SHERSHAH

Sher Khan defeated Humayun In 1537, Sher Khan invaded Bengal.Humayun realised the power of the Afghans too late. Again,his wrong tactics of war and wrong decisions gave enough time to Sher Khan for the reduction of Gaur by April 1538.Sher Khan also captured the fortress of Rohtas.And finally in 1539,Sher Khan was able to defeat Humayun at Chausa (situated near the boundary of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh). And again in 1540,he defeated Humayun at Kanauj,and went on to capture Delhi and Agra.Thus Sher Khan re-established the Afghans rule in Delhi.Humayun was compelled flee from India.In 1542,he reached Amrakot (in Sind),where Akbar was born in November,1542.At last Shah Tahmasp I,the ruler of Persia, gave him shelter. Early Days of Sher Shah Suri 1472 Sher Khan born 1522 Sher Khan took the service of Bahar Khan 1527 - 1528 Sher Khan served the Babur camp 1534 Sher Khan defeated the Bengal king on the Kiul river 1537 Oct Sher Khan invaded Bengal and besieged the city of Gaur 1539 Sher Khan defeated Humayun at Chausa 1540 Sher Khan defeated Humayun at Kanauj Farid Khan's Childhood The career of Sher Khan Suri,the hero of Indo-Muslim revival,is as fascinating as Babur and not less instructive than Akbar.Sher Khan was born in 1472. His original name was Farid Khan.Farid's father Hasan Khan was the jagirdar of Sasaram in Bihar.Hasan was a polygamist and his second wife had great influence over him. Farid,fed up of his step-mother's ill-treatment,left home at the age of 22 and went to Jaunpur.This turn made him pass through many adventures and struggle.In Jaunpur, he devoted some time to study and very soon became proficient in Arabic as well as Persian literature.Being an exceptionally brilliant person, he drew the attention first of his teachers and then of Jamal Khan,the governor of Jaunpur.Jamal Khan effected a reconciliation between Farid and his father.He then returned to Sasaram and administered his father's jagirs for 21 years.He successfully administered the jagirs and came to be known as a honest and able administrator.This roused his step-mother's jealousy and once again Farid left Sasaram and went to Agra.After his father's death,Farid took possession of his paternal jagirs.In 1522,Farid took the service of Bahar Khan,the governor of Bihar.His master was impressed by his service and devotion.Bahar Khan conferred on him the title of Sher Khan for having shown gallantry in killing a tiger single-handed. Later, Sher Khan was appointed Vakil (deputy governor) and also a tutor of BaharKhan's son Jalal Khan. Becomes Virtual Ruler of Bihar Jealous of Sher Khan's success,his enemies poisoned his master's mind and he was thus deprived of his father's jagir.He joined the Babur camp where he served from April 1527 to June 1528.Soon, he left the Mughals and returned back to Bihar and took over his old job as a guardian of Jalal Khan. Jalal Khan being a minor,Sher Khan became the virtual ruler of Bihar. In 1531, Sher Khan asserted his independence when Humayun was the emperor in India,The unexpected rise of Sher Khan made the Lohani Afghans and Jalal khan impatient.They even entered into an alliance with Muhamud Shah,the king of Bengal.Sher Khan defeated the Bengal king on the Kiul river in 1534.Later,he invaded Bengal and Muhamud Shah handed over him a large sum and territory extending from Kiul to Sakrigali.He then became the independent ruler of Bihar and Bengal. Becomes the Afghan Ruler in Delhi In October 1537, Sher Khan again invaded Bengal and besieged the city of Gaur.Humayun realising the strength of the Afghan marched to oppose Sher Khan in December 1537 and besieged Chunar. However the brave army of Sher Khan baffled all the attempts of the assailants for six months which gave all the time to Sher Khan for reduction of Gaur by April 1538.In 1539 when Humayun marched towards Bengal,Sher Khan cleverly went and occupied the Mughal territories in Bihar and Jaunpur.And finally in 1539, Sher Khan was able to defeat Humayun at Chausa (situated near the boundary of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh).And again in 1540,he defeated Humayun at Kanauj,and went on to capture Delhi and Agra.Thus Sher Khan re-established the Afghans rule in Delhi.Reign of Sher Shah Suri The Successors of Sher Shah Suri Rulers After the Death of Sher Shah In 1545, after the accidental death of Sher Shah,his son Jalal Khan succeeded him. Jalal Khan got the title of Islam Shah,commonly known as Salim Shah.Islam Shah was as capable as his father and kept his father's kingdom intact.He followed his father's reforms and kept the army intact. Unfortunately,he ruled for only nine years.Following his death in November 1554,disorder followed. His minor son,Firuz Khan, was murdered by his maternal uncle,Mubariz Khan,and there was total confusion in the empire.Mubariz Khan took the throne and assumed the title of Muhammad Adil Shah. Adil Shah was a worthless ruler.He left the affairs of the kingdom in the hands of his chief minister Hemu.Hemu was a capable man but his ambition to seize the throne did not draw his attention towards the disintegration of the kingdom.There were revolts in various parts.Sher Shah's nephew Sikander Sur declared himself independent in the Punjab. 1555: Humayun re-conquers Delhi This conflicting situation encouraged Humayun to make an attempt to restore the lost empire after about fifteen years.He got an army of 14,000 men from Persia and succeeded in conquering Kabul and Kandhahar with the help of Shah of Iran in 1545.In November 1554,he marched to reconquer Hindustan,for which he got an excellent opportunity in the civil wars among the surs. |PALAS| |PRATIHARAS| |RASHTRAKUTAS| |MUSLIM INVASION| |DELHI SULTANATE| |SLAVE DYNASTY| |KHILJIS| |TUGHLAKS| |TIMUR| |SAYYADS| |LODHIS| |VIJAYANAGARA | |BAHAMANI| |BHAKTI MOVEMENT | |SUFISM| |MUGHALS| |MUGHALS RE-ESTABLISHED| |SIKH POWER|