Why Provincial Dynasties Arose
- After Tughlaq dynasty's decline — decentralization increased
- First province to break free from Delhi Sultanate: Bengal (1338 CE)
- Each province developed its own rulers, culture, architecture
5 Provinces at a Glance
| Province |
Founded |
Founder |
Capital |
Special Tag |
| Bengal |
1338 CE |
Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah |
Pandua |
First independent from Delhi |
| Jaunpur (Sharqi) |
— |
Malik Sarwar (Khwaja Jahan) |
Jaunpur |
Shiraz of India |
| Malwa |
1401 CE |
Hussain Khan Ghori (Dilawar Khan) |
Mandu (later) |
— |
| Kashmir (Shah Mir) |
— |
Shah Mirza / Shah Mir |
Srinagar (Alauddinpur) |
Zain-ul-Abidin = Akbar of Kashmir |
| Gujarat |
1407 CE |
Zafar Khan (Muzzafar Shah I) |
Ahmedabad |
— |
Key "Nicknames" — Must Remember
| Nickname |
Who / What |
| Shiraz of India |
Jaunpur (city) |
| Akbar of Kashmir |
Zain-ul-Abidin |
| Budshah (The Great King) |
Zain-ul-Abidin |
| Siraj-e-Hind |
Ibrahim Sharqi (Jaunpur) |
| Malik-us-Sharq (Eastern Ruler) |
Malik Sarwar (Jaunpur) |
| Begada |
Mahmud Begada (Gujarat) — for conquering 2 forts |
Bengal — Overview
Independence from Delhi
1338 CE — First province to break free
Founder of Independent Bengal
Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah
3 Parts of Bengal at Independence
- Eastern Bengal: Sonargaon
- Northern Bengal: Lakhnauti
- Southern Bengal: Satgaon
Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah — Founder
- United Bengal into an independent state
- Included areas: Tirhut, Champaran, Gorakhpur, Banaras
Key Sultans of Bengal
Sikandar Shah1357–1389
CE
- Built Adina Mosque — most famous mosque of Bengal
Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah1389–1409
CE
- Most Famous Sultan of Bengal
- Famous for justice
Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah1415–1431 CE
- Significant Bengal ruler of early 15th century
Other Sultans (Timeline)
| Sultan |
Period |
| Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah |
1431–1435 CE |
| Jalaluddin Fateh Shah |
1481–1487 CE |
| Nusrat Shah |
1519–1532 CE |
Literature — Bengal
- Book compiled: Shri Krishna Vijay
- Author: Maladhar Basu
- Title given to author: Gunaraj Khan
Jaunpur — Sharqi Dynasty
City Founded by
Firoz Shah Tughlaq
City Named after
Muhammad bin Tughlaq (Jauna Khan)
Founder (independent)
Malik Sarwar (Khwaja Jahan)
Merged back into Delhi
1483–84 CE
Architecture style
Sharqi Style
Key Rulers
Malik Sarwar (Khwaja Jahan)Founder
- Title: Khwaja Jahan → Malik-us-Sharq (Eastern ruler)
- Titles given by Muhammad Shah Tughlaq
Ibrahim Shah Sharqi1401–1440
CE
- Victory of Kannauj (1406 CE)
- Title: Siraj-e-Hind
- Built Atala Mosque (1408 CE)
- Origin of Sharqi Style of Architecture — during his reign
Hussain Shah SharqiLater
ruler
- Built Jama Masjid of Jaunpur (1470 CE)
Architecture — Sharqi Style
- Originated during reign of Ibrahim Shah Sharqi
- Famous mosques: Atala Mosque (1408) and Jama Masjid (1470)
- Distinct style — large arched gateways, massive proportions
Malwa — Overview
Founder
Hussain Khan Ghori (Dilawar Khan)
Shifted Capital
Mandu — by Hoshang Shah
Akbar's conquest
1562 CE — Ruler: Baz Bahadur
Key Rulers of Malwa
Hoshang ShahEarly Ruler
- Shifted capital from Dhar → Mandu
Mahmud Shah Khilji1436–1469
CE
- Founder of Khilji dynasty in Malwa
- Prime Minister: Medini Rai
- Contemporary of: Ahmad Shah of Gujarat and Rana Kumbha of Mewar
- Title of Sultan confirmed by Caliph of Egypt
- Constructed: Seven-storey pillar in Mandu, a college, a hospital
Baz BahadurLast Ruler
- Defeated by Akbar in 1562 CE
- Later accepted Akbar's suzerainty; granted mansab of 2000
Kashmir — Overview
Hindu Dynasty established
1286 CE — Ruler: Simha Dev
Shah Mir Dynasty founded by
Shah Mirza / Shah Mir
Real Founder of Shahmir Dynasty
Shihabuddin (Butshikan)
Capital renamed
Srinagar → Alauddinpur
Key Rulers
Sikandar Shah (Butshikan)1389–1413 CE
- Real founder of Shahmir Dynasty
- Taimur's invasion: 1398 CE
- Banned Sati practice
- Maximum forced religious conversions of Hindus
⭐ Zain-ul-Abidin (Budshah)1420–1470 CE
- Title: Budshah (The Great King)
- Also called "Akbar of Kashmir"
- Known for tolerance and liberal rule
- Banned cow slaughter and Jizya tax
- Revoked the ban on Sati practice (set by Sikandar)
- Wrote Persian poetry under pen name: Qutub
- Noted source: Rajatarangini by Kalhan (written in Sanskrit)
Economic Development of Kashmir
- Constructed Zaina Lake (artificial lake)
- Promoted Paper making industry
- Promoted Polishing crafts and stone carving
- Promoted Goldsmithing
- Built Zaina Lanka Mosque
Gujarat — Overview
Founder
Zafar Khan (Muzzafar Shah I)
Real Founder
Ahmed Shah (1411–1443 CE)
Capital
Ahmedabad (founded 1413 CE)
Key Rulers
Ahmed Shah (Real Founder)1411–1443 CE
- Founded Ahmedabad (1413 CE) — capital
- Implemented Jizya tax on Hindus — first time in Gujarat
- Built Jama Masjid
⭐ Mahmud Begada1459–1511
CE
- Original name: Abul Fath Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah I
- Title Begada — because he conquered 2 major forts:
→ Girnar Durg (1466 CE)
→ Champaner Durg (1486 CE)
- Established Mustafabad town
Bahadur Shah (Last Ruler)1526–1537 CE
- Last ruler of Gujarat Sultanate
- Defeated Portuguese in 1531 CE
- Built Burj-e-Bahadurshahi (pillar)
Foreign Visitors in Gujarat Court
⚠️ Exam Traps
Trap #1 — First Province to be Independent
Bengal (1338 CE) = first province to become independent from Delhi Sultanate. Jaunpur ya Malwa
nahi — Bengal sabse pehle tha.
Trap #2 — Jaunpur City — Founded by vs Named after
Jaunpur city founded by Firoz Shah Tughlaq. But city named in memory of Muhammad bin
Tughlaq (Jauna Khan). Dono alag hain. Jaunpur = Jauna + pur.
Trap #3 — Zain-ul-Abidin — Sati ban
Sikandar Shah (Butshikan) ne Sati ban kiya. Zain-ul-Abidin
ne Sati ka ban revoke (hataya). Opposite actions — confuse mat karo. Zain = liberal, Sikandar =
orthodox.
Trap #4 — "Akbar of Kashmir"
Zain-ul-Abidin = "Akbar of Kashmir" (liberal ruler). Title Budshah = The
Great King. Real name/title dono yaad rakho.
Trap #5 — Gujarat Founder vs Real Founder
Zafar Khan (Muzzafar Shah I) = Founder (1407 CE). Ahmed Shah = Real Founder
(1411 CE). Ahmed Shah ne Ahmedabad banaya — Zafar Khan ne nahi. Same Founder/Real Founder trap.
Trap #6 — Mahmud Begada — Title ka reason
Begada title mila kyunki usne do (2) forts jite: Girnar Durg (1466) +
Champaner Durg (1486). Ek fort nahi — do forts se Begada bana (Be = 2, dono ka combo).
Trap #7 — Adina Mosque vs Atala Mosque
Adina Mosque (Bengal) = built by Sikandar Shah (Bengal). Atala
Mosque (Jaunpur, 1408 CE) = built by Ibrahim Shah Sharqi. Dono alag provinces, alag
builders.