The Ilyas Shah dynasty was the first independent dynasty of Bengal that established the Sunni Muslim Sultanate in Bengal. Their rule lasted for more than 200 hundred years, though it was interrupted by their slaves and the House of Ganesha. Initially, Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah served under the governorship of Izz al-Din Yahya in Satgaon. After Yahya's death in 1338, Ilyas Shah seized control of Satgaon and declared himself as independent Sultan of Delhi. They maintained friendly relations with China, which aided Bengal's overseas trade. In this article, we will discuss the Ilyas Shah Dynasty of Bengal which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Important Rulers of Ilyas Shah Dynasty

Haji Shamsuddin Ilyas Khan (1342 – 1357 CE)

• Haji Ilyas, also known as Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah, was the founder of the Ilyas Shah dynasty of the Bengal Sultanate.
• Ilyas Shah, a Sunni Muslim born in Sistan, rose through the ranks of the Delhi Sultanate.
• He is regarded as the Bengali equivalent of Alexander the Great or Napoleon. He turned Bengal into an independent sultanate, with Pandua as its capital.
• He was responsible for establishing the first independent Sultanate of Bengal by uniting the territories of Satgaon, Lakhnauti, and Sonargaon.
• He gave this united territory the name Bangalah and the people who lived there the name Bangali.
• As a sultan of Satgaon, he led the first invasion of the Muslim army into Nepal.
• He also invaded Orissa, which was ruled by Bhanudeva II of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.
• He was also the first Muslim king to capture Guwahati after leading a successful campaign against the Kamarupa kingdom in modern-day Assam.
• Ilyas Shah protected Bengal from the invasion of Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq of Delhi Sultanate in November 1353.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Haji Shamsuddin Ilyas Khan (1342 – 1357 CE)

Ghiyasuddin Azam (1390 – 1411 CE)

• Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah succeeded to the throne in 1390 after the death of his father.
• He was the most prominent sultan of the Ilyas Shah dynasty.
• He established an independent judiciary and promoted Persianate and Bengali culture.
• He was known for enforcing the law and held high regard for the rule of law.
• He also had friendly relations with China, which aided Bengal's overseas trade.
• In North India, the Sultan established strong ties with the Sultanate of Jaunpur.
• He dispatched envoys to the Hejaz and provided funding for the construction of madrasas in Mecca and Medina.
• He also made a significant contribution to Bengali literature; under his patronage, Shah Muhammad Sagir composed his famous book, Yusuf-Zulekha.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Ghiyasuddin Azam (1390 – 1411 CE)

Alauddin Husain Shah (1494-1519 CE)

• Alauddin Husain Shah's reign witnessed the widespread territorial expansion of the Sultanate of Bengal.
• He was able to defend his western border against the Lodi invasion and provide asylum to Jaunpur's deposed Sharqi monarch.
• Several missions against Kamarupa were led by him. Kamarupa and Kamta were annexed to the kingdom of Bengal after the Khen dynasty of Kamarupa was toppled.
• A Portuguese expedition arrived in Bengal near the end of Husain Shah's reign to establish diplomatic relations.
• Bengali literature developed significantly during Husain Shah's reign.
• Yashoraj Khan, a Husain Shah official, authored a number of Vaishnava padas and complimented his king in one of them.
• During his reign, the great saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his followers taught the Bhakti cult throughout Bengal.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Alauddin Hussain Shah (1494 – 1519 CE)

Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah (1518 – 1533 CE)

• Nasrat ascended to the throne as Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah after the death of his father Alauddin Husain Shah in 1519.
• Nusrat expanded his territory into Tirhut (northern Bihar) and established his headquarters at Hajipur, at the confluence of the Gandak and the Ganges.
• Nusrat avoided any association with the anti-Mughal confederacy formed by Mahmud Lodi and Afghan chiefs.
• A direct conflict with the Mughals resulted in the Battle of Ghaghra, in 1529.
• The Mughal Empire was victorious, and their territory extended to the eastern bank of the Ghaghara in Bihar, though they did not reach Bengal.
• Two Portuguese missions arrived at Nusrat's court near the end of 1521 to establish diplomatic relations with Bengal.
• Goncalo Tavares, a Portuguese envoy, had successfully obtained a duty-free arrangement for trading in Bengal for Portuguese merchants.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah (1518 – 1533 CE)

Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah (1533 – 1538 CE)

• Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah, after killing his nephew Sultan Alauddin Firuz, ascended to the throne in 1533 AD and ruled for five years
• In 1534 AD, Mahmud Shah dispatched an army of artillery, cavalry, and infantry under Ibrahim Khan to capture Bihar.
• But Ibrahim Khan was defeated and slain by Sher Shah Suri.
• Mahmud Shah's problems were further aggravated by the advent of the Portuguese on Bengal's shores.
• They misbehaved with the Muslim governor and traders. As a result, Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah ordered their capture.
• However, Mahmud was forced to change his strategy due to Sher Shah Suri's aggressive intentions, which had been heightened by his triumph at Surajgarh.
• In order to gain their support, he freed the Portuguese captives and even hired a Portuguese military expert.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah (1533 – 1538 CE)

Art and Architecture During Ilyas Shah Dynasty

• Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah made a significant contribution to Bengali literature; under his patronage, Shah Muhammad Sagir composed his famous book, Yusuf-Zulekha.
• During his reign, the Hindu poet Krittibas Ojha translated the Ramayana into Bengali as Krittivasi Ramayan.
• He also built two Madrasas for the dissemination of Islamic learning, one near the Umme-Hani gate in Makka and the other near the Gate of Peace (Bab-al-Salam) in Madina.
• Yashoraj Khan, a Husain Shah official, authored a number of Vaishnava padas during the reign of Alauddin Husain Shah.
• In 1526 AD, Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah finished the construction of the Baro Shona Masjid in Gour, West Bengal.

Conclusion

Haji Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah was the founder of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty and its first Bengal Sultanate. He successfully protected Bengal from the invasion of Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq of Delhi Sultanate. Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was the most prominent sultan of the Ilyas Shah dynasty. He maintained friendly relations with China, which aided Bengal's overseas trade. Ilyas Shah dynasty also maintained diplomatic relations with the Portuguese. In 1538 AD, the Ilyas Shah Dynasty came to an end, marking the end of the independent Sultanate of Bengal.