The Habshi period has been termed as the ‘Dark Age‘. Because the short-lived Habshi rule did not leave any special mark in the history of Bengal. Habsi rule in Bengal lasted from 1487 to 1493 AD.
Four Habshi Sultans ruled Bengal during this period. They were –
- Shahzada Barbak
- Saifuddin Feroz Shah
- Mahmud Shah II
- Shamsuddin Mozaffar Shah
Sultan Bukhanuddin Barbak Shah of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty introduced the first Habshi army recruitment in his reign. Habsis became more powerful during the reign of the last Sultan Jalaluddin Fateh Shah.
Info: Habshi’s were the Ethiopians from Africa. Bengal was ruled for a short time around 6 years by these African sultans locally known as Habshi.
Shahzada Barbak [1487 AD]
- Shahzada Barbak held an important position in the royal court of Jalaluddin Fateh Shah. Jalaluddin Fateh was the last Sultan of Ilyas Shahi dynasty.
- He killed Jalaluddin Fateh Shah (of Ilyas Shahi dynasty).
- 1487: As a result, Shahzada Barbak ascended the throne and started the Habshi rule.
- His royal name was Ghiyasuddin Shahzada Barbak.
- He also took the title “Sultan Shahzada“
- He indulged in a plot against Jalaluddin.
- He introduced few coins.
- Shahzada Barbak’s reign was very short-lived (a few months).
- Shahzada Barbak was killed by Saifuddin Firuz Shah.
Info: Shahzada Barbak was the Ethiopian ruler of Bengal.
Saifuddin Firoz [1487-1489 AD]
- 1487: Saifuddin Firoz ascended the throne after killing Shahzada Barbak.
- He ruled for 2 years (from 1487-1489).
- He held the post of commander during the reign of Jalaluddin Fateh Shah who was the last Sultan of Ilyas Shahi dynasty,
- His real name was Malik Andin (alternately Indil Khan).
- Some historians assumed that Saifuddin Firoz was the real founder of Habshi Dynasty.
- Also according to many scholars, he was an impotent ruler from Habshi Dynasty.
- Saifuddin Firoz was a helpful and kind ruler.
- He also minted a few coins in his name.
Info: Tarikh-i Firishta and Ryiazuddin-s-Salatin, these two books provide insight into the Habshi rule in Bengal.
Mahmud Shah II (1490-1491 AD)
- Saifuddin’s next ruler was Mahmud Shah II (1490-1491 AD).
- Mahmud Shah II was the 3rd Habshi ruler.
- He was a young sultan.
- His protector or regent was Habash Khan.
- Mahmud Shah II was the adopted son of Saifuddin Firuz Shah.
Shamsuddin Mozaffar Shah [1491-1493]
- 1490: Habshi leader Amir Sidibadar killed Mahmud Shah.
- 1491: Sidibadar (aka Sidi Badr Diwana) took the throne with the name of ‘Shamsuddin Abu Nazar Muzaffar’ or ‘Shamsuddin Mozaffar Shah’.
- He initially killed Habash Khan who was the regent of Sultan Mahmud Shah II.
- Shamsuddin Mozaffar Shah was the 4th Habshi ruler.
- He served for the longest time as Habshi ruler in Bengal.
- His governor was Khurshid Khan.
- He had a large army of around 40000 soldiers (1000 Afghans, 5000 were Abyssinians).
- 1492: In a battle, Shamsuddin Mozaffar Shah conquered the Kamata kingdom in 1492.
- 1492: He issued coins with Kamata Mardan after the victory of Kamata.
- 1493: He built Gangarampur mosque in 1493.
- He was an unwise and cruel ruler.
- He killed a number of his suspicious rivals.
- He increased the tax rate.
- Due to these factors, anarchy occurred in Bengal.
- As a result, his chief minister Hussain was against him.
- 1493: Shamsuddin’s vizier Hussain Shah deposed and killed him.
Info: Gaur (Lakhnauti) was the capital of the Habshi rulers.
Downfall
1493: Sayyid Husain was a powerful rebel during the Habshi rule. He was he vizier of Shamsuddin Mozaffar Shah. Sayyid Husain led a rebellion against the last Habshi ruler Shamsuddin Mozaffar Shah. He was successful to killed the last Habshi ruler Shamsuddin. This ended the ‘Habshi rule of Bengal’. As a result, Sayyid Husain took the name Alauddin Husain Shah and established a new dynasty called Hussain Shahi dynasty in the Bengal in 1494.