Tughral Tughan Khan ruled Bengal during 1236-1246 CE and again during 1272-1281 CE. He was also a 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....

 and Oudh.

First Term (1236-1246)

He was a Kara-Khitai Turk and was originally a slave of Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish. He was appointed as 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....

. Following the chaotic period of the Delhi sultanate

Delhi Sultanate

The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...

, Tughan Khan invaded 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...

 and defeated Awar Khan Aibak, the 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 1236. Immediately after assuming power, Tughan Khan led an eastward expedition. He established his dominance in 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...

, 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....

 and Oudh but he acknowledged the overlordship of Razia Sultana

Razia Sultana

Razia al-Din , throne name Jalâlat ud-Dîn Raziyâ , usually referred to in history as Razia Sultan, was the Sultan of Delhi in India from 1236 to May 1240. She was of Seljuq slave ancestry and like some other Muslim princesses of the time, she was trained to lead armies and administer kingdoms if...

.

During the reign of Tughan Khan, the Hindu king 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...

, Narsingha Dev, invaded southern Bengal. Tughan Khan repulsed the Oriya army and captured the Katasin fort 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...

. But when the Muslim army was celebrating its victory, the Oriya soldiers attacked and defeated them. The Oriya army pursued the Muslims all the way to Lakhnauti

Gaur, West Bengal

Gour, or Gaur , as it is spelt mostly in modern times, or Lakhnauti is a ruined city, in the Malda district of West Bengal, India, on the west bank of the Ganges river, 40 kilometers downstream from Rajmahal.-History:...

, the capital of Bengal, and besieged the city. All the Muslims of Lakhnauti were slain.

Tughan Khan sought assistance from the Delhi sultan, Alauddin Masud Shah

Ala ud din Masud

Ala ud din Masud was the seventh sultan of the Mamluk dynasty . He was the son of Rukn ud din Firuz and the nephew of Razia Sultan . After his predecessor, Muiz ud din Bahram, was murdered by the army in 1242 after years of disorder, the chiefs chose for him to become the next ruler...

, who sent Malik Karakash Khan of Kara and Malik Tughlaq Tamar Khan

Tughlaq Tamar Khan

Tughlaq Tamar Khan was the governor of Oudh and Bengal during the reign of Sultan Aluddin Masud Shah.-History:In 1246 Tughral Tughan Khan, the governor of Bengal, was under attack by the Orians. The then governor of Oudh, Tamar Khan, was sent to Bengal to help Tughan Khan. The Oriya army fled...

 of Oudh to help Tughan Khan. Hearing the approach of the Delhi army, the Oriya army retreated to 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...

. But Tughlaq Tamar Khan

Tughlaq Tamar Khan

Tughlaq Tamar Khan was the governor of Oudh and Bengal during the reign of Sultan Aluddin Masud Shah.-History:In 1246 Tughral Tughan Khan, the governor of Bengal, was under attack by the Orians. The then governor of Oudh, Tamar Khan, was sent to Bengal to help Tughan Khan. The Oriya army fled...

 himself assumes the power 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...

 which forced Tughan Khan to flee to 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...

. Thus Tughan Khan's ten year ruling of Bengal ended in 1246 CE.

Tughan Khan was later appointed as the governor of Oudh by Sultan Alauddin Masud Shah

Ala ud din Masud

Ala ud din Masud was the seventh sultan of the Mamluk dynasty . He was the son of Rukn ud din Firuz and the nephew of Razia Sultan . After his predecessor, Muiz ud din Bahram, was murdered by the army in 1242 after years of disorder, the chiefs chose for him to become the next ruler...

.

Second Term (1272-1281)

In 1272 Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq

Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq

Ghiyas ud-Din Tughluq , real name Ghazi Malik was the founder and first ruler of the Turkic Muslim Tughluq dynasty in India, who reigned over Sultanate of Delhi . He has been the founder of the third city of Delhi called Tughluqabad.Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq was in origin a poor Qarauna who took...

 appointed Amin Khan

Amin Khan

Amin Khan was the Governor of Bengal in 1272.-History:In 1272 Amin Khan was appointed as the Governor of Bengal by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq. Besides, Tughral Tughan Khan, a former Governor of Bengal, was appointed as the sub-governor of Bengal....

 as the governor and Tughan Khan as the sub-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...

. But soon Tughan Khan deposed Amin Khan

Amin Khan

Amin Khan was the Governor of Bengal in 1272.-History:In 1272 Amin Khan was appointed as the Governor of Bengal by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq. Besides, Tughral Tughan Khan, a former Governor of Bengal, was appointed as the sub-governor of Bengal....

 and declared himself the independent ruler 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...

. He took the name Mughisuddin Tughral.

Tughan defeated the Sena king Vishwarup Sen of eastern Bengal (present-day Assam

Assam

Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...

) and established Muslim dominance in that region for the first time. He established a powerful fort called Narikella in 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....

. Tughan invaded Jajnagar (present-day 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...

).

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...

 sent a huge army led by Malik Turmati the ruler of Oudh against Tughan. But the Delhi army was thoroughly defeated by Tughan's army. 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...

 sent another army against Tughan. But this time once again 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...

's army was defeated by Tughan's army.

Infuriated by repeated defeats 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...

 himself invaded 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 1280. There were about three hundred thousand soldiers in 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...

's army. This massive army was accompanied with a huge navy. Tughan fled to Jajnagar by river. 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...

 split his army into smaller groups. One such small group led by Malik Sher Andaz invaded Tughan's army and Tughan was defeated and killed in the battle.

After Tughan's death, 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...

 put his son in charge 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...

. Thus the separatist Mameluk ruling 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...

 ended in 1281.

See also

• List of rulers of Bengal
• History of Bengal
  History of Bengal
  The 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 Bangladesh
  History of Bangladesh
  The 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 India
  History of India
  The 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...