Twilight of the Sultanate c11.s2.1

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