Twilight of the Sultanate c11.s2: Jaunpur

Twilight of the Sultanate c11.s2

Language: English

Jaunpur

c11.s2.1

Sultan Shamsuddīn Ibrāhīm Sharqī, "as good a master of pen as of sword", ruled over Jaunpur for forty years from A. D. 1401 to 1440.³⁴ All his life he not only constantly fought his neighbours—the Sultans of Delhi, Bengal and Malwa—but also found time to embellish his capital with magnificent buildings and patronise art and letters. In the desert of the strife and confusion prevailing in Hindustan, Jaunpur was like an oasis of learning, art and culture. The court of Jaunpur during the forty years of Ibrāhīm's rule far eclipsed that of Delhi, and was the resort of all the learned men of the east. People were happy under his benign rule and saints and scholars and artists flocked to Jaunpur from all parts of Hindustan and abroad. According to Ferishta, Ibrāhīm's court rivalled that of Iran and his capital came to be addressed as the second Shīrāz.³⁵

c11.s2.2

³⁴ Nizāmuddīn gives the date of his death as 840 H (A.D. 1436). But his coins show that he was alive up to 844 H (A.D. 1440). J.A.S.B., XVIII, 135, 157. Also Ferishta, II, 305-6.

c11.s2.3

³⁵ Ferishta, II, 305-306.

c11.s2.4

Ibrāhīm Sharqī could hardly miss the opportunity offered by the appeal of Muhammad Khan of Bayana, for trying his strength with that of the Delhi Sultan. He had already prepared an elaborate scheme of invading the Doab. In the south his target was Kalpi, in the north Badaon, and had his schemes materialised, Mubārak Shāh would have found himself relieved of the whole of the Doab. Thus, as Mubārak Shāh was marching towards Bayana, he received an urgent appeal for succour from Qādir Khan, governor of Kalpi,³⁶ to the effect that the king of Jaunpur was marching upon Kalpi. Mubārak Shāh at once turned towards the south-west to meet Ibrāhīm, checkmate his plans on Kalpi and prevent him from joining Muhammad Auhadī at Bayana. The Sharqī king had already sacked Bhongaon in the Doab and was now advancing upon Badaon lying fifty miles north of it. Mubārak Shāh forded the Jumna at Tappal, sacked Chartoli or Jartaulī³⁷ and arrived at Atraulī,³⁸ lying 16 miles east of Aligarh. Ibrāhīm continued his advance along the banks of the Āb-i-Siyāh or Kalindī and reached Burhanabad in Etawah district, while Mubārak Shāh left Atraulī in his pursuit. But the Sharqī king avoided giving battle and moved to Rapri.³⁹ Crossing the Jumna at the ford of Nārang,⁴⁰ he succeeded in reaching Bayana, the friendly country of Muhammad Auhadī, and encamped on the river Gambhīr.⁴¹ Mubārak Shāh marched close at his heels, crossed the Jumna at Chandwār and encamped at a distance of four *kos*⁴² from the enemy. The two forces dug trenches and consolidated their positions.⁴³ For twenty-two days minor skirmishes were fought, whereupon Ibrāhīm Sharqī decided to give a final battle. On Wednesday 24 March, 1428 (7 Jamadiul Ākhir) he left his trenches and arrayed his army, footmen and cavalry, on the plain. At this Mubārak Shāh’s courage failed him, and although he ordered Sikandar Tuhfā and other officers to march into battle, he himself along with many important officers like his Vazīr, Sarwarul Mulk, refrained from personally participating in it.⁴⁴ The battle began at noon and raged till dusk when the rival forces withdrew to their respective encampments. Having failed to win a decisive victory, Sultan Ibrāhīm decided to retire. He crossed the Jumna at the ford of Nārang, and passing through Rapri returned to his own country by successive marches.

c11.s2.5

³⁶ Kalpi is in Jalaun District, U.P., Lat. 26° 8′ N. and Long. 79° 45′ E.

c11.s2.6

³⁷ Badaonī has جرتولی (Jartaulī) and Elliot Harolī. T.M.S., 207 also has جرتولی. Col. Ranking says he is unable to find the place. This Harolī or Jartaulī is Thorton’s Jurowlee lying 28 miles N.E. of Aligarh on the road from Aligarh to Moradabad.

c11.s2.7

³⁸ Atraulī was a Mahāl in Sarkar Kol or Aligarh in Akbar’s time. It lies 16 miles N.E. of Aligarh. Āīn., II, 186; Hunter, Imp. Gaz., I, 180.

c11.s2.8

³⁹ T.M.S., 208.

c11.s2.9

⁴⁰ The word Gudrang گدرنگ has been written by Yahyā. No such place exists. It may be a mistaken reading for گذرگ or ford, or گذر رنگ the ford of Nārang. It is stated in the Mainpuri Gazetteer that at Nārangī the Jumna contracts to a width of about 50 yards in winter, thus providing a natural ford. It lies very near Rapri. Ferishta and Nizāmuddīn do not make mention of any ford but only say that Ibrāhīm Sharqī crossed the Jumna near Rapri. U.P. Gazetteer, X, 248-49.

c11.s2.10

⁴¹ T.M.S., 208 correctly has آب گنهیر. Badonī has Āb-i-Katehar. Elliot has "river of Katehar". Obviously river Gambhīr is meant. Bayana lies close to the left bank of Gambhīr.

c11.s2.11

⁴² T.M.S., 208; Ferishta, II, 306; T.A. has 5 *kos*.

c11.s2.12

⁴³ Ferishta, I, 166; II, 306.

c11.s2.13

⁴⁴ T.M.S., 208-9. T.A., I, 278; Ferishta, I, 166.

c11.s2.14

With the retreat of Ibrāhīm Sharqī, Muhammad Khan Auhadī was rendered helpless. Abandoning the fort on 11 May, 1428 (26 Rajjab, 831 H), he went away towards Mewat. Mubārak Shāh remained at Bayana for three weeks to arrange for its administration, and then appointing Mahmūd Hasan as its governor, returned to Delhi.

c11.s2.15

Two months later he sent an expedition to Mewat, where Muhammad Auhadī had taken refuge. During the last war Qadr Khan (Qaddū) had been found to be in secret correspondence with Ibrāhīm Sharqī. Consequently, the Sultan ordered his death. Qadr Khan’s execution enraged his brother Jalāl Khan (Jallū) and other Mewatī leaders, who rose in revolt. Sarwarul Mulk marched to suppress them, and laid siege to the fort of Indūr.⁴⁵ The Mewatīs could not hold on for long and purchased their peace by giving “revenue; tribute and hostages”.⁴⁶ By the end of A.D. 1428 Mahmūd Hasan, who had been deputed to Bayana, had crushed whatever recalcitrant elements had remained there. As a reward he was confirmed in his fief of Hisār Fīrōzā.⁴⁷

c11.s2.16

⁴⁵ T.M.S., 212; Ferishta, I, 166. E and D., IV, 66 has fort of Alwar.

c11.s2.17

⁴⁶ T.M.S., 212.

c11.s2.18

⁴⁷ According to Yahyā it was in Jamadiul Ākhir 830 H (March-April A.D. 1427) that Mahmūd Hasan was given Hisār Fīrōzā and Malik Rajjab Nadira was transferred to Multan (T.M.S., 206). At p. 213, however, Yahyā once again mentions that Hisār Fīrōzā was conferred upon Mahmūd Hasan after his return from Bayana. It appears that Mahmūd Hasan was constantly busy fighting and could not take charge of his assignment on the first occasion. But being highly favoured by the Sultan, he was once again confirmed in Hisār Fīrōzā. Mahmūd Hasan’s promotion was only on the grounds of merit. In the early years of Mubārak Shāh’s reign he had successfully fought Jasrat Khokhar. Later on he had made a stand against Shaikh ’Alī of Kabul. It were his capabilities as a soldier that Bayana, the key province, was given to him. Badaonī also says that the “fortress of Fīrōzā was confirmed to him”. Text, I, 293; Ranking, I, 387.

c11.s2.19

Taking advantage of the preoccupation of the royal armies in Bayana and Mewat, Jasrat Khokhar, who was lying low for the last five years, became restive again and laid siege to Kalanaur. Sikandar Tuhfā rushed from Lahore to the aid of its governor Ghālib Khan, and there defeated the rebel. But the event diverted Mubārak Shāh's attention from the western U.P. to the Punjab. In July 1429, Malik Rajjab Nadira of Multan died, and the governorship of Multan was restored to Mahmūd Hasan, who was given the title of Imādul Mulk or Pillar of the State. Having thus settled the affairs in the west, Mubārak Shāh again marched to Bayana in the winter of the same year. He also went to Gwalior, Hatkanth and Rapri on the usual revenue collecting expeditions. He transferred the charge of Rapri from the son of Hasan Khan to that of Malik Hamza. As he moved from Rapri, Saiyyad Sālim of Bhatinda breathed his last. His slave Faulād rose in rebellion and the Sultan had to rush to Bhatinda to deal with him. The situation became extremely complicated at the appearance of Shaikh 'Alī in the Punjab, first at the invitation of Faulād and later at that of Jasrat Khokhar. Consequently the Sultan could not look to the affairs in the east for four long years.

c11.s2.20

At last finding a break in the activities of Shaikh 'Alī, he ordered Imādul Mulk to Bayana and himself marched in November, 1432 (Rabiul Avval, 836 H) against Mewat, where Jalāl Khan Mewatī was again in revolt. On the Sultan's arrival at Taoru,⁴⁸ Jalāl Khan first shut himself up in the stronghold of Indūr, and later in the Kotla.⁴⁹ The Sultan made Tijara his headquarters and sacked the greater part of Mewat. Finding resistance futile, Jalāl Khan made his submission on the usual terms of a present payment and promise of good behaviour. Here at Tijara, Imādul Mulk rejoined the Sultan after having returned from the expedition to Bayana. Mubārak Shāh despatched Malik Kamāluddīn to bring Gwalior and Etawah to obedience and himself returned to the capital in January, 1433 (Jamadiul Avval),⁵⁰ only to march to the Punjab against Shaikh 'Alī, on whom he ultimately inflicted a crushing defeat.

Cites (1)

Tārīkh-i Mubārakshāhī — Yaḥyā b. Aḥmad Sirhindī