Prepared for:

Dr. AKM Golam Rabbani

Course Teacher
Dept. of History and Philosophy
North South University

Prepared by:
Md. Nazmul Fahad
ID: 1631682030
Section: 09

DHAKA
15TH APRIL
2020
Mughal Empire in Bangladesh
(Bengal Subah)
 P a g e | ii

Letter of Transmittal

Dr. AKM. Golam Rabbani

Course Instructor of History 101
Dept. of History and Philosophy
North South University
15th April, 2020

Dear Sir,
With due respect, I am pleased to submit the attached report under the course: HIS 101, about the
presence of Mughal Empire in Bangladesh. This report tries to give a brief description of some of
the vital aspects of Mughal Empire. The paper also provides with some of the demographical,
economic and political scenario of Mughal rule in Bangladesh. I hope that you would find this
report satisfactory. If you have any inquiry about the report, it would be my pleasure to provide
you with the information.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
Md. Nazmul Fahad

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e | iii

Acknowledgement

First I would like to thank the almighty. I am also grateful to my honorable faculty
member for providing opportunity and assisting me throughout the semester. Finally,
I would like to show my gratitude to North South University for providing necessary
resources to complete the paper.

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e | iv

Executive summary

Mughal Empire, established in 1526 is one of the most powerful dynasty in the
history of mankind. It ruled Indian subcontinent for over two centuries. Zahiruddin
Muhammad Babur founded the empire defeating Lodhi dynasty thus ending
sultanate era. There were many rulers in Mughal empire but Babur, Humayan,
Akbar. Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb remained most notable. Mughal divided
their kingdom in many Subahs. Bengal Subah consisting of now West Bengal and
Bangladesh were the most decorated one. It prospered to its peak udner Mughals
which was ended at the field of Plassey in 1757.

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e |1

Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Area Discussed ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Objective ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Creation of Mughal Empire ..................................................................................................................... 4
Six Emperors ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Babur (1526-1530) ............................................................................................................................. 5
Humayun (1530-1556) ....................................................................................................................... 5
Akbar (1556-1605) ............................................................................................................................. 6
Jahangir (1605-1627) ......................................................................................................................... 6
Shah Jahan (1628-1658) .................................................................................................................... 7
Aurangzeb (1658-1707) ...................................................................................................................... 7
Bengal Subah .......................................................................................................................................... 8
Paradise of Nations................................................................................................................................. 8
Major Military Conflicts .......................................................................................................................... 9
Administrative Divisions ....................................................................................................................... 10
Demographics of Bengal Subah ............................................................................................................ 11
Role of Nawabs of Bengal ..................................................................................................................... 12
The Battle of Plassey ............................................................................................................................. 12
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 13
Appendices ........................................................................................................................................... 14

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e |2

Introduction

The Mughal Empire, also known as the Mogul Empire was one of the most decorated
dynasty to rule the Indian sub-continent. In fact, it was the last entity to rule the sub-
continent prior to British colonialization. Founded in 1526, the Mughal Empire is notable
for its more than two centuries of effective rule over much of then India. To this date
Mughal Empire is admired for its rich history and achievements in the fields of politics,
economics, social and architecture. In this paper the journey, i.e. the rise and fall of Mughal
Empire in context of the region encompassing current Bangladesh is portrayed in a brief
manner.

One of the known flags of Mughal Empire, also known as ‘Alam’

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e |3

Area Discussed

In this paper the creation of Mughal empire is discussed followed by the six biggest rulers
who had the most influence on the empire. On the other hand, the paper also includes the
Bengali subdivision of Mughal empire, Bengal Subah followed by its military,
demographics, governance and administrative status of that era.

Objective

The purpose of this report is to have a wider look at the history of Mughal Empire. The
paper also intends to portray various aspects of Mughal empire in relation to Bangladesh.
It also tries to mirror the influence that Mughal empire possesses on the people of
Bangladesh and in Bengal.

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e |4

Creation of Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire was founded in 1526 by Zahir ud-Din Muhammad Babur. Babur was
the warrior chieftain from what today is Uzbekistan. With the help from Safavid and
Ottoman Empire, Babur fought and consequently won the First Battle on Panipat (now
located at Haryana, India). The Lodhi Dynasty, a part of Delhi Sultanate regime, ruled the
subcontinent prior to that. After the failure of Samarkand, Babur focused to conquer India.
Until 1524, his aim was to expand his rule to Punjab. However, the crumble of Lodhi
Dynasty soon came to the notice of Babur who then banked this opportunity. At that
moment two of the Lodhi family members, Daulat Khan and Alam Khan were against the
ruler Ibrahim Lodhi. With the help of them, Babur compiled an army force of 30000 troops
and participated in the battle, which resulted in the end of Sultanate era giving birth to the
Mughal Empire.

Battle of Panipat by Deo Gujarati (Year:1950)

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e |5

Six Emperors

Mughal has seen quite a few supreme leaders in it’s over two-century lifespan. However
only first six leaders stood out among them. They are Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir,
Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb. The following segment briefly discusses each of these six
emperors.

Babur (1526-1530)

Babur was the inaugural emperor of Mughal Dynasty. He was the founder of the Mughal.
He conquered the battle of Panipat, which paved the way for Mughal
dynasty. He was the first Mughal emperor to declare ‘Jehad’ and to
acquire the title ‘Ghazi’. His notable participations are Battle of Panipat
(1526), battle of Khanwa (1527), battle of Chanderi (1528) and battle of
Ghagra (1529).

Emperor Babur

Humayun (1530-1556)

Humayun is Babur’s son. He is widely considered the second greatest

Mughal emperor after Akbar. He fought two battles. They are battle of
Chasua (1539) and battle of Kannuaj (1540). He passed 15 years in exile
and again conquered India in 1555.

Emperor Humayun

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e |6

Akbar (1556-1605)

Akbar also known as Akbar the great is considered one of the most dominant ruler of
history. He was crowned at the age of 13. He defeated Hemu at the
second battle of Panipat (1556). As a ruler he conquered Malwa (1561),
Chittor (1568), Ranthambhor and Kalinjar (1569), Gujarat (1572),
Mewar (1576), Kashmir (1586), Sindh (1593), Asirgarh (1603). His role
was crucial in eradication of Sati practice. He also encouraged widow
remarriage. He introduced the land revenue system a.k.a Todar Mal Emperor Akbar

Bandobast system as well as the Mansabari or rank system for military force. During his
tenure, Mughal Empire peaked at its highest point in terms of prosperity and development.

Jahangir (1605-1627)

Jahangir was Akbar’s son. He is remembered for establishing Zanjir-i-Adal at Agra Fort
for those who sought royal justice. He executed fifth Shikh guru Arjun
Dev. His greatest political failure was the loss of Kandahar to Persia in
1622. His relationship with Mughal courtesan, Anarkali, has been widely
adapted into the literature, art and cinema. He is said to be an admirer of
art. He died due to sever cold in Bhimber (1927) when he was on course
to a journey from Kashmir to Lahore. Emperor Jahangir

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e |7

Shah Jahan (1628-1658)

Shah Jahan, the son of Jahangir is mostly renowned for building one of the seven wonders
i.e. The Taj Mahal. He annexed Ahmednagar while Bijapur and
Golconda accepted him as their overlord. Shah Jahan also built the Moti
Mahal, Red Fort and Jama Masjid. His era is widely considered the
golden age of Mughal Empire.

Emperor Shah Jahan

Aurangzeb (1658-1707)

Shah Jahan’s son and the last seriously notable Mughal emperor Aurangzeb secured the
Mughal throne after a brutal war of succession with his brothers Dara, Shuja
and Murad. He was called Darvesh or a Zinda Pir. Aurangzen conquered
Bijapur (1686) and Golconda (1687) and re-imposed Jaziya in 1679.
Aurangzeb’s stretched the empire from Kashmir in the north to Jinji in the
south, and from the Hindukush in the west to Chittagong in the east.
Emperor Aurangzeb

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e |8

Bengal Subah

Bengal Subah represents the Mughal rule in Bengal

i.e. modern Bangladesh and Indian state of West
Bengal. It was a subdivision of Mughal Empire
encompassing aforementioned regions. It was
established right after the dissolution of Bengal
Sultanate, which was the Bengal subdivision of Delhi
Sultanate regime. The rest of the paper discusses
mostly the areas covering Bengal Subah.

Region of Bengal Subah portrayed in Red whereas

the green portion indicates the entire boundary of
Mughal Empire

Paradise of Nations

‘Paradise of Nations’ was the term given to Subah Bangla for its prosperous achievements
in terms of economy and wealth. The Bengal region was bestowed with many prosperous
achievements. For example, it was the most important trading region of the world. It was
Bengal where gunpowder arsenal were first enforced. It was perceived to be the wealthiest

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e |9

nation of the world having waved the proto-industrialization. The inhabitants of Bengal
possessed the 12% of the entire world GDP. It alone accounted for 40% of Dutch
imports outside of the European continent. The eastern part of Bengal was globally
prominent in industries such as textile manufacturing and shipbuilding and it was a major
exporter of silk and cotton textiles, steel, saltpeter, and agricultural and industrial produce

One of the Dutch trading posts in Subah Bangla (1665)

in the world. Its capital Jahangir Nagar, today's modern Dhaka, had a population exceeding
a million people. By the 18th century, Mughal Bengal emerged as a quasi-independent
state, under the Nawabs of Bengal, and already observing the proto-industrialization, it
made direct significant contribution to the first Industrial Revolution.

Major Military Conflicts

Bengal was one of the most artillery-equipped region of Mughal Empire. That is why it
enjoyed military supremacy of over Arakan and Tripura. It was also the major
manufacturer and exporter of gunpowder arsenal. Over the course of time, many military

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e | 10

engagements were held on the land of Bengal. The notable ones are stated in the following
table:

Rival
Conflict Year(s) Leader(s) Enemy Result
Leader(s)

Battle of Bengal Daud Khan

1575 Akbar Mughal victory
Tukaroi Sultanate Karrani

Battle of Raj Bengal Daud Khan

1576 Khan Jahan I Mughal victory
Mahal Sultanate Karrani

Khan Jahan I,
Conquest Shahbaz Khan Isa Khan, Musa
1576–1611 Baro-Bhuyan Mughal victory
of Bhati Kamboh, Man Khan
Singh
Qasim Khan
Ahom-Mughal Chishti, Mir Assamese
1615–1682 Ahom kingdom Ahom kings
conflicts Jumla, Ram victory
Singh I
Mughal-Arakan Kingdom of Thiri
1665–66 Shaista Khan Mughal victory
War Mrauk Thudhamma
Battle of
1757 Siraj-ud-Daulah British Empire Robert Clive British victory
Plassey

Administrative Divisions

Based on the revenue settlement model of Todar Mal system, Bengal Subah was divided
into 24 districts or Sarkars during the year 1582. It includes 19 sarkars of Bengal and 5
sarkars of Orissa. Later on Orissa became a separate Subah leaving Bengal Subah with 19
sarkars. The remaining 19 sarkars were further divided into 682 parganas. The table below
shows the administrative division of Bengal Sabah.

Sarkar No. of Pargana

Udamabar/Tandah (modern-day areas include Birbhum and Murshidabad) 52 parganas

Jannatabad (Lakhnauti) (Modern day Malda division) 66 parganas
Fatehabad 31 parganas
Mahmudabad (modern-day areas include North Nadia and Jessore) 88 parganas
Khalifatabad 35 parganas

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e | 11

Bakla 4 parganas
Purniyah 9 parganas
Tajpur (East Dinajpur) 29 parganas
Ghoraghat (South Rangpur Division, Bogura) 84 parganas
Pinjarah 21 parganas
Barbakabad (West Dinajpur) 38 parganas
Bazuha 32 parganas
Sonargaon modern day Dhaka Division 52 parganas
Srihatta 8 parganas
Chittagong 7 parganas
Sharifatabad 26 parganas
Sulaimanabad 31 parganas
Satgaon (Modern day Hooghly District and Howrah District) 53 parganas
Mandaran 16 parganas

Demographics of Bengal Subah

Bengal was one of the most densely populated region of Indian subcontinent. During
Mughal rule its population was estimated around 30 million (1769). It was around 16% of
the entire Indian population (190 million). On the other hand, Bengal accounted for 3.8%
of the entire world population. Then capital of Subah Bangla, Dhaka had a population
around 1 million which was huge for a city considering that time frame. As per the religion
goes Bengal had affluent Muslim majority along with huge Hindu minority.

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e | 12

Role of Nawabs of Bengal

The Nawabs of Bengal a.k.a The Nazims were Muslim rulers who ruled Bengal during
Mughal Empire. Nawab Shiraj ud-Daulah was the last independent nawab of Bengal.
Nawabs acted as a subordinate of Mughal rulers. After
Akbar took the throne, he restructured the entire
administrative system. He appointed governors in all the
Subahs. Bengal was the wealthiest of them. Akbar
established two provincial administrations, Nizamat and
Diwani. A subadar was in charge of the Nizamat and saw off
the executive side whereas the Diwans looked after the
revenue and judicial part. Thus with aforementioned wings,
Nawabs governed the Subah Bangla. Although in 1772, the
Nawab rule was abolished by east India company who took
Heraldic bearing of Nawab Nazim and
Nawab Bahadur power directly on their hand.

The Battle of Plassey

Battle of Plassey was one of the penultimate event that drastically change the fate of the
great Bengal as well as the Indian subcontinent. It led to a decisive victory of East India
Company over the Nawabs of Bengal which occurred in 23rd June, 1757 under the
eladership of Robert Clive. After 11 hours of fighting at the grand stage of Palashi, army
of Nawab Shiraj surrendered to the British force. This war is judged to be the most pivotal
war to possess control of colonial power of the subcontinent since Bengal was the most

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e | 13

prosperous, wealthiest and advanced region. This war concreted the authority of East India
Company as well as eradicated other influences such as Dutch and French presence.

Bust of Shiraj ud-Daula at Palashi battlefield,

Nadia

Conclusion

In conclusion it can be said that Mughal empire not only earned Bengal the title of the most
developed area of the world, it also left a massive cultural influence on the region. The
events that happened during Mughal empire drastically altered the fate of the Indian
subcontinent including the Bengal. During Mughal empire, the Indian subcontinent
including current Bangladesh lead the entire world in terms of economy, art, heritage,
culture and wealth which is now a distant dream for the people residing in the countries
associated with the subcontinent. So the story of the Mughal empire is a history that’s to
be considered as a glorified past which should be cherished by forthcoming generations.

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020

 P a g e | 14

Appendices

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mughal-dynasty

https://knowindia.gov.in/culture-and-heritage/medieval-history/the-mughal-empire.php

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/mughalempire_1.shtml

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Mughal_Empire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawabs_of_Bengal_and_Murshidabad

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_Subah#Art

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/modern-asian-studies/article/trade-and-darbar-politics-in-
the-bengal-subah-17331757/13856658DD0C5AFA71AFEB669A6AC768

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Plassey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empire

Dhaka The Mughal Empire 2020