Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri, also known by his title Sultan Adil, was the Sultan of Hindustan, as the first Sur Emperor, from 1540 until his death in 1545. Prior to his ascension, he also served as the ruler of Bihar and Bengal. He established the Sur Empire after defeating the Mughal Empire and declaring Delhi his seat of power. The influence of his innovations and reforms extended far beyond his brief reign, being recognized as one of the greatest administrative rulers in India. Sher Shah is renowned as one of the most skillful Afghan generals in history, and by the end of his reign, his empire covered nearly all of Northern India.
Born between [|1472 and 1486] and given the name Farid Khan, his early childhood saw him flee from home due to internal family strife. He pursued an education in Jaunpur, where his rise to power began after his father offered him a managerial position over his jagirs. Sher Shah effectively governed these territories, gaining a reputation for his reforms that brought prosperity to the region. However, due to family intrigues, he eventually relinquished his position over the jagirs. Sher Shah then moved to Agra, where he stayed until his father's death. This event allowed him to return to his family's jagirs and take control, thereby solidifying his leadership and furthering his rise to power.
Sher Shah spent time in Agra after the Mughals gained power, observing the leadership of Babur. After leaving Agra, he entered the service of the governor of Bihar. Following the governor's death in 1528, Sher Shah obtained a high position in Bihar and, by 1530, became the regent and de facto ruler of the kingdom. He engaged in conflicts with the local nobility and the Sultanate of Bengal. In 1538, while Mughal Emperor Humayun was engaged in military campaigns elsewhere, Sher Shah overran the Bengal Sultanate and established the Suri dynasty. He defeated the Mughals and drove them out of India, establishing himself as emperor in Delhi. As ruler of Hindustan, Sher Shah led numerous military campaigns, conquering Punjab, Malwa, Marwar, Mewar, and Bundelkhand. A brilliant strategist, Sher Shah was both a gifted administrator and a capable general. His reorganization of the empire and strategic innovations laid the foundations for future Mughal emperors, notably Akbar. Sher Shah died in May 1545 while besieging Kalinjar fort. Following his death, the empire descended into civil war until it was eventually re-conquered by the Mughals.
During his rule as Emperor of the Sur Empire, Sher Shah implemented numerous economic, administrative, and military reforms. He issued the first Rupiya, organized the postal system of the Indian subcontinent, as well as extending the Grand Trunk Road from Chittagong in Bengal to Kabul in Afghanistan, significantly improving trade. Sher Shah further developed Humayun's Dina-panah city, renaming it Shergarh, and revived the historical city of Pataliputra, which had been in decline since the 7th century CE, as Patna. Additionally, he embarked on several military campaigns that restored Afghan prominence in India.
Name and title
His birth name was Farid al-Din Khan. After 1526, he was conferred the title Sher Khan, and following his ascension as Sultan of Hindustan in 1540, he became known as Sher Shah. His full title was Al‑Sultān al‑ʿĀdil Abū’l‑Muzzafar Farīd al‑Dunyā wa’d‑Dīn Sher Shah Khallada Allāhu Mulkahu wa Saltanahu.His surname 'Suri' was taken from his Pashtun Sur tribe. He was a distant kinsman to Babur's brother-in-law, Mir Shah Jamal, who remained loyal to Humayun. The name Sher was conferred upon him for his courage when, as a young man, he killed a tiger that leapt suddenly upon the governor of Bihar, Behar Khan Lohani.
Early life and origin (1472/1486–1497)
Sher Shah was born in Sasaram, located in present-day Bihar, India. His birthdate is disputed, with some accounts stating he was born in 1472, while others claim 1486. He was of Pashtun Afghan origin, belonging to the Sur clan.Sher Shah's grandfather, Ibrahim Khan Sur, migrated from the region of Roh in present-day Afghanistan in the reign of Bahlol Lodi and began his career as a horse trader, eventually becoming a landlord in the Narnaul area of present-day Haryana. He represented his patron, Jamal Khan Lodi Sarangkhani, who assigned him several villages in Hissar Firoza. Sher Shah's father, Hasan Khan Sur, entered the service of Jamal Khan. In 1494, Jamal Khan was promoted and established in Bihar by Sikandar Khan Lodi. At Jamal Khan's request, Sikandar granted Hasan the jagirs of Khwaspur, Sasaram, and Hajipur in Bihar.
Hasan had several wives and fathered over eight sons, with Nizam Khan being Sher Shah's only full brother. His step-brothers were Sulaiman, Ahmad and Muda who were from a concubine. One of Sher Shah's stepmothers was cruel to him, and Hasan, being too submissive to his wife, was unable to intervene. As a result, Sher Shah sought refuge with Jamal Khan, aiming to gain experience and further his education.
Sher Shah pursued his education in Jaunpur for several years, studying subjects such as history and religion. On one occasion, Hasan visited Jamal Khan in Jaunpur and encountered some of Sher Shah's relatives, who spoke of Sher Shah's potential for future greatness. Impressed by these accounts, Hasan invited Sher Shah to manage his domains in 1497.
Rise to power (1497–1528)
Sher Shah accepted his father's offer and embarked on implementing numerous reforms. His early administrative career focused on combating corruption. One of Sher Shah's significant reforms as administrator of his father's domains was the assessment of land revenues, along with defining and establishing commissions for tax collectors. However, despite these reforms, Sher Shah faced resentment and intrigue from his stepmother, who had initially forced him to flee, and his step-brothers. This opposition eventually led to Sher Shah resigning from his post in 1518, after serving as manager for 21 years. Following his resignation, he initially engaged in banditry before departing for Agra, which was under the rule of the Lodi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate and gained the support of Daulat Khan Lodi.Sher Shah remained in Agra until his father's death, after which he received his father's jagirs from Sultan Ibrahim Khan Lodi which were initially held by his step-brother Sulaiman Khan. Returning to his jagirs in 1520–21, Sher Shah began administering them while in the service of Behar Khan Lohani. Conflict emerged however over the split of his father's land between his brothers, and Muhammad Khan Sur initially drove Sher Shah from the estate by defeating one of his governors. In 1526, the Lodis were overthrown, bringing the Mughals to power under Babur. During this time, Behar Khan Lohani established an independent state in Bihar and assumed the title of Sultan Muhammad. With the aid of Junaid Khan, the Mughal governor of Jaunpur, Sher Shah joined Mughal service. In April 1527, after Babur launched a campaign against the Afghans in Bihar, Sher Shah distinguished himself, and his estates were restored in 1528.
With his jagirs secured, Sher Shah accompanied Junaid Khan to Agra, where he met Mughal Emperor Babur. During this time, Sher Shah was conferred the title of Sher Khan after killing a tiger that leapt upon the ruler of Bihar. Sher Shah remained in Agra, observing Mughal military organization and administration.
Once, while dining with Mughal Emperor Babur, Sher Shah encountered a dish he was unfamiliar with eating. In response, he drew his dagger, cut the dish into smaller pieces, and then ate it with a spoon. Babur took notice and informed his minister, Mir Khalifa:
Suspecting a rising plot against him, Sher Shah departed Agra and left Mughal service, returning to his Jagirs in 1528. He sought refuge under the protection of Sultan Muhammad of Bihar. Upon Sher Shah's arrival, he was warmly received and appointed as the guardian of Muhammad's son, Jalal Khan.
Reign in Bihar (1528–1538/1540)
In October 1528, Sultan Mohammad of Bihar died, and his queen, Dudu Bibi, assumed the role of regent. Sher Shah was appointed as her deputy governor, allowing him to begin consolidating his position in the region through a myriad of military and administrative reforms. These reforms significantly strengthened his position, making him one of the most influential Afghan leaders in India.In 1529, Sher Shah anticipated joining Mahmud Lodi, the younger brother of Ibrahim Lodi, in his insurrection against the Mughals that rallied most of the significant Afghan leaders in India. Sher Shah, however, recognized the division among the Afghans and Mahmud's incompetence, thus refusing to aid Mahmud. Intending for the unification of all Afghan leaders, Mahmud marched with his army to Sasaram, persuading Sher Shah to join the rebellion. Hesitatingly, Sher Shah accompanied the expedition with his own set of men, and the insurrection initially succeeded, capturing Ghazipur and Banaras. However, upon the arrival of Mughal forces, Mahmud Lodi abandoned the army. After this, many Afghan nobles including Sher Shah submitted to Babur. In early 1530, the death of Dudu Bibi enabled Sher Shah to become the regent for Jalal Khan, effectively making him the de facto ruler of Bihar.
Despite his growing power, many of the Lohani nobles opposed Sher Shah's dominance. Although he offered to share power, the Lohani nobles rejected his proposal and instead fled to Bengal with Jalal Khan, seeking the support of Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah, the ruler of the Bengal Sultanate. Consequently, Sher Shah became the sole ruler of Bihar. However, he did not adopt any grand titles, preferring to style himself as Hazrat-i-Ala.