Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah

Reign

Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was son of Sikandar Shah and one of his Hindu wives. He had at least seventeen half-brothers. During his father's reign he served as the governor of Alapsing (modern Mymensingh) and established a mint town named Ghiyaspur there. A capable prince, he was reportedly the favorite of his father. When his stepmother attempted to persuade Sikandar to name one of her sons as heir and blind and imprison Ghiyasuddin, the prince rebelled and overthrew his father Sultan Sikandar Shah at the Battle of Goalpara in 1390. His army killed the sultan despite Azam Shah ordering them not to kill his father, following which he ascended the throne and blinded all of his half-brothers.

During the early part of his reign, he conquered and occupied Kamarupa in modern-day Assam. The invasion was facilitated by Kamrup's internal instability, as the Kamata ruler Indra Narayan had been overthrown by Arimatta, whose successors were weak, leading to a precarious hold over the region. Numismatic evidence, including coins dated 799 AH (1396–97 CE) found in Koch Bihar and 802 AH (1399–1400 CE) found in Guwahati, suggests a second invasion or significant political influence by Giyasuddin Azam Shah in Kamrup.

His interests included establishing an independent judiciary and fostering Persianate and Bengali culture. He also had a profound regard for law. A story about him and a qazi is very famous as a folktale and moral story. Once, the sultan while hunting accidentally killed the son of a poor widow with his arrow. The widow appeared before a qazi and brought a charge of murder against the sultan. Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was summoned by the Qazi, and appeared before the court like an ordinary accused person. Many people had gathered there to see a case against the sultan of the country. The sultan obeyed the law and gave indemnity to the poor widow for killing her son. When the trial was over the Qazi stood up and praised the sultan for his regard for the law.

Then the sultan said that he would have instantly beheaded the qazi if he faltered in his judgment. The qazi smiled and said that he would have flayed his majesty's back with a whip if he had not obeyed the law. Sultan Ghiyasuddin embraced the brave qazi, and the whole crowd shouted in their honour.

Diplomatic and regional affairs

The Sultan pioneered diplomatic relations with China by sending embassies to the Ming dynasty court in Peking. He exchanged envoys and gifts with the Yongle Emperor. Bengal was interested in establishing a strategic partnership with China to counter the influence of its neighbors, including the Delhi Sultanate. The Chinese mediated in several regional disputes. The Sultan also built strong relations with the Sultanate of Jaunpur in North India. He sent envoys to the Hejaz and financed the construction of madrasas in Mecca and Medina.

Literary patron

Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was a patron of scholars and poets. Among others, the Persian poet Hafez kept correspondences with him. One of the earliest Muslim Bengali poet, Shah Muhammad Sagir, who was a poet-laureate of Ghiyasuddin, wrote his famous work, Yusuf-Zulekha at the request of the Sultan. The Hindu poet, Krittibas Ojha, also translated the Ramayana in Bengali as Krittivasi Ramayan during his reign.

Sāqī hadīth-e-sarv-o-gul-o-lālah mī-ravad O Saqi (cup-bearer)! The tale of the cypress, the rose and the tulip is going on وین بحث با ثلاثه غساله می‌رود Vīñ bahth bā-thalātha-e-ġhassālah mī-ravad And with the three washers (of cups), this dispute is going on شکرشکن شوند همه طوطیان هند Shakkar-shikan shavand hamah tūtiyān-e-hind All the parrots [poets] of Hind have become sugar-shattering [excited] زین قند پارسی که به بنگاله می‌رود Zīñ qand-e-pārsī kih bah-bangālah mī-ravad That this Persian candy [ode], to Bengal is going [on]. حافظ ز شوق مجلس سلطان غیاث دین Hāfiz ze shauq-e-majlis-e-Sultāñ Ġhiyāth-e-Dīñ Of love for the assembly of the Sultan Ghiyasu-d-Din, oh Hafiz غافل مشو که کار تو از ناله می‌رود Be not silent. For, from lamenting, your work is going on}}

References

References

1. Sen, Sailendra. (2013). "A Textbook of Medieval Indian History". Primus Books.
2. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Szfqq7ruqWgC&dq=ghiyasuddin+azam+shah&pg=PA61 Bangladesh: Past and Present – Salahuddin Ahmed – Google Books]
3. Sarkar, Jagadish Narayan. (1985). "Hindu-Muslim relations in Bengal: medieval period". Idarah-i Adabiyat-i-Delli.
4. [http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsFarEast/IndiaBengal.htm KingListsFarEast]
5. "4th Std English Sultan Ghiyasuddin in the Qazi's Court".
6. (1968). "Legends from Indian History". Children's Book Trust.
7. "Sultan Ghiyasuddin in the Qazi's Court – Additional Moral Stories".
8. [https://books.google.com/books?id=TI8GQioaoL4C&dq=ghiyasuddin+azam+shah+title&pg=PT117 Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib – Nitish Sengupta – Google Books]
9. [http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Ghiyasuddin_Azam_Shah Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah – Banglapedia]
10. (2017-07-03). "Consoled by the Brahmaputra".