Isa Khan

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For other people named Isa Khan, see Isa Khan (disambiguation).

Isa Khan
Leader of Bara-Bhuiyans of Bengal
Reign	1576–1599
Successor	Musa Khan
Issue
Musa Khan
Father	Sulaiman Khan
Born	c. 1529
Died	1599 (age 70)
Religion	Sunni Islam

Isa Khan (Bangla: ঈসা খাঁ; 1529 – 1599) is the most famous of the Baro Bhuiyans (twelve landlords) of medieval Bengal. He was the ruler of a region named Bhati. Throughout his reign he put resistance against Mughal invasion. It was only after his death, when the region went totally under Mughals.

Early life

It is estimated that he was born in 1529. His father Sulaiman Khan was a descendant of an Afghan chieftain of the region of the Sulayman ranges in Afghanistan. He settled in Bengal in the reign of Nusrat Shah, the independent Sultan from Hussain Shahi dynasty, and carved out an independent principality in the Bhati region comprising the northeastern portion of greater Dhaka district and the southeastern portion of greater Mymensingh district. Sulaiman, who rebelled against Islam Shah Suri at least twice, was killed in 1548. Isa was then about 19 years old. After his father's death Isa was brought up by his paternal uncle, Qutubuddin. He spent his childhood and youth in Bhati.

Rise to power

It was because of the good grace of Taj Khan Karrani, the Karrani Afghan ruler, that Isa obtained an estate in Sonargaon and Maheswardi Pargana in 1564 at the age of about 35 as a vassal of the Karrani rulers of Bengal. By winning the favour of the Karrani rulers he gradually increased his strength and status and by 1571 became so powerful that a Mughal historian, Abul Fazl, designated him as the ruler of Bhati. In 1573 Isa Khan helped Daud Khan Karrani in his expedition to Chittagong against Udaya Manikya, the king of Tripura. He also helped his mentor in driving out the Mughal flotilla from the vicinity of Sonargaon in 1575. Isa Khan's services to Daud Khan earned him the title of Masnad-i-Ala.

Reign

Isa Khan played a leading role in the local resistance that followed the defeat of the Kararani Afghans at the hands of the Mughals in the battle of Rajmahal in 1576. An astute and farsighted politician, Isa Khan realised that he could not face Akbar single-handed with his relatively limited resources. So he established rapport with the neighbouring landlords and the Afghan chieftains and forged an anti-Mughal politico-military alliance with them. He also made friendship with Amar Manikya and Raghu Dev, the neighbouring kings of Tripura and Kamarupa respectively. Above all, Isa ensured proper use of his war-boats, the backbone of his military power.

Battle against Subahdar Khan Jahan

In 1578 the Mughal Subahdar Khan Jahan invaded the Bhati region, ie, East Bengal and encamped at Bhawal. Ibrahim Naral and Karimdad Musazai, the two Afghan chieftains broke their alliance with Isa and offered allegiance to the Mughals. Isa Khan stood defiant and a large Mughal naval force was sent against him under Shah Bardi and Muhammad Quli. A fierce engagement took place at Kastul (in present-day Kishoreganj district). Despite Isa's initial retreat, the Mughal army took to flight after being severely defeated by Isa's allies, Majlis Dilawar and Maharaja Pratap. Consequently Khan Jahan left Bhati.

Battle against General Shahbaz Khan

The next Subahdar Shahbaz Khan led an expedition against Isa Khan in 1584. Taking advantage of Isa's preoccupations in the Koch Bihar expedition the Mughal army ravaged Katrabo, the home and capital of Isa, as well as Khizirpur, Sonargaon and Egarasindur. At this time Isa returned from Koch Bihar and with his ally, Masum Khan Kabuli, put up a vehement resistance against the Mughals. The Mughals were defeated in the battle of Egarasindur and Bhawal, and were forced to turn back to Tandah, Bengal capital of the Mughals.

Rejuvenated with reinforcements sent by Akbar, Shahbaz Khan again marched towards Bhati in 1586. At this juncture, Isa sent presents and a proposal of peace to the Mughal Subahdar and pretending to be loyal to the emperor he succeeded in forestalling a Mughal invasion of Bhati. Since then Isa remained undisturbed in his own territory for almost a decade. An early English explorer, Ralph Fitch, who visited Sonargaon in 1586, called him "the chief king of all these countries", "the chief of all the other kings" and "a great friend to the Christians".

Battle against Durjan Singh

In September 1597, Mansingh sent two large forces by land and water against Isa Khan. The Mughal army under the command of Durjan Singh, son of Mansingh, initially achieved some success and even attacked Katrabo. But finally on 5 September of the same year a naval engagement took place 12 miles off Bikrampur. This resulted in the death of Durjan and the ruination of the Mughal army. Isa Khan died in September 1599 at the age of about 70.

Ruled area

Isa established his authority over a vast territory by gradually increasing his strength. He successfully transformed his estate in Sonargaon and Maheswardi Pargana into an independent domain which comprised a considerable portion of Dhaka district, almost the whole of Mymensingh district and also a small portion of Tripura district. Katrabo and Sonargaon were his capitals. Apart from these two, Khizirpur in Narayanganj and Jangalbari and Egarasindur in Kishoreganj district were his strong outposts.

Marriage

Isa Khan first married Fatema Khan, a descendant from Hossain Shah dynasty. Later he also married Sarna Moi, daughter of Chad Rai of Sripur. After conversion to Islam, Sarna Moi took the name Sona Bibi.

Legacy

Isa Khan's success in the struggle for the preservation of the independence of Bengal against Mughal imperialism and aggression in the last quarter of the 16th century turned him into a pre-eminent personality of Bengal. Isa Khan's remarkable career profoundly stirred the minds of the Bengali people. This has been reflected in different ballads, dramas, novels and patriotic songs composed since his time.

References

• NK Bhattasali, 'Bengal Chiefs' Struggle for Independence in the Reign of Akbar and Jahangir', Bengal Past and Present, 38, 1929;
• MA Rahim, The History of the Afghans in India, Karachi, 1961;
• JN Sarkar, ed, The History of Bengal, II, Third Impression, 1976;
• Abdul Karim, History of Bengal (Mughal Period), I, Rajshahi, 1992.