| |
|
| |
Rulers
and Statesmen of Bengal |
| |
From
the eighth to the twelfth century, Bengal flourished under
the Pala dynasty, whose patronage of Buddhist institutions
attracted scholars from across Asia. This gave way to Hindu
rule under the Senas, followed by the Islamic conquest led
by Bakhtiyar Khalji in the early thirteenth century. Under
the independent Bengal sultans and later the Mughals, a distinct
political and cultural identity took shape. British dominance
began after the East India Company’s victories at Plassey
in 1757 and Buxar in 1764, with Calcutta becoming the colonial
capital in 1772. The nineteenth century saw Bengal emerge
as a centre of reformist thought and nationalist activity.
In the twentieth, rising communal tensions culminated in the
1905 partition, reversed in 1911, but echoed in the 1947 division
between India and Pakistan. The eastern part became East Pakistan,
and after a brutal war in 1971, the independent nation of
Bangladesh, while the western part became the Indian state
of West Bengal, continuing as a major cultural and political
centre within India. |
| |
Position
Holders |
| Name |
Tenure |
|
Bengal
(India, Bangladesh) |
►To
Pala Empire 750-mid-1000s
|
Rulers
of Bengal |
| Hemantasena
|
1000s
|
Sena
(2469) |
| Vijayasena
|
c.1095–c.1158
|
Sena
(2469) |
| Ballalasena
|
c.1159–c.78
|
Sena
(2469) |
| Lakshmanasena
|
c.1178–c.1206
|
Sena
(2469) |
►To
Delhi Sultanate, conquest and rule
1204–1342
|
| Vishvarupasena
|
c.1206–c.20
|
Sena
(2469) |
|
Keshavasena
|
c.1220–23
|
Sena
(2469) |
►Independent
Sultanate of Bengal declared 1210–27
|
Sultans
of Bengal |
| ‘Ala
ud-din
|
1210–13
|
•••• |
|
Ghiyath ud-din ‘Iwaz
|
1213–27
|
•••• |
►To
Delhi Sultanate 1227
|
►Independent
Sultanate of Bengal declared 1255–57
|
| Mughith
ud-din Yuzbak
|
1255–57
|
•••• |
►To
Delhi Sultanate 1257
|
►Independent
Sultanate of Bengal declared 1275–81
|
| Mughith
ud-din Tughral
|
c.1275–81
|
•••• |
►To
Delhi Sultanate 1281
|
►Independent
Sultanate of Bengal declared 1287–1325
|
| Nasir
ud-din Mahmud
|
1287–91
|
Mamluk-Balbani
(2444) |
| Rukn
ud-din Kaikaus
|
1291–1300
|
Mamluk-Balbani
(2444) |
| Shams
ud-din Firuz Shah
|
1301–22
|
Firuz
Shahi (4415) |
| Jalal
ud-din Mahmud
|
c.1304–09
|
Firuz
Shahi (4415) |
| Ghiyath
ud-din Bahadur (1) |
1310–12
|
Firuz
Shahi (4415) |
| Shihab
ud-din Bughday Shah |
1317–18
|
Firuz
Shahi (4415) |
| Ghiyath
ud-din Bahadur (2) |
1322–25
|
Firuz
Shahi (4415) |
►To
Delhi Sultanate 1325–42
|
►Independent
Sultanate of Bengal declared 1342–1575
|
| Shams
ud-din Ilyas Shah
|
1342–57
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Sikandar
Shah
|
1357–89
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Ghiyath
ud-din A‘zam Shah
|
1389–1410
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Saif
Hamza Shah
|
1410–11
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Shihab
ud-din Bayazid Shah
|
1411–14
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| ‘Ala
ud-din Firuz Shah
|
1414
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Jalal
ud-din Muhammad Shah
|
1415–32
|
Raja
Ganesh |
| Shams
ud-din Ahmad Shah
|
1432–33
|
Raja
Ganesh |
| Nasir
ud-din Mahmud I
|
1433–59
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Rukn
ud-din Barbak Shah
|
1459–74
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Shams
ud-din Yusuf Shah
|
1474–81
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Sikandar
|
1481
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Jalal
ud-din Fath Shah
|
1481–86
|
Ilyas
Shahi (2230) |
| Barbak
Shah-zada
|
1486
|
Abyssinians |
| Saif
ud-din Firuz Shah
|
1486–90
|
Abyssinians |
| Shams
ud-din Muzaffar Shah
|
1490–93
|
Abyssinians |
| Ala
ud-din Husain Shah
|
1493–1519
|
Husain
Shahi |
| Nasir
ud-din Nusrat Shah
|
1519–32
|
Husain
Shahi |
| ‘Ala
ud-din Firuz Shah
|
1532
|
Husain
Shahi |
| Ghiyath
ud-din Mahmud Shah
|
1532–38
|
Husain
Shahi |
| Sher
Shah Suri (1)
|
1538
dep
|
Suri |
►Mughal
Empire occupation 1538-39
|
| Sher
Shah Suri (2)
|
1539–45
|
Suri |
| Islam
Shah
|
1545–53
|
Suri |
| Shams
ud-din Muhammad Shah
|
1553–55
|
Suri |
| Ghiyath
ud-din Bahadur Shah
|
1556–60
|
Suri |
| Ghiyath
ud-din II
|
1560–63
|
Suri |
| Ghiyath
ud-din III
|
1563–64
|
Suri |
| Taj
Khan Karrani
|
1564–65
|
Karrani |
| Sulaiman
Karrani
|
1565–72
|
Karrani |
| Bayazid
Karrani
|
1572
|
Karrani |
| Daud
Karrani
|
1572–75
|
Karrani |
►To
Mughal Empire 1575–1712 - Governors
|
Nawabs
of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa (Subject to
Mughal, and then British rule) |
| Murshid
Quli Khan
|
1704–25
|
Najafi
(4136) |
|
Shuja ud-din Muhammad Khan
|
1725–39
|
Najafi
(4136) |
| Sarfaraz
Khan
|
1739–40
|
Najafi
(4136) |
| Alivardi
Khan
|
1740–56
|
Afshar |
|
Siraj al-Daula
|
1756–57
|
Afshar |
| Mir
Muhammad Jaffer
(1)
|
1757–60
|
Najafi
(4136) |
| Mir
Qasim
|
1760–63
|
Najafi
(4136) |
►To
the British East India Company 1764
|
| Mir
Muhammad Jaffer (2)
|
1763–65
|
Najafi
(4136) |
|
Najm ud-Daulah
|
1765–66
|
Najafi
(4136) |
|
Saif ud-Daulah
|
1766–70
|
Najafi
(4136) |
|
Mubarak ud-Daulah
|
1770–93
|
Najafi
(4136) |
|
Baber Ali Khan
|
1793–1810
|
Najafi
(4136) |
|
Ali Jah
|
1810–21
|
Najafi
(4136) |
|
Walla Jah
|
1821–24
|
Najafi
(4136) |
|
Humayun Jah
|
1824–38
|
Najafi
(4136) |
|
Feradun Jah
|
1838–81
abd; †1884
|
Najafi
(4136) |
►British
rule 1881
|
►Nawabite
abolished 1891
|
|
Governors
of Bengal (for Delhi Sultanate) |
| Muhammad
Bakhtiyar
|
1204–06
|
•••• |
| Muhammad
Shiran Khan
|
c.1206–07
|
•••• |
| Husam
ud-din ‘Iwaz (Ghiyath ud-din ‘Iwaz, Sul of Bengal)
|
c.1207–08
|
•••• |
|
'Ali Mardan (‘Ala ud-din, Sul of Bengal)
|
c.1208–10
|
•••• |
►Independent
Sultanate of Bengal declared 1210–27
|
►To
Delhi Sultanate 1227
|
| Nasir
ud-din Mahmud
|
1227–29
|
•••• |
| Daulat
Shah
|
1229
|
•••• |
| Malik
‘Ala ud-din Jani
|
1229
|
•••• |
| Saif
ud-din Aibek
|
1229–33
|
•••• |
| ‘Izz
ud-din Tughral Tughan Khan
|
1233–44
|
•••• |
| Malik
Qamr ud-din Tamar Khan
|
1244–46
|
•••• |
| Malik
Ikhtiyar ud-din Yuzbak (Mughith ud-din Yuzbak, Sul of Bengal)
|
1246–55
|
•••• |
►Independent
Sultanate of Bengal declared 1255–57
|
►To
Delhi Sultanate 1257
|
| Malik
‘Ala ud-din Mas‘ud Jani
|
1257–58
|
•••• |
| ‘Izz
ud-din Balba
|
1258–60
|
•••• |
| Muhammad
Arsalan Khan
|
1260–c.
65
|
•••• |
| Sher
Khan
|
?
|
•••• |
| Amin
Khan
|
?
|
•••• |
| Mughith
ud-din Tughral (Sul of Bengal)
|
1268–c.75
|
•••• |
►Independent
Sultanate of Bengal declared c. 1275–81
|
►To
Delhi Sultanate 1281
|
| Bughra
Khan (Nasir ud-din Mahmud, Sul of Bengal) |
1281–87
|
Mamluk-Balbani
(2444) |
►Independent
Sultanate of Bengal declared 1287–25
|
►To
Delhi Sultanate 1325
|
| Nasir
ud-din Ibrahim
|
c.1324–26
|
Firuz
Shahi (4415) |
| Ghiyath
aI-Din Bahadur
|
1328–33
|
Firuz
Shahi (4415) |
►Division
of Lakhnauti,
Satgaon, and Sonargaon 1300s
|
Governors/Subedars
of Bengal (for Mughal Empire) |
| Mun‘im
Khan
|
1574–75
|
•••• |
| Husain
Quli Beg
|
1575–78
|
•••• |
| Muzaffar
Khan Turbati
|
1579–80
|
•••• |
| Mirza
‘Aziz Koka
|
1582–83
|
•••• |
| Shahbaz
Khan
|
1583–85
|
•••• |
| Sadiq
Khan
|
1585–86
|
•••• |
| Wazir
Khan
|
1586–87
|
•••• |
| Sa‘id
Khan
|
1587–94
|
•••• |
| Man
Singh
|
1594–1606
|
•••• |
| Qutb
ud-din Khan Koka
|
1606–07
|
•••• |
| Jahangir
Quli Beg
|
1607–08
|
•••• |
| Islam
Khan Chishti
|
1608–13
|
•••• |
| Qasim
Khan Chishti
|
1613–17
|
•••• |
|
Ibrahim
Khan, Fath Jang |
1617–24;
†1624 |
Khwajah (2848) |
| Mahabat
Khan
|
1625–26
|
•••• |
| Mukarram
Khan
|
1626–27
|
•••• |
| Fidai
Khan
|
1627–28
|
•••• |
|
Mir
Qasim Khan Juwaini |
1628–31† |
(2848) |
| ‘Azam
Khan Mir Muhammad Baqar
|
1632–35
|
•••• |
| Islam
Khan Mashhadi
|
1635–39
|
•••• |
|
Shah
Shuja |
1639–61† |
Mughals (3222) |
|
Mir Muhammad Sa'id
Ardistani, Mir Jumla |
1660–63† |
•••• |
|
Abu
Talib, Shaista Khan |
1664–78;
†1694 |
Khwajah (2848) |
| Mir
Muzaffar Husain Azim Khan Koka |
1678† |
Khwafi
(3838) |
| Muhammad
‘Azam Shah |
1678–88;
†1707 |
Mughals (3222) |
| Khan
Jahan Bahadur Khan
|
1688–89
|
Zig
(3734) |
|
Ibrahim Beg |
1689–97; †1709 |
•••• |
| Muhammad
Azim 'Aziz-al-Shah |
1697–1712† |
Mughals (3222) |
Governors
of the Presidency of Bengal (East India
Company for Britain) |
| Sir
Charles Eyre
|
1700–01
|
Eyre (934) |
| John
Beard
|
1701–05
|
•••• |
| Edward
Littleton
|
1705†
|
Littleton
(514) |
►Vacant
|
| Anthony
Weltdon
|
1710–11
|
•••• |
| John
Russell
|
1711–13
|
Russell
(249) |
| Robert
Hedges
|
1713–18
|
•••• |
| Samuel
Flake
|
1718–23
|
•••• |
| John
Deane (1)
|
1723–26
|
•••• |
| Henry
Frankland
|
1726–28
|
•••• |
| Edward
Stephenson
|
1728
|
•••• |
| John
Deane (2)
|
1728–32
|
•••• |
| John
Stockhouse
|
1732–39
|
•••• |
| Thomas
Broddyll
|
1739–46
|
•••• |
| John
Forster
|
1746–48
|
Forster
(4720) |
| William
Barwell
|
1748–49
|
•••• |
| Adam
Dawson
|
1749–52
|
Dawson
(2863) |
| William
Fytche
|
1752
|
•••• |
| Roger
Drake
|
1752–56
|
Drake
(675) |
| Robert
Clive, 1st B Clive
|
1756–60
|
Clive
(1881) |
| John
Howell (acting)
|
1760
|
Howell
(5365) |
| Henry
Vansittart
|
1760–64
|
Vansittart
(1097) |
| John
Spencer (acting)
|
1764–65
|
•••• |
| Robert
Clive, 1st B Clive
|
1765–67
|
Clive
(1881) |
| Harry
Verelst
|
1767–69
|
•••• |
| John
Cartier
|
1769–72
|
•••• |
| Warren
Hastings
|
1772–73
|
Hastings
(423) |
|
Lieutenant
Governors of Bengal (for Britain) |
| Frederick
Halliday
|
1854–59
|
•••• |
| Sir
John Grant
|
1859–62
|
Grant
(542) |
| Sir
Cecil Beadon
|
1862–66
|
•••• |
| William
Grey
|
1867–71
|
Grey
(122) |
| Sir
George Campbell
|
1871–74
|
Campbell
(68) |
| Sir
Richard Temple, 1st Bart.
|
1874–77
|
Temple
(275) |
| Sir
Ashley Eden
|
1877–82
|
Eden
(368) |
| Augustus
Thompson
|
1882–85
|
•••• |
| Horace
Cockerell (acting)
|
1885–87
|
•••• |
| Sir
Steuart Bayley
|
1887–90
|
•••• |
| Sir
Charles Elliot
|
1891–95
|
Elliot
(252) |
| Sir
Antony MacDonnell, B MacDonnell (acting)
|
1895
|
MacDonnell
(2184) |
| Sir
Alexander Mackenzie
|
1895–97
|
•••• |
| Sir
Charles Stevens
|
1897–98
|
•••• |
| Sir
John Woodburn
|
1898–1902 |
•••• |
| James
Bourdillon
|
1902–03
|
•••• |
| Sir
Andrew Fraser (1)
|
1903–06
|
Fraser
(369) |
►Partition
of West Bengal and East Bengal
and Assam 1905–12
(under administration of lieutenant governors of Bengal)
|
| Sir
Lancelot Hare (acting)
|
1906
|
•••• |
| Francis
Slacke (acting)
|
1906–08
|
•••• |
| Sir
Andrew Fraser (2)
|
1908
|
Fraser
(369) |
| Sir
Edward Baker
|
1908–11
|
•••• |
| Sir
Frederick Duke
|
1911–12
|
•••• |
►To
Governors of Bengal 1912–47
|
Governors
of Bengal (for Britain) |
| Thomas
Carmichael, B Carmichael
|
1912–17
|
Carmichael
(9) |
| Lawrence
Dundas, 2nd M of Zetland
|
1917–22
|
Dundas
(188) |
| Victor
Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd E of Lytton
|
1922–27
|
Bulwer-Lytton
(186) |
| Sir
Francis Jackson
|
1927–32
|
Jackson
(2617) |
| John
Anderson, 1st V Waverley
|
1932–37
|
Anderson
(2569) |
| Sir
John Woodhead (1) (acting)
|
1937
|
•••• |
| Michael
Knatchbull-Hugesson, 5th B Brabourne
|
1937–39 |
Knatchbull
(1748) |
| Robert
Reid (acting)
|
1939
|
•••• |
| Sir
John Woodhead (2) (acting)
|
1939
|
•••• |
| Sir
John Herbert
|
1939–43
|
••••
|
| Sir
Thomas Rutherford (acting)
|
1943–44
|
•••• |
| Richard
Casey
|
1944–46
|
•••• |
| Sir
Frederick Burrows
|
1946–47
|
•••• |
►Bengal
partitioned into West Bengal (to India)
and East Bengal (to Pakistan) 1947
|
|
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|
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Families
|
Lands
| Abbr.
and Symbols | Asia |
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