Third Sultan of Bengal and ruler of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty
Ghiyasuddin A'zam Shah
(
Bengali
:
???????????? ??? ???
,
Persian
:
?????????? ???? ???
) was the third
Sultan of Bengal
and the
Ilyas Shahi dynasty
.
[1]
He was one of the most prominent medieval Bengali sultans. He established
diplomatic relations
with the
Ming Empire
of China, pursued cultural contacts with leading thinkers in
Persia
and conquered
Assam
.
[2]
Reign
[
edit
]
Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah became the Sultan of Bengal after his own forces overthrew and killed his father Sultan
Sikandar Shah
at the Battle of Goalpara in 1390, despite Azam Shah ordering them not to kill his father.
[3]
During the early part of his reign, he conquered and occupied
Kamarupa
in modern-day
Assam
. His interests included establishing an independent
judiciary
and fostering
Persianate
and
Bengali culture
.
He also had a profound regard for law. A story about him and a
qazi
is very famous as a folktale and moral story.
[4]
Once, the sultan while hunting accidentally killed the son of a poor widow with his arrow. The widow appeared before a
qazi
and brought a charge of murder against the sultan. Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was summoned by the Qazi, and appeared before the court like an ordinary accused person. Many people had gathered there to see a case against the
sultan
of the country.
[5]
[6]
The
sultan
obeyed the law and gave indemnity to the poor widow for killing her son. When the trial was over the Qazi stood up and praised the sultan for his regard for the law.
[4]
[6]
Then the
sultan
said that he would have instantly beheaded the
qazi
if he faltered in his judgment. The
qazi
smiled and said that he would have flayed his majesty's back with a whip if he had not obeyed the law. Sultan Ghiyasuddin embraced the brave
qazi
, and the whole crowd shouted in their honour.
[5]
[4]
[6]
Diplomatic and regional affairs
[
edit
]
The Sultan pioneered diplomatic relations with China by sending
embassies
to the
Ming dynasty
court in
Peking
. He exchanged envoys and gifts with the
Yongle Emperor
. Bengal was interested in establishing a strategic partnership with China to counter the influence of its neighbors, including the
Delhi Sultanate
. The Chinese mediated in several regional disputes. The Sultan also built strong relations with the
Sultanate of Jaunpur
in North India. He sent envoys to the
Hejaz
and financed the construction of
madrasas
in
Mecca
and
Medina
.
[7]
[8]
Literary patron
[
edit
]
Ghiyasuddin was a patron of scholars and poets. Among others, the Persian poet
Hafez
kept correspondences with him. One of the earliest Muslim Bengali poet,
Shah Muhammad Sagir
, who was a poet-laureate of Ghiyasuddin, wrote his famous work,
Yusuf-Zulekha
at the request of the Sultan. The Hindu poet,
Krittibas Ojha
, also translated the
Ramayana
in
Bengali
as
Krittivasi Ramayan
during his reign.
[9]
???? ???? ??? ? ?? ? ???? ??????
S?q? had?th-e-sarv-o-gul-o-l?lah m?-ravad
O Saqi (cup-bearer)! The tale of the cypress, the rose and the tulip is going on
??? ??? ?? ????? ????? ??????
V?n bahth b?-thal?hta-e-?hass?lah m?-ravad
And with the three washers (of cups), this dispute is going on
?????? ???? ??? ?????? ???
Shakkar-shikan shavand hamah t?tiy?n-e-hind
All the parrots [poets] of
Hind
have become sugar-shattering [excited]
??? ??? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ??????
Z?n qand-e-p?rs? kih bah-bang?lah m?-ravad
That this Persian candy [ode], to Bengal is going [on].
???? ? ??? ???? ????? ???? ???
H?fiz ze shauq-e-majlis-e-Sult?n ?hiy?th-e-D?n
Of love for the assembly of the Sultan Ghiyasu-d-Din, oh Hafiz
???? ??? ?? ??? ?? ?? ???? ??????
Be not silent. For, from lamenting, your work is going on
– A poem jointly penned by the Sultan and Persian poet Hafez.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]