Provincial administration of sher shah suri biography

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His campaigns in Malwa, Rajasthan, Multan, and Bundelkhand were strategic, aimed at securing key regions and trade routes rather than pursuing endless expansion. He had a host of news writers and spies who were posted in towns, markets and in every important locality. Infrastructure Development: Roads and Sarais

Sher Shah’s emphasis on infrastructure was a cornerstone of his administration.

However, it was Sher Shah’s defeat of Humayun at the Battle of Kannauj in 1540 that positioned him as the master of northern India, marking a pivotal moment in the unification of the region.

Sher Shah’s achievements, however, were not merely the result of military conquests. His immediate priority was to expel the Mughals from India, a task made easier by divisions within the Mughal camp.

The brevity of the Sur dynasty’s rule limited its cultural output, with Malik Muhammad’s Padmavat being a notable exception.

Character of the Sur State

The Sur state was a blend of Afghan and Turkish governance models.
[18] H. M. Elliot and John Dowson, The History of India as told by its own Historians: The Muhammdan Priod, Vol.

4, Trubner and Co., London, 1862,  p. His duty was to be in close touch with ambassadors and envoys sent to and received from foreign states. The minister in charge of this department had to draft royal proclamations and dispatches. The only notable exception was the massacre of Puran Mal’s forces, a political act cloaked in religious justification.

Islam Shah’s Reign: Continuity and Challenges

Sher Shah’s death in 1545 led to the accession of his second son, Jalal Khan, as Islam Shah.

He also built a city at Delhi, with the Old Fort and its mosque as enduring remnants. His administration increasingly employed Hindus in revenue roles, broadening the state’s social base—a trend that culminated in Hemu’s rise to wazir under Adali, a later Sur ruler.

The Sur Empire disintegrated rapidly after Islam Shah’s death in 1553, as noble factions rebelled, paving the way for the Mughal restoration under Humayun.

But unlike his predecessors, he was a benevolent despot, exercising power for the benefit of the people.

This article delves into the life, achievements, and enduring contributions of Sher Shah Suri, situating his accomplishments within the broader historical, social, and political context of 16th-century India. The sarais also served as market hubs, fostering the growth of qasbas (small towns) and promoting trade and handicrafts.

Maldeo, who had expanded his influence across western and eastern Rajasthan, posed a potential threat to Sher Shah’s empire. Consequently, Sher Shah had four ministers after the model of the Sultanate period. However, family intrigues, particularly the machinations of his stepmother, led to his displacement from administrative duties around 1519.

Jobless and resentful, Farid briefly turned to brigandage, targeting Hindu rajas and zamindars in north and east Bihar.

[7] Ibid
[8] R. P Tripathi, Some aspects of Muslim Administration, The Indian Press Limited, Allahabad, 1936, pp.
[15] Ibid, pp. His principal duty was to supervise the work of the officers of the sarkars and to settle their disputes. Farid aligned himself with Bahar Khan, the governor of Bihar, who declared himself Sultan Muhammad Shah. By 1537, Sher Khan’s son, Jalal Khan, captured Gaur, effectively ending the Bengal dynasty’s influence and neutralizing Portuguese threats in the region.

By 1530, Sher Khan was the preeminent power in Bihar, having outmaneuvered both internal rivals and external threats.