur also issued coins from the mints of Sonargaon
Sonargaon
Sonargaon is the ancient capital of Isa Khan's kingdom in Bengal. It is located near the current-day city of Narayanganj, Bangladesh....
and Ghiyaspur.
A group of scholars, on the basis of these coins, have argued that the sons of Firoz Shah rose in rebellion against their father and alternately ruled Lakhnauti. But the minting of coins by the sons of Firoz Shah was not the result of their rebellion, rather it was the result of their sharing of power with their father. In fact, Shamsuddin Firoz Shah ascended the throne of Lakhnauti at quite an advanced age when he was the father of six grown-up sons who helped him in the affairs of the kingdom. Being satisfied with the co-operation of his sons, Firoz Shah allowed his sons to run the administration of some portions of his kingdom independently and to exercise royal authority as in the minting of coins. Had the sons revolted against their father, chaos and confusion would have prevailed and expansion of the kingdom would not have been possible.
Death
Shamsuddin Firoz Shah died in 1322 CE. An experienced soldier, he proved himself strong and vigorous as a ruler and skillful as a diplomat. He directly encouraged and helped in the propagation of Islam for which he is specially remembered. He succeeded in establishing a dynasty of his own.See also
- List of rulers of Bengal
- History of BengalHistory of BengalThe history of Bengal includes modern day Bangladesh and West Bengal, dates back four millennia. To some extent, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers separated it from the mainland of India, though at times, Bengal has played an important role in the history of India.- Etymology :The exact origin...
- History of BangladeshHistory of BangladeshThe history of Bangladesh as a nation state began in 1971, when it seceded from Pakistan. Prior to the creation of Pakistan in 1947, modern-day Bangladesh was part of ancient, classical, medieval and colonial India....
- History of IndiaHistory of IndiaThe history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...