Latest / The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History / Sher Shah Suri: The Afghan Emperor Who Built Bengal's Grand Trunk Road
Transcript
- Lucas: So today we're going to talk about a figure who, in just five years, reshaped not just Bengal but the entire Indian subcontinent. And if you've ever traveled on National Highway 2, you've driven on his legacy. Luna: You mean Sher Shah Suri? Lucas: Exactly. Sher Shah Suri, the Afghan emperor who defeated Humayun and ruled from 1540 to 1545. He's most famous for building the Grand Trunk Road, but his impact on Bengal is often overlooked. So let's start with how he even got to Bengal. Lucas: Sher Shah was born as Farid Khan in 1486, the son of an Afghan jagirdar in Bihar. He served under the Lodi sultans and then under the Mughal governor of Bihar. But he had ambitions. In the 1530s, he began building a power base in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Luna: And how did he come to control Bengal? Lucas: Well, Bengal at the time was under the Hussain Shahi dynasty, but they were weak. Sher Shah launched a campaign in 1538, capturing the capital Gaur without much of a fight. The last sultan, Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah, was killed. Sher Shah then appointed his son as governor and returned to fight Humayun. Lucas: But Humayun had other ideas. He marched into Bengal and took Gaur in 1539. However, Sher Shah cut his supply lines, forcing Humayun to retreat. That led to the Battle of Chausa later that year, where Sher Shah defeated Humayun soundly. By 1540, Sher Shah controlled Delhi and Agra, and Humayun was in exile. Luna: So Bengal was part of a much larger empire. What did Sher Shah do for Bengal specifically? Lucas: A lot. First, he reorganized the administration. He divided the empire into 47 sarkars, or districts, each with a civil and military administrator. He introduced a uniform land revenue system based on measurement of land, which was a big improvement over the previous chaotic systems. Lucas: He also standardized the currency. He introduced the silver rupya, which weighed about 11.5 grams. That coin became the basis for the modern Indian rupee. It's a direct lineage from Sher Shah. Luna: So the rupee we use today goes back to him? Lucas: Exactly. And his postal system was revolutionary. He built a network of dak chowkis, or post houses, along the Grand Trunk Road. He also built sarais—rest houses for travelers—at regular intervals. These sarais provided food and lodging for free, funded by the state. Lucas: The Grand Trunk Road itself, which he called Sadak-e-Azam, ran from Sonargaon in present-day Bangladesh all the way to Peshawar in modern Pakistan. That's over 2,400 kilometers. It was lined with trees and milestones, and it greatly facilitated trade and movement of troops. Luna: It's amazing that he accomplished so much in just five years. Lucas: He was a brilliant administrator and a military strategist. He also built the famous Rohtas Fort in Bihar, which later became a refuge for Humayun's son Akbar. And his tomb in Sasaram, Bihar, is a magnificent example of Indo-Islamic architecture, built in the middle of a lake. Lucas: But his empire didn't last. After his death in 1545 during a siege in Kalinjar, his son Islam Shah succeeded him, but the Suri dynasty collapsed within a decade. Humayun returned and reclaimed the throne in 1555. Luna: So Sher Shah's legacy lived on through Akbar, who adopted many of his reforms. Lucas: Yes, Akbar's revenue system, the mansabdari system, and even his policies on religious tolerance were influenced by Sher Shah. In fact, Sher Shah was known for his justice and fairness. He appointed Qanungos to record land rights and settled disputes. Lucas: One interesting detail: Sher Shah originally called himself 'Hazrat-i-Ala' but later adopted the title 'Sher Shah' after killing a tiger with his bare hands. The story goes that he killed a tiger that attacked him while hunting, and from then on he was known as Sher Shah—'lion king'. Luna: That's a great story. So in the context of Bengal, Sher Shah's rule was a brief but transformative period. Lucas: Absolutely. He connected Bengal to the rest of North India like never before. The Grand Trunk Road brought goods, ideas, and people across the subcontinent. And his administrative reforms set a standard that later rulers, including the British, would emulate. Luna: It makes you think about how infrastructure shapes history. Lucas: Indeed. Next time you're on a long road trip in India, remember you're traveling on a road that Sher Shah built nearly 500 years ago.