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Formation of the Bengal Sultanate (1270s)
In the 1270s, Bengal (Lakhnauti/Gauda), as Delhi's eastern frontier, moved toward political independence amid changing governors and rising local cen…
Timeline
- 1270–1276Bengal Delta · BengalDelhi Sultanate control over Bengal's eastern frontier weakened due to distance; local governors and Bengali nobles acted on their own, with taxation and military administration increasingly localized, creating conditions for the later emergence of an independent sultanate.
- 1277–1279Lakhnauti · BengalMughisuddin Tughral, the Bengal governor appointed by Balban, declared independence from the Delhi Sultanate, proclaiming himself sultan and controlling vast areas of Bengal; this marked a key step in Bengal's local polity seeking full autonomy.
- 1280Eastern Bengal · BengalBalban personally led an army into Bengal, defeating and executing Tughral and temporarily restoring Delhi's suzerainty; however, Bengal's local centrifugal forces were not eradicated, and an independent Bengal Sultanate ultimately emerged decades later.
Sources
- The History of Bengal, Vol. II: Muslim Period (1200-1757) — Sir Jadunath Sarkar (1948)
- A Comprehensive History of India, Vol. V: The Delhi Sultanate — Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami (1970)