Muhammad Shah Adil
Encyclopedia
Muhammad Adil Shah was the fourth ruler of the Sur dynasty
, a late medieval Afghan
dynasty of northern India
.
's younger brother Nizam and the brother of Islam Shah Suri
's queen Bibi Bai. His real name was Muhammad Mubariz Khan. He was responsible for the assassination of Firuz Shah Suri
, the twelve year old son of Islam Shah Suri
, in 1554 and ascended the throne as the last sultan of the united empire. He appointed Hemu
as his Wazir
. In 1555, Ibrahim Khan Suri
, son of Ghazi Khan and Sultan's brother-in-law, who was in charge of Agra
, revolted. He defeated the army of Adil Shah and captured Delhi
. After this, he assumed the regal title of Ibrahim Shah Suri
and it was not possible for Adil to defeat him. Soon, the empire founded by Sher Shah
was divided into four parts. As Delhi
and Agra
came under the rule of Ibrahim Shah Suri
, only the territories from the vicinity of Agra
to Bihar
remained under Adil. Ahmad Khan Suri, another brother-in-law of Adil, who took the title of Sikandar Shah Suri
after declaring independence from Delhi, brought Punjab
under his control. Muhammad Khan Sur
i, governor of Bengal also declared independence and took the title of Shams-ud-Din Muhammad Shah.
. But, as Muhammad Shah of Bengal approached near Kalpi, Adil had to recall Hemu to Kalpi. Muhammad Shah was defeated at Chhapparghatta near Kalpi. Adil captured Bengal and appointed Shahbaj Khan as governor. He made Chunar
his capital. Adil was finally defeated and killed in a battle with Khizr Khan Suri
of Bengal
in 1557.
Sur Dynasty
The Suri Empire was established by a Muslim dynasty of Afghan origin who ruled a vast territory in the Indian subcontinent between 1540 to 1557, with Delhi serving as its capital...
, a late medieval Afghan
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
dynasty of northern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Early life
He was the son of Sher Shah SuriSher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
's younger brother Nizam and the brother of Islam Shah Suri
Islam Shah Suri
Islam Shah Suri was the second ruler of the Sur dynasty which ruled part of India in the mid-16th century. His original name was Jalal Khan and he was the second son of Sher Shah Suri. On his father's death, an emergency meeting of nobles chose him to be successor instead of his elder brother Adil...
's queen Bibi Bai. His real name was Muhammad Mubariz Khan. He was responsible for the assassination of Firuz Shah Suri
Firuz Shah Suri
Firuz Shah Suri was the third ruler of Sur dynasty. He was son of Islam Shah Suri and succeeded him in 1553 when he was twelve years old. Firuz Shah Suri was assassinated within days of his coronation by Sher Shah Suri's nephew Muhammad Mubariz Khan who later ruled as Muhammad Shah Adil.-See...
, the twelve year old son of Islam Shah Suri
Islam Shah Suri
Islam Shah Suri was the second ruler of the Sur dynasty which ruled part of India in the mid-16th century. His original name was Jalal Khan and he was the second son of Sher Shah Suri. On his father's death, an emergency meeting of nobles chose him to be successor instead of his elder brother Adil...
, in 1554 and ascended the throne as the last sultan of the united empire. He appointed Hemu
Hemu
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...
as his Wazir
Vizier
A vizier or in Arabic script ; ; sometimes spelled vazir, vizir, vasir, wazir, vesir, or vezir) is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in a Muslim government....
. In 1555, Ibrahim Khan Suri
Ibrahim Shah Suri
Ibrahim Shah Suri was the fifth ruler of Sur dynasty, a Pashtun dynasty of late medieval northern India.-Reign:Ibrahim Khan Suri was son of Ghazi Khan. He was the brother-in-law of sultan Muhammad Adil Shah. He was the grovernor of Agra in 1555, when he revolted against the sultan...
, son of Ghazi Khan and Sultan's brother-in-law, who was in charge of Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, revolted. He defeated the army of Adil Shah and captured Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. After this, he assumed the regal title of Ibrahim Shah Suri
Ibrahim Shah Suri
Ibrahim Shah Suri was the fifth ruler of Sur dynasty, a Pashtun dynasty of late medieval northern India.-Reign:Ibrahim Khan Suri was son of Ghazi Khan. He was the brother-in-law of sultan Muhammad Adil Shah. He was the grovernor of Agra in 1555, when he revolted against the sultan...
and it was not possible for Adil to defeat him. Soon, the empire founded by Sher Shah
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
was divided into four parts. As Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
came under the rule of Ibrahim Shah Suri
Ibrahim Shah Suri
Ibrahim Shah Suri was the fifth ruler of Sur dynasty, a Pashtun dynasty of late medieval northern India.-Reign:Ibrahim Khan Suri was son of Ghazi Khan. He was the brother-in-law of sultan Muhammad Adil Shah. He was the grovernor of Agra in 1555, when he revolted against the sultan...
, only the territories from the vicinity of Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
to Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
remained under Adil. Ahmad Khan Suri, another brother-in-law of Adil, who took the title of Sikandar Shah Suri
Sikandar Shah Suri
Sikandar Shah Suri was the sixth ruler of Sur dynasty, a late medieval Pashtun dynasty of northern India. He became the sultan of Delhi after overthrowing Ibrahim Shah Suri.-Early life:...
after declaring independence from Delhi, brought Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
under his control. Muhammad Khan Sur
Muhammad Khan Sur
Muhammad Khan Sur was appointed the governor of Bengal by Sultan Islam Shah Suri of Delhi in 1545. But after the death of the Delhi Sultan in 1554, Muhammad Khan declared independence and styled himself as Shamsuddin Muhammad Shah.-History:During his reign, Muhammad Shah conquered Arakan...
i, governor of Bengal also declared independence and took the title of Shams-ud-Din Muhammad Shah.
Conflict
Hostility did not end with the division of empire in 1555. After defeating Ibrahim at Farah, 32 km from Agra, Sikandar Shah Suri took possession of Delhi and Agra. Ibrahim renewed his strife with Adil, but he was defeated by Hemu twice, once near Kalpi and again near Khanua. He took refuge in the Bayana fort, which was besieged by HemuHemu
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...
. But, as Muhammad Shah of Bengal approached near Kalpi, Adil had to recall Hemu to Kalpi. Muhammad Shah was defeated at Chhapparghatta near Kalpi. Adil captured Bengal and appointed Shahbaj Khan as governor. He made Chunar
Chunar
Chunar छुनर شُنَر, located in Mirzapur District of Uttar Pradesh state, India, is an ancient town. The railway tracks passing through Chunar leads to major destinations of India, including Howrah, Delhi, Tatanagar and Varanasi. National Highway number 7 also passes through Chunar...
his capital. Adil was finally defeated and killed in a battle with Khizr Khan Suri
Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah II
Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah II was an independent ruler of Bengal. He was the son of Sultan Shamsuddin Mahmud Shah.-History:Bahadur Shah came to power after deposing the governor Shahbaj Khan...
of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
in 1557.