Muhammad Khan Sur

Sultan of Bengal from 1553 to 1555
Shamsuddin Muhammad Shah
as-Sulṭān Shams ad-Dunyā wa ad-Dīn Abu al-Muẓaffar Muḥammad Shāh Ghāzī[1]
Coin of Shams al-Din Muhammad. Sultan of Bengal, 962 AH (1554–1555 AD). Obverse: Shahada. Reverse: Name and titles of Shams al-Din Muhammad Shah Ghazi.
22nd Sultan of Bengal
Reign1553–1555
Coronation1553
Predecessor
  • Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah as Sultan
  • Shahbaz Khan Suri as Governor
SuccessorGhiyasuddin Bahadur Shah II
Governor of Bengal
Reign1545–1553
PredecessorQazi Fazilat
SuccessorShahbaz Khan Suri
BornMuḥammad Khān Sūr
DiedDecember 1555
Chapar Ghata, Sur Empire
Burial1555
IssueKhizr and Jalal
HouseMuhammad Shahi
DynastySur
ReligionSunni Islam
Part of a series on the
Bengal Sultanate
Ruling dynasties
  • Ilyas Shahi dynasty (1342–1414)
    • Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah 1342-1358
    • Sikandar Shah 1358-1390
    • Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah 1390-1411
    • Saifuddin Hamza Shah 1411-1413
    • Muhammad bin Hamza Shah 1413
    • Shihabuddin Bayazid Shah 1413-1414
    • Alauddin Firuz Shah I 1414
  • v
  • t
  • e

Muhammad Khan Sur, also known by his regnal title Shamsuddin Muhammad Shah Ghazi, was the Sultan of Bengal from 1553 to 1555. He was initially appointed as a governor of Bengal by Emperor Islam Shah Suri of the Sur Empire in 1545,[2][self-published source?] but after his death, he declared independence and re-established the Bengal Sultanate. He conquered Arakan of Burma, and ordered of striking silver 'tanka' coins for Bengal.[3]

Governor of Bengal

Qazi Fazilat's term as Chief of all of the Muqtas of Bengal ended following the death of Emperor Sher Shah Suri in 1545. The next emperor, Islam Shah Suri, then appointed Muhammad Khan to govern Bengal. Muhammad peacefully governed Bengal, subordinate to the emperor. However, following Islam Shah's death in 1553, Muhammad declared independence from Delhi, effectively reestablishing the weakening Bengal Sultanate by starting his own dynasty.

Sultan of Bengal

During his reign, Muhammad Shah conquered Arakan where he began minting coins from.[4][self-published source?] His issued coins bore the Shahada and the names of the four Rashidun; Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman and Ali. This signified his Sunni Muslim religious beliefs. Unlike the Sur emperors, Muhammad Shah dropped the use of Devanagari script in coins.[1] He also reconquered Chittagong from the Twipra Kingdom, and his legitimate authority was recognised as far as Bihar.[5]

Vying for power in North India, Muhammad Shah conquered Jaunpur and proceeded for Delhi, the capital of the Sur Empire. In 1555, he fought a battle in Chapar Ghata against Islam Shah's successor, Adil Shah.[2] In that battle Muhammad Shah was defeated and killed by Adil's Hindu general, Hemu.[2]

Succession

Muhammad Shah's eldest son, Khidr, ascended the independent throne of Bengal as Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah II. However, Adil Shah did not recognise this as a legitimate position and he appointed Shahbaz Khan Suri to be the governor of Bengal under him.[2]

Preceded by Governor of Bengal
1545-1555
Succeeded by
Shahbaz Khan Suri
Preceded by
Muhammad Adil Shah
as Sultan of Delhi
Sultan of Bengal
1554-1555
Succeeded by

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Karim, Muhammad Rezaul (2012). "Coins". In Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "KingListsFarEast". Archived from the original on 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
  3. ^ "Arakan (in Myanmar) under Pashtun rule". pashtunhistory.com. 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Arakan (Burma) Under Afghan rule". History of Pashtuns. Archived from the original on 3 January 2017.
  5. ^ Ibrahim, Muhammad (2012). "Rule of Afghans". In Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 15 June 2024.