The Bengal Sultanate, a self-governing entity encompassing modern-day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and the Myanmarese state of Rakhine, thrived from the 14th to the 16th centuries. It underwent the governance of diverse dynasties with origins rooted in Turkic, Arab, Persian, Bengali, and Abyssinian backgrounds.
In the 1200s, Bengal gradually became assimilated into the Delhi Sultanate, starting with Bakhtiar Khilji's capture of Gauda between 1202 and 1204 under the rule of Muhammad of Ghor.
Following the era of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq from the Tughlaq Dynasty, the Bengal Sultanate emerged in the mid-14th century. Bengal's governors declared independence, resulting in the establishment of the Bengal Sultanate in 1352 by Shams-al-Din Ilyas Shah, who conquered Lakhnauti, Sonargaon, and Satgaon.
Shams al-Din Ilyas Shah, the founder of the Ilyas Shahi Dynasty, faced a conflict with the Delhi Sultanate, and in 1353, Firoz Shah Tughluq triumphed over him. Despite Firoz's significant actions, such as the massacre of numerous Bengalis and the temporary displacement of Shams al-Din Ilyas Shah from Pandua, the delta remained unannexed.
Bengal agreed to pay tribute to the Delhi Sultan, yet Ilyas Shah maintained control over Bengal despite the relinquishment of some conquered territories. Sultan Shams al-Din Ilyas Shah expanded his dominion by defeating the rulers of Orissa, extending to Chilika Lake, and conducting raids in Jajpur and Cuttack. Returning to Bengal with spoils, including 44 elephants, Ilyas Shah founded the Ilyas Shahi dynasty, governing Bengal for fifteen decades.
Bengal Sultanate: Origins and Expansion
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