Islam Khan
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Shaikh Alauddin Chisti (? - 1613) was a Subahdar and general of the army of the Mughal empire in Bengal, and the first governor of the city of Dhaka, the capital of modern Bangladesh. He was awarded the titular name of Islam Khan by Mughal emperor Jahangir.
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[edit] Early life
A son of Shaikh Badruddin Chisti and grandson of Shaikh Salim Chisti of Fatehpur Sikri, Islam Khan was a childhood playmate of Jahangir, then crown-prince to the throne held by emperor Akbar. He received education formal education in the traditions of Mughal nobility, but apparently did not receive much military training. Despite this, he entered the service of the Mughal army. Prior to his coming to Bengal he was subahdar of the province of Bihar.
[edit] Conquest of Bengal
Emperor Akbar had sent many missions to subjugate the Bengal region, but they largely failed owing to feudal rebellions. Upon taking the throne, emperor Jahangir also sent a few missions to the province, but suffered failure. In 1608, he selected Islam Khan, then only 38 years old. Khan studied the politics of Bengal carefully and meticulously plotted his campaign. He sought to remove the Bhati of the Bara-Bhuiyans and the Afghan nobles under Khwaja Usman, believing them to be the chief obstacles to a Mughal takeover.
Reorganising the army and the navy, Islam Khan planned to march against the Bara-Bhuiyans first. He felt that the effective means of warfare in the low-lying, riverine Bhati area, was a strong fleet of war-boats. Appointing experienced and skilled officers, Islam Khan began a carefully organised military assault on the Bhati region, subjugating their allies such as the powerful Raja Pratapaditya of Jessore and Raja Satrajit of Bhusna first. Islam Khan also sent an army against the refractory zamindars of northwest Bengal. By June 1609 CE, Islam Khan's armies had progressed from Rajmahal to Ghoraghat. He spent the first few months of 1610 fighting against the Bara Bhuiyans before reaching Dhaka in about June-July of the same year. The Bhuiyans were not subdued; they fortified their positions on both sides of the Lakhya river. Islam Khan did not spare them any relief, but after fortifying Dhaka sent expeditions against all stations of the Bhuiyans and before the end of 1611 all the Bara-Bhuiyans including their chief Musa Khan submitted to Islam Khan.
After his victory, Islam Khan turned his forces to attack the territories controlled by Khwaja Usman and his Afghan warlords. The Afghans fled to Uhar (in Maulvibazar) and continued their stubborn resistance. On Islam Khan's request, the emperor sent Shujaat Khan to lead the army against Usman. Although both armies clashed in a bloody stalemate, the sudden death of Khwaja Usman gave the Mughals an edge. Intensifying the offensive, Mughal forces destroyed their opposition and subjugated the Afghan forces under Bayazid Karrani at Sylhet. Islam Khan would also subsequently annex the Kamarupa kingdom.
[edit] Governor of Bengal
Islam Khan had established Mughal domain over all of Bengal save the Chittagong region. Attacking his enemies one-by-one, he exploited their differences and rivalries to advance Mughal power. He did not allow the defeated zamindars, Bhuiyans and chiefs to go back to their respective territories; though their territories were returned to them, they were forced to join the Mughal army and their war-boats were confiscated. Joining the Mughal army, they had to fight against their fellow zamindars and Bhuiyans.
Following the defeat of the Bhuiyans, Islam Khan decided to move the provincial capital from Rajmahal, situated in western Bengal to the centre of the region in Dhaka. This strategic move gave the Mughal army permanent access to the heartland of Bengal and enabled them to respond speedily to political events. Occupying Dhaka, Islam Khan renamed it as "Jahangir Nagar" and established a modern city.
[edit] Death
Islam Khan governed Dhaka and Bengal from 1608 to 1613. He died mysteriously and unexpectedly at Bhawal about 25 miles north of Dhaka towards the end of 1613. He was first buried at Badshahi Bagh (old High Court premises), Dhaka, but later his coffin was taken to Fatehpur Sikri and laid to eternal rest by the side of his grandfather Shaikh Salim Chishti. There is a large mosque in Dhaka dedicated to Islam Khan.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Sir Jadunath Sarkar, History of Bengal, II (Dhaka, 1948)
- Abdul Karim, History of Bengal, Mughal Period, I, (Rajshahi, 1992)
