Chapter: - 2(Humayun and Sher Shah

Suri).
L/QA:-

Nasir ud Din Muhammad Humayun

(1530-1540)
(1555-1556):-
Q1) Tell about the reasons behind the failure of Humayun.

A) Although he was an obedient son, a sincere friend and a generous monarch but in some fields of life,
he was a failure.

According to some historian’s, Humayun was a great ruler and an exceptional ruler but other historians
believe that Humayun emerges as a scholar and a lover of arts, intensely humane and morally
impeachable. I believe in the Latter.

.) According to Nizam ud din Ahmed regarding his character:-

“His angelic character was adorned with every manly

virtue and in courage and heroism he excelled all the princes of his time. All the wealth of Hindustan
would not have suffered to maintain his generosity.”

I do believe that that he possessed the quality of general and an administrator, but he was not free from
defects. His addiction to opium marred many of his good qualities and deprived him of the fruit of his
and his father’s victories.

His failure as a king must be considered in the light of his difficulties, namely the rivalry of his brothers,
the opposition of the Afghans under Sher Shah, the political condition of the country and the precarious
position of the Mughal Empire.

.) Cause of Failure:-

The reasons behind the failure of Humayun are following:-

1) Poor administration of Babur:-

 He had inherited an ill-organized and unconsolidated empire from his father.
Babur had merely defeated the Afghans and temporarily subdued the Rajputs, but he had not
consolidated his conquest in Indo-Pakistan. In addition to this, he had made the mistake of dividing his
empire into Jagirs which he gave as regards to the jagirdars. These jagirdars were semi-independent and
had created great troubles for Humayun.

2) Less about of Treasury:-

Babur during his reign distributed all the treasure that he had found at Delhi and
Agra. His generosity and financial bungling had practically exhausted the treasury with the result that
Humayun’s administration was faced with a financial crisis from its very start. Thus Humayun had to face
political problems which were not of his own creation.

3) Betrayal by relatives:-

As there was no law of succession, Humayun’s brothers and relatives began to

aspire for the throne and create troubles for him. Among his brothers, Kamran was the most dangerous
and had his covetous (greedy) eyes on the throne of Delhi.

Hamayun was told by his father, to take care of his brothers. So, at his early stage of rule, he appointed
Kamran Mirza as the governor of Qandahar and Kabul. Kamran taking advantage of Humayun’s
weakness also captured Punjab.

4) Disunity between Army:-

The army which Humayun had got from his father could not be relied
upon. On the other hand, it consisted of Uzbegs, Chagatai’s, Mughals, Persians and Afghans. This army
always had a feud among themselves. As a result, they sacrificed the interest of the nation to the
interest of their class.

Q2) Can you elaborate the famous saying of Lane Poole for Humayun, “He tumbled through life and
tumbled out of it.”

A) On the 4th day of Babur’s death, Humayun ascended to the throne on December 30, 1530. This delay
of his accession to the throne was due to the conspiracy of the Chief Minister of the State, Nazimuddin
Ali Muhammad Khalifah.

The Khalifah nominated his own candidate Sayyid Mahdi Khwaja, Babur’s brother in law and Husband of
Khanzada Begum (Babar’s sister).

Hence, Humayun followed the policy of his father by allowing Kamran Mirza (Trusted step brother) to
continue as the governor of Kabul, Qandahar, Askari of Sambal, Hindal of Alwar and Mewat. The
government of Badakshan was entrusted to his cousin, Mirza Sulayman.

Hence, Humayun, by appointing his trusted relative on higher designation, secured his place on the
throne.
.) Betrayal of Relatives:-

As there was no law of succession, Humayun’s brothers and relatives began to

aspire for the throne and create troubles for him. Among his brothers, Kamran was the most dangerous
and had his covetous (greedy) eyes on the throne of Delhi.

Hamayun was told by his father, to take care of his brothers. So, at his early stage of rule, he appointed
Kamran Mirza as the governor of Qandahar and Kabul. Kamran taking advantage of Humayun’s
weakness also captured Punjab.

.)Laziness of Humayun:-

Humayun was always fascinated by Literature and poetry and wanted to live a
carefree live with responsibilities and always preferred peace instead of Violence during his reign.

After the conquest of Khanua, he defeated the other encounters with Afghans and was successful. After
his successful conquests, he wanted a break from this violence and decided to live carefree.

At the end of 1528, Humayun didn’t take interest in the governance of Badkhashan and became lazy and
replied to Babur’s letter very lazily.

Hence, Babur wrote him a letter with aggression and scolded him, but it no effect on Humayun.

So, Babur wrote another letter to Humayun:-

“I will only get satisfied from you on one condition that is, if
you abandon your fascination with love and literature and change you interest which hesitates you from
meeting people. Take control of your brother’s and minister and stop them doing whatever they want
and keep surveillance on them and at least meet them twice a day and handle all the affairs of your
province.

After the death of Babur, Humayun realized his responsibility and ascended to the throne.

Although, the Chief Minister gave him a tough time but Humayun succeeded and ascended to the
throne.

.) Overall character of Humayun:-

Although he was an obedient son, a sincere friend and a generous monarch; but
in some fields of life, he was a failure.

According to some historian’s, Humayun was a great ruler and an exceptional ruler but other historians
believe that Humayun emerges as a scholar and a lover of arts, intensely humane and morally
impeachable. I believe in the Latter.

.) According to Nizam ud din Ahmed regarding his character:-

 “His angelic character was adorned with every manly
virtue and in courage and heroism he excelled all the princes of his time. All the wealth of Hindustan
would not have suffered to maintain his generosity.”

I do believe that that he possessed the quality of general and an administrator, but he was not free from
defects. His addiction to opium marred many of his good qualities and deprived him of the fruit of his
and his father’s victories.

His failure as a king must be considered in the light of his difficulties, namely the rivalry of his brothers,
the opposition of the Afghans under Sher Shah, the political condition of the country and the precarious
position of the Mughal Empire.

.) Death of Humayun:-

On 24 January 1556, Humayun, with his arms full of books, was descending the staircase from his library
when the muezzin announced the Azaan (the call to prayer). It was his habit, wherever he heard the
summons, to bow his knee in holy reverence. Trying to kneel, he caught his foot in his robe, tumbled
down several steps and hit his temple on a rugged stone edge. He died three days later. His body was
laid to rest in Purana Qila initially, but, because of an attack by Hemu on Delhi and the capture of Purana
Qila, Humayun's body was exhumed by the fleeing army and transferred to Kalanaur in Punjab where
Akbar was crowned. His tomb, which was commissioned by his favorite and devoted chief wife, Bega
Begum, stands in Delhi, where he was later buried in a grand way.

.) Thus the remark of Lane Poole is justified when he says:-

“He tumbled through life and tumbled out of it.”

Q3) Tell about the battle of Chausa.

A) Even though after their peace treaty, Humayun planned the expedition of Bengal and decided to
capture Gaur first, and in 1538 he occupied Gaur. After the victory he indulged himself in merry-making.
During this interval, Sher Khan was able to establish his control over the territory between Bihar and
Delhi. He cut off all the lines of communications between Delhi and Bengal and entrapped Humayun in
Bengal. Now, the lion was in the net. Humayun in great haste, started from Bengal to Agra. Sher Khan
baffled him on his return march and took him unawares at Chausa. At the critical moment of Chausa,
Humayun was trapped. He also asked the help of his brother, but they refused. Even many soldiers and
nobles began to desert him. He at last met the enemy with a small band of soldiers but was defeated in
June, 1539. The victory of Chausa was of great importance. It greatly encouraged Sher Khan and
enhanced his prestige. After the victory he straightly went towards Gaur and ascended to the Throne,
there he assumed the title of “Shah”.

S/QA:-
Q1) Tell about the education of Humayun.
A) In his early life, Humayun learnt Turki, Arabic and Persian. We are told that he picked up some Hindi
also after Babur’s conquest of Northern India. Besides literature and poetry, he was interested in
mathematics, philosophy, astronomy and astrology.

Q2) About which attitude of Humayun Babur strongly complains.

A) Humayun was always fascinated by Literature and poetry and wanted to live a carefree live with
responsibilities and always preferred peace instead of Violence during his reign.

After the conquest of Khanua, he defeated the other encounters with Afghans and was successful. After
his successful conquests, he wanted a break from this violence and decided to live carefree.

At the end of 1528, Humayun didn’t take interest in the governance of Badkhashan and became lazy and
replied to Babur’s letter very lazily.

Hence, Babur wrote him a letter with aggression and scolded him, but it no effect on Humayun.

So, Babur wrote another letter to Humayun:-

“I will only get satisfied from you on one condition that is, if
you abandon your fascination with love and literature and change you interest which hesitates you from
meeting people. Take control of your brother’s and minister and stop them doing whatever they want
and keep surveillance on them and at least meet them twice a day and handle all the affairs of your
province.

After the death of Babur, Humayun realized his responsibility and ascended to the throne.

Although, the Chief Minister gave him a tough time but Humayun succeeded and ascended to the
throne.

Q3) After assuming the power, with whom Humayun has a severe complain with?

A) Humayun first military expedition was directed against the Afghans who under Sultan Mahmud Lodi
threatened his position in the East. The Afghans were defeated in the battle of Dadrah in August, 1532.
Humayun next marched against the fort of Chunar, and then held by Sher Khan. The Afghans chief soon
surrendered to him. Sher khan also sent his son with 500 soldiers to Humayun.

Q4) Tell about the forces Humayun had to face, after his accession to the throne.

A) The forces which were a real threat to the Humayun are folliwng:-

1) Rajputs

2) Bahadur shah of Gujarat

3) Lodi/ Afghan

4) Humayun relatives
5) Sher shah Surri.

Q5) Tell the political tactics used by Sher Shah Suri for Humayun.

A) Even though after their peace treaty, Humayun planned the expedition of Bengal and decided to
capture Gaur first, and in 1538 he occupied Gaur. After the victory he indulged himself in merry-making.
During this interval, Sher Khan was able to establish his control over the territory between Bihar and
Delhi. He cut off all the lines of communications between Delhi and Bengal and entrapped Humayun in
Bengal. Now, the lion was in the net. Humayun in great haste, started from Bengal to Agra. Sher Khan
baffled him on his return march and took him unawares at Chausa. At the critical moment of Chausa,
Humayun was trapped. He also asked the help of his brother, but they refused. Even many soldiers and
nobles began to desert him. He at last met the enemy with a small band of soldiers but was defeated in
June, 1539. The victory of Chausa was of great importance. It greatly encouraged Sher Khan and
enhanced his prestige. After the victory he straightly went towards Gaur and ascended to the Throne,
there he assumed the title of “Shah”.

Q6) Tell about the pact between Humayun and the king of Persia.

A) When he left for Persia in 1541, to secure the help and support of the Shah of Persia. Shah Tahmasp,
the young king of Persia accorded him a warm reception. The Shah assured Humayun of every help
provided, but the latter would fulfill the following conditions:-

1) On Humayun’s becoming Shia.

2) On his agreeing to spread Shiaism in Indo-Pakistan.

3) On his promising the return of Qandahar to the Shah.

At the request of his well-wishers, he declared his acceptance of the Shia creed with great reluctance
(unwillingness).

With the help of the 14000 Persian troops he attacked the kingdom of his brother Kamran (Punjab).
Kabul and Qandahar were captured in 1545. Akbar was replaced with Kamran who was, after the
conquest of Kabul blinded and sent to Mecca. Mirza Askari was also caught and was allowed to proceed
to Mecca. Having got rid of all his rivals, Humayun marched towards India in November, 1554 and
captured Lahore in 1555. Sultan Sikandar Sur advanced towards him, but was badly defeated at Sirhind
and put to flight. Humayun entered his old capital with victory in July, 1555.

SHER SHAH SURI (1540-1545):-

T/LQA:-
Q1) Did Sher Shah succeeded in becoming the ruler of Hindustan. Tell in detail.
A) Background:-

Sher Shah was a man of humble origin. His original name was Farid. He was born at Bajwara
near Hoshiarpur in 1473. His father Hasun Sur was in the service of a big Jagirdar (feudal lord) of
Hoshiarpur. Hasan had 4 wives and Farid was by his first wife.

.) Taking over the Throne:-

The flight of Humayun left Sher Shah the undisputed ruler of Bengal, Bihar, Jaunpur, Delhi, and Agra. On
the expulsion of the Mughals from Indo-Pakistan he launched upon a career of new conquests. The
Punjab which was held by Kamran was the first country to fall into his hands. Sher Shah then marched to
subdue the warlike hill tribes of Ghakkar country ‘situated between the upper courses of the Indus and
Jhelum’. He ravaged the territory of the Ghakkars, but could not thoroughly subdue the Ghakkars as he
had to left for Bengal to suppress the rebellion of Khizar Khan, Governor of Bengal. He built a strong fort
(Rotas) in the Punjab and left 50,000 troops under the command of his able generals to subdue the
country of the Ghakkars.

.) Expeditions or as a conqueror:-

Sher Shah suppressed the rebellion of Khizar Khan, the Governor of Bengal in 1541 A.D. He
next turned his attention towards Malwa and completed his conquest by the end of 1542 A.D. This was
followed by a series of conquests in Rajputana.

In 1543, Sher Shah marched against Puran Mal of Raisin. Puran Mal and his Rajput soldiers fought
bravely for the country, but could not save it from falling into the hands of Muslims. It has been said by
some historians that Sher Shah occupied the fort of Raisin by having recourse to treachery and perfidy
(treason).

.) According to Dr. Qanungo,

“This charge of historian’s against Sher Shah in the case of Puran Mal of Raisin is
not historically true.”

He then turned against Maldev of Jodhpur. The Rajputs offered a strong resistance and when his valor
seemed useless, he had recourse to stratagem. He sent a forged letter to Maldev which was written in
the name of Puran Mal nobles:-

“Let not the king permit any anxiety of doubt, find its way to his heart. During the battle we
will seize Maldeve and bring him to you.”

The trick succeeded because the ruler suspected treachery on the part of the nobles and decided to
retreat without resistance. The Rajputs fought gallantry but were defeated. Sher Shah won the battle
with great difficulty as he confessed:-

“I had nearly lost the kingdom of Delhi for a handful of Bajra” (Millet).
.) As an administrator:-

As regards his success in administration, Abbas Sarwani, the author of Tarik e Sher Shahi
says:-

“In a
very short time both parganas became prosperous and soldiery and peasantry were alike contented. But
this enkindled the jealousy of his step mother who pressed her husband to remove Farid and give
charge of the parganas to her son, Sulayman. The intrigue of his step mother ultimately compelled Farid
to leave the parganas for the second time. He went to Agra and secured a job there. The death of his
father brought him to Sahsaram again; but he was deprived of his Jagirs by his relatives.

.) Death:-

After his victory he reduced to submission the whole region from Ajmer to Mount Abu and
marched to besiege the fort of Kalinjer Sher Shah succeeded in capturing the fort but died from an
accident explosion of gunpowder on May 22, 1545, at the age of 72.

He was buried in a tomb in Sahsaram. This tomb was constructed by him, while he was alive.

Q2) Sher Shah Suri succeeded in making a Welfare state, during the 16 th century. Discuss.

A) Introduction:-

A gallant warrior and a great conqueror Sher Shah was the architect of a brilliant
administrative system. He was the first Muslim ruler who had the genius to see that the Government
must not be popularized, that the king must ruler for the goof of his people; that the Hindu must be
conciliated by a policy of justice and toleration and that the land revenue must be settled on an
equitable basis. His brief reign of 5 years was marked by many important reforms.

.) View point of Historians:-

.) Just like K. Ali has said:-

“The historian praised him and talked of his reign as a golden age. The Afghans
appreciated his creative genius and looked upon him as their savior.”

.) According to Mr. Keerie:-

“No Government, not even the British has shown so much wisdom as this Pathan.”

The government of Sher Shah was highly centralized and though autocratic it was vigorous and
enlightened.

.) Dr. K. Datta says:-

 “He wanted to build his greatness on the happiness and contentment of his subjects,
not by oppressing them.”

Sher Shah personally supervised all the departments of the State. He was assisted by a number of
ministers. But his ministers had no independence of action. They were mere secretaries who only
attended to the routine work.

1) Administration reforms:-

a) Sarkars and its administration:-

For the purpose of efficient administration the whole empire was

divided into 47 “Sarkars” or division. The administration of a Sarkars was carried on chiefly by 2 officers
namely Shiqdar-i-Shiq-daran or Chief Shiqdar and Munsif-i-Munsifan or Chief Munsif.

b) Functions of Chief Shiqdar and Chief Munisf:-

.) Chief Shiqdar:-

The Chief Shiqdar was to maintain law and order within the Sarkar or District and to
put down those who dared to revolt. He was also to supervise the work of the Shiqdars of Parganas.

.) Chief Munsif:-

The chief Munsif was the civil officer who chief functions were to supervise the work of
Amin’s, to settle disputes regarding boundaries of the parganas and to act as a judge for trying civil
cases.

These important officers were helped by a large number of clerks and accountants in the discharge of
their function.

c) Parganas and its administration:-

Each Sarkar was sub-divided into a number of parganas.

.) According to Abbas Khan Sarwani,

There were 113000 parganas in the empire of Sher Shah. In every

parganas there were a Shiqdar, an Amin, a treasurer, a Munsif and two writers (Karkuns) one to write
Hindi and another to write Persian.

Beside these officers, there were the Patwari, Chaudhry, and Muqaddam, who acted as middlemen
between the State and the people.

d) Function of Shiqdar and Amin:-

The Shiqdar was entrusted with police duties while the Amin’s duty was the
assessment and collection of land revenue. (The Shiqdar was a soldier and the Amin a civilian)
The duty of the former was to execute royal “farman’s” or order and to give military help to the Amin,
when necessary. In order to check undue influence of the officers in their respective parganas, Sher shah
introduced the system of transferring officers every 2 or 3 years.

e) Village administration:-

Sher Shah allowed the continuance of the autonomous existence of the

village communities. In every village there used to be a “punchayat”, a council consisting of the
influential men of the village. It performed the village administration.

2) Land Revenue Reform:-

The fame of Sher Shah rests chiefly on his land revenue reforms. While he held
charge of his father’s jagir at Sahsaram, he could realize that the existing land revenue system was not
based on the principles of justice. The poor cultivator was arbitrarily taxed and much beyond his means.
a) State demand fixed at 1/3:-

As soon as he became the emperor of Hindustan he ordered the

measurement of land. The land was measured by rope, while Sikandar Lodi used yards for the
measurement. After a proper survey of lands, the State demand was fixed at 1/3 of the production. The
rest of 2/3 was given to farmer for buying seeds and for himself.

Sher Shah made it optional for the cultivators to pay the State demand either in cash or in products.

b) Kabuliyat and Patta:-

Once the stage demand was fixed, a kabuliyat (deed of agreement), in which the
liabilities of the tenants were stated, was taken by Sher Shah from every individual and in return he gave
him a patta (tittle deed). He gave instruction to the revenue officers to show mercy at the time of
assessment but to be strict at the time of collection.

c) Protection of the interest of the people:-

1) He also passed order for the army, not to cause damage to the crops of the peasants.

2) He would also reduce or remit the revenue in times of calamities.

3) Agriculture was encouraged and loans were advanced to the agriculturists to make improvement on
their lands.

This efficient system of revenue settlement which increased the resources of the state was in later days
adopted and developed by Akbar the Great.

3) Public work:-

.) According to Dr. Qanungo:-

 “The most permanent among the monuments of his glory are his great roads
which have kept his memory still green in the mind of his countrymen.”

Sher Shah connected important places of his kingdom by a chain of excellent roads which were utilized
for public convenience as well as defense of the empire. The longest of his roads was the Grand Trunk
Road (G.T Road) running from Sonargaon in East Bengal to Rohtas in the West Punjab. It passed through
Agra, Delhi, and Lahore. Besides the Grand Trunk Road, roads running from Agra to Barhanpur and Agra
to Jodhpur may be mentioned. Those roads proved very useful. They facilitated military transport and
brought many commercial advantages. For the comfort of the travellers, shady trees were planted on
both sides of these roads and sarai’s (Place for rest during journey) were constructed at the interval of
two kose’s (miles).

.) According to Abbas Khan Sarwani,

Sher Shah constructed as many as 1700 sarais.

Every sarai consisted of 2 quarters one for the Hindus and the other for the Muslims. There was mosque
and a well in every sarai.

.) In the words of Dr. Qanungo:-

“These sarais became the veritable arteries of the empire”.

They were used as Dak Chowkis which supplied the Government of Sher Shah with the news from
different parts of the empire.

.) Conclusion:-

As regards his success in administration, Abbas Sarwani, the author of Tarik e Sher Shahi
says:-

“In a
very short time both parganas became prosperous and soldiery and peasantry were alike contented. But
this enkindled the jealousy of his step mother who pressed her husband to remove Farid and give
charge of the parganas to her son, Sulayman. The intrigue of his step mother ultimately compelled Farid
to leave the parganas for the second time. He went to Agra and secured a job there. The death of his
father brought him to Sahsaram again; but he was deprived of his Jagirs by his relatives.

.) Death:-

After his victory he reduced to submission the whole region from Ajmer to Mount Abu and
marched to besiege the fort of Kalinjer Sher Shah succeeded in capturing the fort but died from an
accident explosion of gunpowder on May 22, 1545, at the age of 72.

He was buried in a tomb in Sahsaram. This tomb was constructed by him, while he was alive.

Q3) Based on what reasons Sher Shah can be better that its predecessors.
A) Introduction:-

A gallant warrior and a great conqueror Sher Shah was the architect of a brilliant
administrative system. He was the first Muslim ruler who had the genius to see that the Government
must not be popularized, that the king must ruler for the goof of his people; that the Hindu must be
conciliated by a policy of justice and toleration and that the land revenue must be settled on an
equitable basis. His brief reign of 5 years was marked by many important reforms.

.) View point of Historians:-

.) Just like K. Ali has said:-

“The historian praised him and talked of his reign as a golden age. The Afghans
appreciated his creative genius and looked upon him as their savior.”

.) According to Mr. Keerie:-

“No Government, not even the British has shown so much wisdom as this Pathan.”

The government of Sher Shah was highly centralized and though autocratic it was vigorous and
enlightened.

1) Military Reforms:-

Sher Shah was much impressed by the military system of Allauddin Khalji. Like him,
he centralized the military organization. The soldiers had to be in close contact with the State which we
do not find in military system of Akbar where there was no contact between the king and the soldiers.

The horses were branded so that only useful horses could be brought to the field and descriptive role of
soldiers are also said to have been taken. All the soldiers were personally recruited by the emperor and
their salaries were fixed after personal inspection.

Sher Shah Suri changed the relation between the common soldiers and the nobles. He told the soldiers
to obey their immediate officers not as their personal chiefs but as the servants of the Emperor. His
main object was to prevent military revolt. He enforced strict discipline in the Army and steps were
taken to prevent corruption among soldiers.

One of the divisions of his Army was called “fauji” which was commanded by a “Faujidar”.

The system of assigning Jagirs in their service was abolished and military officers were not allowed to
stay in one place for more than 2 years

2) Currency and Tariff Reforms:-

Sher Shah took steps to reform the currency. Before him, currency was in
miserable condition. There was frequent debasement of the metal and there was practically no relation
between gold and lower metals. Sher Shah ‘reconstructed the currency upon the most comprehensive
basis. First he introduced a large number of new copper coins. He then introduced 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8,
and 1/16 of the silver and copper coins. He introduced a standard silver tank of 178 grains.

His coins were both square and circular in shape and bore the name and title of the emperor and the
place of the mint. Some coins were in Devnagri script and bore the names of the four Khalifahs. He also
introduced gold coins.

.) According to V.A. Smith:-

“Sher Shah is entitled to the honor of establishing the reformed system of

currency which lasts throughout the Mughal period, which was also maintained by the East India
Company up to 1835 and is the basis of the existing British currency.

Sher Shah also did a lot to encourage trade. Many duties were abolished in order to help trade and
commerce. Only 2 duties, one at the time of entry of goods and the other at the time of sale were
allowed. All internal customs were abolished, officers were directed to buy the goods at the usual bazar
rates and not to harass the merchant and all types of internal taxes of import and export were
abolished.

3) Police System:-

The police system of Sher Shah was highly efficient. His police system was based on the
principles of local responsibility. In every village, the headman was made responsible for the
maintenance of peace and detection of criminals in his locality. If any theft or robbery took place and
the culprit was not traced out, the headman along with the people concerned was called and he had to
make good the loss. The system of local responsibility resulted in the complete security of life and
property. The travellers and wayfarers slept without the least anxiety even in the desert and the feudal
lords themselves kept watch over them for the feat of the king.

.) Abbas Khan Sarwani writes:-

“In the time of Sher Shah’s rule a decrepit old woman might place a basket
full of gold ornaments on her head and go on a journey and no thief or robber would come near her for
fear of punishment which Sher Shah inflicted”.

Sher Shah not only protected the villages but kept a strict watch over powerful nobles who were in the
habit of oppressing their sub-ordinates and dependents. This he did through an efficient system of
espionage (spy system) which always kept him in touch with all that happened in his empire.

4) Judicial System:-

Sher Shah had great sense of justice.

He used to say:-
 “Justice is the most excellent of religious rites and it is approved alike by the kings of
infidels and the faithful”.

He was himself the highest court and the cases of high nobles and officials were always decided by him.
He dispensed even-handed justice and would not spare even his relatives and high nobles if they
committed a crime. Below him was the Chief Qazi of the kingdom who was the head of the department
of justice. In the parganas, civil suits were tried by the Amin, while the Qazi and the Mir-ul-Adal
administrated the criminal cases in Dar-ul-Adalat (Court of Justice).

The criminal law was more severe and the punishment was an exemplary one in the time of Sher Shah.
The cases of Hindu’s were decided by the village Punchayats.

.) Conclusion:-

As regards his success in administration, Abbas Sarwani, the author of Tarik e Sher Shahi
says:-

“In a
very short time both parganas became prosperous and soldiery and peasantry were alike contented. But
this enkindled the jealousy of his step mother who pressed her husband to remove Farid and give
charge of the parganas to her son, Sulayman. The intrigue of his step mother ultimately compelled Farid
to leave the parganas for the second time. He went to Agra and secured a job there. The death of his
father brought him to Sahsaram again; but he was deprived of his Jagirs by his relatives.

.) Death:-

After his victory he reduced to submission the whole region from Ajmer to Mount Abu and
marched to besiege the fort of Kalinjer Sher Shah succeeded in capturing the fort but died from an
accident explosion of gunpowder on May 22, 1545, at the age of 72.

He was buried in a tomb in Sahsaram. This tomb was constructed by him, while he was alive.

Q4) Tell about policy made by Sher Shah Surri for the welfare of people.

A) Introduction:-

A gallant warrior and a great conqueror Sher Shah was the architect of a brilliant
administrative system. He was the first Muslim ruler who had the genius to see that the Government
must not be popularized, that the king must ruler for the goof of his people; that the Hindu must be
conciliated by a policy of justice and toleration and that the land revenue must be settled on an
equitable basis. His brief reign of 5 years was marked by many important reforms.

.) According to Dr. Qanungo:-

“The most permanent among the monuments of his glory are his great roads
which have kept his memory still green in the mind of his countrymen.”
Sher Shah connected important places of his kingdom by a chain of excellent roads which were utilized
for public convenience as well as defense of the empire. The longest of his roads was the Grand Trunk
Road (G.T Road) running from Sonargaon in East Bengal to Rohtas in the West Punjab. It passed through
Agra, Delhi, and Lahore. Besides the Grand Trunk Road, roads running from Agra to Barhanpur and Agra
to Jodhpur may be mentioned. Those roads proved very useful. They facilitated military transport and
brought many commercial advantages. For the comfort of the travellers, shady trees were planted on
both sides of these roads and sarai’s (Place for rest during journey) were constructed at the interval of
two kose’s (miles).

.) According to Abbas Khan Sarwani,

Sher Shah constructed as many as 1700 sarais.

Every sarai consisted of 2 quarters one for the Hindus and the other for the Muslims. There was mosque
and a well in every sarai.

.) In the words of Dr. Qanungo:-

“These sarais became the veritable arteries of the empire”.

They were used as Dak Chowkis which supplied the Government of Sher Shah with the news from
different parts of the empire.

.) Charitable institution:-

Sher Shah also set up general charitable institutions.

1) In the first place, he had opened a public kitchen for the poor and it was known as a “Lungur-i-Fukra”.
Any person could get food from this kitchen.

2) Secondly, he was very liberal in giving grants to Imams and Ulema.

3) Thirdly, he built alm- houses, laid out gardens, erected hospitals and founded many Maktabs and
Madrasas.

Sher Shah was a great Builder. He built a magnificent city at Delhi and a famous fort at Rohtas in the
Punjab. The Mausoleum of Sher Shah which he constructed during his life time is one of the splendid
monuments Indo-Pakistan.

Another important building of Sher Shah is Purana Qila which he built on the bank of Jamuna near Delhi.

As regards his success in administration, Abbas Sarwani, the author of Tarik e Sher Shahi says:-

“In a
very short time both parganas became prosperous and soldiery and peasantry were alike contented. But
this enkindled the jealousy of his step mother who pressed her husband to remove Farid and give
charge of the parganas to her son, Sulayman. The intrigue of his step mother ultimately compelled Farid
to leave the parganas for the second time. He went to Agra and secured a job there. The death of his
father brought him to Sahsaram again; but he was deprived of his Jagirs by his relatives.

.) Death:-

After his victory he reduced to submission the whole region from Ajmer to Mount Abu and
marched to besiege the fort of Kalinjer Sher Shah succeeded in capturing the fort but died from an
accident explosion of gunpowder on May 22, 1545, at the age of 72.

He was buried in a tomb in Sahsaram. This tomb was constructed by him, while he was alive.

S/QA:-
Q1) Tell about the early life of Sher Shah Surri and its effect on his personality..

A) Sher Shah was a man of humble origin. His original name was Farid. He was born at Bajwara near
Hoshiarpur in 1473. His father Hasun Sur was in the service of a big Jagirdar (feudal lord) of Hoshiarpur.
Hasan had 4 wives and Farid was by his first wife.

.) Farid at Sahsaram:-

Hasan Sur took up service with Jamal Khan of Hissar after the birth of Farid. With
the transfer of Jamal Khan to Jaunpur, Hasan also went along with his master and was granted a Jagirs in
Sahsaram, Khawaspur and Tanda. He settled at Sahsaram (Bihar) and it was here that Farid, the future
ruler of Indo-Pakistan, spent his childhood.

.) Farid at Jaunpur:-

Hasan, who was a slave to his youngest wife and showed preference for children
from her, did not like his first wife and neglected her son Farid. Farid could not tolerate this treatment of
his father and so he left Sahsaram and went to Jaunpur. There he devoted himself to the study of letters
and within a short time he acquired much proficiency in Arabic and Persian. By his ability and hard work
he attracted the attention of Jamal Khan, the governor of Jaunpur and patron of his father who brought
reconciliation between the father and the son.

Hasan brought his son back to Sahsaram and being impressed with his ability placed him in-charge of his
parganas. He successfully managed the affairs of the parganas.

>) As regards his success in administration, Abbas Sarwani, the author of Tarik e Sher Shahi says:-

“In a
very short time both parganas became prosperous and soldiery and peasantry were alike contented. But
this enkindled the jealousy of his step mother who pressed her husband to remove Farid and give
charge of the parganas to her son, Sulayman. The intrigue of his step mother ultimately compelled Farid
to leave the parganas for the second time. He went to Agra and secured a job there. The death of his
father brought him to Sahsaram again; but he was deprived of his Jagirs by his relatives.”
Q2) What reforms were made by Sher Shah Suri for the farmers and peasants?

A) As soon as he became the emperor of Hindustan he ordered the measurement of land. The land was
measured by rope, while Sikandar Lodi used yards for the measurement. After a proper survey of lands,
the State demand was fixed at 1/3 of the production. The rest of 2/3 was given to farmer for buying
seeds and for himself.

Q3) Why Farid has given the title of Sher Shah.

A) Farid was then out in search of his fortune and entered into the service of Bahar Khan Lohani, an
independent ruler of Bihar in 1522. He soon earned the title of Sher Khan (means Tiger Lord) from his
master for having shown gallantry by killing a tiger.

Q4) Why Babar was cautious about Sher Shah.

A) In 1527, Sher Khan went to Agra and took service under Babur. The service with the Mughals was of
great help to him. He could study the Mughal camp and its weakness. His expulsion from Bihar was thus
a great blessing in disguise for him. He rendered great service to Babar when the latter attacked Bihar
and in recognition of his service the Mughals Emperor helped him to recover the Jagirs of his father from
his step brothers. In 1528, he left the Mughal service.

Babur was aware that he can be claimant to his Throne, so he was very cautious about him.

Q5) Tell about the weeding of Sher Shah with Lad Malika.

A) In 1530, Sher Khan captured the important fortress of Chunar. After the death of Taj Khan, the ruler
of Chunar, Sher Khan negotiated with his widow, Lad Malika whom he married and got possession of the
fort. After the marriage, the widow of Taj Khan gave his newly wed husband 150 valuable diamonds, 7
mounds of Jewelry and 150 mounds gold.

The capture of Chunar brought him into direct conflict with the Mughals. In 1531 Humayun marched
against Sher Khan and the Sher Shah saved himself by timely sub-mission.

Q6) Which tactics were applied by Sher Shah against the Raja of Ajmer.

A) In 1543, Sher Shah marched against Puran Mal of Raisin. Puran Mal and his Rajput
soldiers fought bravely for the country, but could not save it from falling into the hands of Muslims. It
has been said by some historians that Sher Shah occupied the fort of Raisin by having recourse to
treachery and perfidy (treason).

.) According to Dr. Qanungo,

“This charge of historian’s against Sher Shah in the case of Puran Mal of Raisin is
not historically true.”
He then turned against Maldev of Jodhpur. The Rajputs offered a strong resistance and when his valor
seemed useless, he had recourse to stratagem. He sent a forged letter to Maldev which was written in
the name of Puran Mal nobles:-

“Let not the king permit any anxiety of doubt, find its way to his heart. During the battle we
will seize Maldeve and bring him to you.”

The trick succeeded because the ruler suspected treachery on the part of the nobles and decided to
retreat without resistance. The Rajputs fought gallantry but were defeated. Sher Shah won the battle
with great difficulty as he confessed:-

“I had nearly lost the kingdom of Delhi for a handful of Bajra” (Millet).

Q7) Tell about the death of Sher Shah Suri.

A) After his victory he reduced to submission the whole region from Ajmer to Mount Abu and marched
to besiege the fort of Kalinjer Sher Shah succeeded in capturing the fort but died from an accident
explosion of gunpowder on May 22, 1545, at the age of 72.

He was buried in a tomb in Sahsaram. This tomb was constructed by him, while he was alive.