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| Sher Shah Suri |
The Indian history of the first half of the 16th century is the story of the Afgan-Mughal contest for dominance and power in the sub continent. In 1526 Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi, in the first battle of Panipath marking the advent of Mughal empire in India. However the Afghan chieftains were not completely destroyed. Disarrayed and discontent to an alien rule they required the guidance and charisma of a strong leader. This they found in the form of Sher Shah Suri.
Sher Shah was born Farid in Haryana. At an early age his father Hasan took him to Sasaram in Bihar where he had been awarded a small jagir. In his childhood days Farid was ill treated by his step-mother and at the age of 22 left his household to travel and study in Jaunpur. After the death of his father Farid took possession of his paternal jagir and in 1522 got into the service of Bahar Khan, the ruler of Bihar. He rose quickly in the court of Bahar Khan and was soon appointed his deputy. He also became the tutor and mentor of Bahar Khan's minor son. Once, hunting in the forest, Farid killed a full grown tiger with his bare hands and was awarded the title of Sher Khan by Bahar Khan. But in a few years Sher Khan fell out of favour with Bahar Khan and joined Babur's camp in 1527-28. On the death of Bahar Khan, Sher returned to Bihar as its governor and guardian to the minor prince. After becoming the governor of Bihar, he began reorganizing the administration efficiently. In course of four years he organised a well disciplined, one of the largest and most efficient army and became the recognized ruler of Bihar. In the same time the Fort of Chunar came into his possession. The Lord of Chunar had been killed by his eldest son, who had rebelled against his father. His widow however married Sher Shah and gave the fort to him.
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| Sher Shah's Empire |
As Humayun focused his armies towards western India in order to defeat Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, Sher Khan in a surprise attack on Bengal annexed a large part of its territory. In 1530s as Humayun attacked and defeated Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, many of the defeated Afghan generals fled and joined Sher Shah as he was increasingly perceived as the new rising Afgan leader. Strengthened by his acquisitions in 1537 Sher Khan attacked Bengal and besieged its capital Gaur. Humayun on his return journey from Gujarat made his way towards east but instead of joining forces with the Sultan of Bengal, besieged the Fort of Chunar. There he was unable to conquer it for over six months while Sher Shah was able to utilize the time for capture of Gaur. Unable to capture Chunar, Humayun moved his forces towards Bengal and entered Gaur in July 1538. However, Sher Khan avoided direct confrontation with Humayun's forces and moved his forces to plunder Mughal territories in Bihar, Jaunpur and Kannauj. Finnaly the Mughal and Afghan armies met on the plains of Buxar in June 1539. Here the Mughar armies met with a heavy defeat and most of the Mughal soldiers were killed or captured by Sher Shah's army. Humayun himself escaped by hiding in the water skin of a water carrier and was carried across the Ganges. The victory over the Mughal ruler widened Sher Khan's empire which now extended from Kannauj in the west to the hills of Assam in the east. To legalize what he had gained, he now assumed the royal title of Sher Shah and ordered the Khutba to be read and the coins to be minted in his name. The next year Humayun retried to capture lost territories and met Sher Shah's armies in Kannauj. Commanding a demoralized and badly trained army, Humayun was again defeated on 17th May, 1540 in the Battle of Kannauj. The defeat marked the end of the empire created by Babur and heralded the arrival of Sur dynasty which ruled India unto 1557.
Apart from being a great military leader, Sher Shah Suri, was an extremely able administrator. He introduced a tax collection system, built roads along with resting areas for travelers, dug wells, improved the jurisdiction, founded hospitals, established free kitchens, organized mail services and the police. His management proved so efficient that even one of the greatest rulers of human history, the Mughal Emperor Akbar, organized the Indian subcontinent on his measures, and the system which lasted until the 20th century. He is widely considered to have built the civil and administrative structures which were later used and developed further by Akbar. To Sher Shah Suri are attributed four key achievements:
- Introduction of an Effective Monetary System: Sher Shah introduced the tri-metal coinage system which later came to characterize the Mughal coinage system. He also minted a coin of silver which was termed the Rupiya that weighed 178 grains and was the precursor of the modern rupee. The same name is still used for the national currency in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Mauritius, Maldives, Seychelles among other countries.
- Development of Roadways: For military and trade movement, Sher Shah connected the important places of his kingdom by a netwrok of excellent roads. The longest of these, called the Sadak-e-Azam or the "Badshahi Sadak" (renamed "Grand Trunk Road" by the British) survives til this day. This road is the longest highway of Asia and extends over 1500 Km from Sonargaon in Eastern Bengal to the Indus. All the roads were flanked by shade giving trees and there were sarayes (traveller's inns) all along the routes.
- Administrative Subdivision of Empire: The Sur empire was divided into forty-seven separate units called sarkars. Each of these was further subdivided into. Each paragana had its own administrative system with its own Ami , lawkeeper, treasurer and account keepers. Over the next higher administrative unit, the sarkar, were placed a Shiqdar-I-Shiqdaran and a Munsif-I-Munsifan to supervise the work of the paragana officers. To keep a tab on the performance of his officers, Sher shah had panned to rotate them across the empire every two or three years. Every branch of the administration was subject to Sher Shah's personal supervision.
- Development of the First Postal System: The sarayes developed along the road network also served as post offices. Sher Shah Suri established the foundations of a mounted post or horse courier system, wherein conveyance of letters was also extended to traders. This is the first known record of the Postal system of a kingdom being used for non-State purposes, i.e. for trade and business communication.
Sher Shah Suri died from a gunpowder explosion during the siege of Kalinjar fort on May 22, 1545 fighting against the Chandel Rajputs. Had it not been for his untimely demise the Sur dynasty would not have declined and perished and the Mughal empire may never have been re-established.
The Sher Shah Suri Tomb (122 ft high) stands in the middle of an artificial lake at Sasaram, a town that stands on the Grand Trunk Road, his lasting legacy.
Very nice article contentwise.
ReplyDeleteVery nice article contentwise.
ReplyDelete(There are alot of enemies of turk mughals who likes to do propagandas against mughals trying to degrade them by false wrong history if there are enemies there was there will be loyal friends of mughals too its not easy to rule 400 years a weak person cant rule a single man or even his house but mughals are strong courages fearless brutal fighters Mughal warriors are famous to be in less in numbers and to defeat large armies mughal were true heros few in numbers but proud there military geniuses art of war fighting capabilities is in there blood Mughal were undisputed masters there empire stretches from Afghanistan till Pakistan all over India only a strong nation can rule it British Ruled 100 years Turk Mughals ruled 400 years mughals failed because of civil war in them because of traitors its not easy minority rule majority only an extraordinary minority can do it and show to the world what turk mughals did many hindus were in high position in mughal empire mughals give religion freedom in india Golden temple land was granted by mughals to sikhs mughals abolished stop sati system in India women jumping in fire mughals stop this act mughals give actually respect to Indians hindus British never respected hindus Indians Afghans never respected hindus for afghans hindus were just a joke Afghans were used to insult hindus only by money you can by afghans but in reality Indians hindu sikhs are jokes for afghans they proud on themself it all stopped when turk mughal emperor babur descended of Timur Tamerlane enter hindustan they made india there homeland no one was dare to loot India at time of mughals because mughals are fearless brutal warrior for there enemies) So wonderful to see exaggerated created storie for sher shah suri kindly mention also sher shah suri worked under mughals he promised to be loyal servant of mughals Sher shah suri worked under mughals he got his military war skills training from mughals he got his lost jagir with the help of mughals he gained name under service of mughals when humayun went for other military expedition and made sher shah suri commander of fort to take care but sher shah suri betrayed mughals he cheated them treacherously captured fort which mughals give them to take care sher shah suri died a best death how a traitor should die sher shah suri soliders fired rocket on rajput fort that same rocket fell on sher shah suri he screamed to death while burning like a mad dog he died like a vilan while screaming traitor died traitor death his son his descended non of them were capable of ruling empire or having balls to rule accept his General hemu traitor died traitor death lol sher shah suri sher shah suvvarr
ReplyDeletefalse and bullshit information . the mughal not ligally came to subcontinent . because they cheated Ibrahim loudhi .
Deletesbse nich mughal hi the or jbtk mughal jse lootere bharat m the dusre lootere kse aajte or abdaali jse afhani iraani bharat mughal raaj m hi aate the red fort m rhte the sgahi begumo ka seak haran krte the loot paat krke chle jte the turko m itna jigure nhi tha jo unhe ronsake,,or turk gaddar or darpok the unki krurta tbhi dekhi jaa skti thi jb vo dushmn ki sankhya se jada ho ,,unhone kbhi khud se jda mantra k dushmno s nhi lade haldi ghati k yudh m bhi 20000se ldne k liye60000 gye the usme bhi ammer k rajputo ko sath lke lade the turk,,inki himmat nhi thi ki akle bhit sake,,fr vapis20000 hi gyw the 40000maar dye gye the ye h turko ki mahaanta,,turk tucche nich darpok gaddar the,,sher shah unse bht hi sahi raza the,maanvta k dushmn the turk,,thakuro ko apas m mila k thakur ko ladne k liye bhejte the khud kille m beth k laundiya baaji krte the,,oe rajput jb unki ladai jeet ker aate the to naam turko ka hota tha lkn,,turk itne beshrm or jhutte h ki aaj bhi apni badayi krne se nhi rukte besharm lootere turk
DeleteTo Weedgod:
ReplyDeleteYou need to study a bit more before making comments. The Mughals were not Turks, but they were the remains of brutal Changes form Mongolia who burnt down cities and killed hundreds of thousands of innocent in present day Afghanistan before they invaded India.
I don't need to research on Mughal History. - - actually double standard hypocrite cartoon person like you need to research need to study true History of Mughals, Mughals are Turko Mongol descended just like ottoman Turk, Nadir Shah was also Turko Mongol just like Mughals there are Mughal tribes in Turkey čàĝãțâý which in south asia know as Chagatai, Barlas Mughal tribes is found through out the world from Asia till Europe. Mongol,Turk,Tatar are same blood linage they have common great ancestor. Mughals are Turk even they were marriages between ottoman Turk & Turk Mughals, - Afghans Pathans massacred today so called Pakistani & India specially Punjabi region which Afghans feel proud they don't even consider Pakistani as Muslims Afghans Pathans of Pakistan or Afghanistan are same see other Pakistani accept Pathan other Pakistani as low race Afghans Pathans massacred Sikh even blew up harminder sahib Golden temple there is list of how pathans massacred Punjabi sikhs in serious of different years Holocaust of Sikhs. In the region of Turk Mughals both Hindus & Muslims lived peacefully both Hindus & Muslims were respected granted Lands on bases of there bravery good service by Mughals. Mughal rule in south asia known as Golden age of Hindustan 400 years of Mughal rule. Mughals extended India in a very Large united Country today parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Burma, mostly all South Asia under Mughal Rule a Greater India, under Mughal 400Year of rule. no Afghas pathans were dared to loot india or kidnapped Indian women's after the down fall of Mughals was the most disturb time of Subcontinent were Afghan Pathans hordes were used to come to loot india Punjab other places etc, Afghan Pathans were used to rape sikh women kidnapped Indian women take them to Afghanistans but under Mughal rule no Afghan dare to loot Indir because from the fear of Mughals. Just Check Mughal & Afghan Pathan war Mughals win 30 Battle war fight from Afghans Pathans and Afghans pathans were soundly defeated Mughals were always mostly victorious against there any Enemy & Afghan pathans win just 2or minimum 3 war battle fights from Mughals. Afghans Pathans started serving Mughals because Afghan Pathans were Muslims Mughals usually have soft corner for pathans Mughals granted large land estate Province to pathans for there service but due to traitor of sher shah suri. Khushsl khan khatakh Pathans losed there trust to Mughals, Mughals started not to trust Afghan Pathans because pathans are not people to be trusted they are traitor. Only some Pathan Tribe have full support of Mughal like Bangash some other tribe. But not all Afghan are to be trusted. If you read history of Afghan pathans they mostly ditched others Afghan Pathans usually were traitor in many account of history.
DeleteTo Weedgod:
DeleteYou are illiterate and ignorant about the history. First, learn how to write in proper English. Second, always be thankful to Afghans because we are the only history you have got. You always use the names of our heroes Abdali, Suri, Ghouri, Ghaznavi to name your weapons and now you are trying to belittle the same people. That's a shame.
It was the Afghans who always sacrificed heavily to stop the superpowers from overtaking the region.
BTW, I like most Pakistanis, but you are really pathetic.
Love and peace for humanity.
To Weedgod:
ReplyDeleteYou need to study a bit more before making comments. The Mughals were not Turks, but they were the remains of brutal Changes form Mongolia who burnt down cities and killed hundreds of thousands of innocent in present day Afghanistan before they invaded India.
Sher khan was a lodhi afghanistan though not from direct desendant of Ibrahim losing but he was a lodhi he worked with mughals initially learnt their secrets became the governor because of his capabilities and parented the son Bahar Khan his mentor later when he got oppuroppurtunity so he utilised that was the trend in those days but u all should not forget his economic and geographical communication andadministrative skills which let to a stable administration will 1705 till the death of aurangzeb and still later 10 to 15 years and the reason why india had become a golden bird a rich country not because of agriculture but our excellent craftsman who lwere properly promoted and off course the concept of urban and rural came with the richness these are a few facts till morglden india though british wekened our crafts handicrafts but still we have place and under the present leader ship all people will progress if only geniume people live here not invaders thanks
ReplyDelete