Shaista Khan
Mirza Abu Talib, better known by his title Shaista Khan (Bengali: শায়েস্তা খ়ান), was a Subahdar and general in the army of the Mughal Empire. A maternal uncle to Emperor Aurangzeb,[1] he served as the Mughal governor of Bengal from 1664 to 1688, and was a key figure during the rule of his nephew, the emperor. Under his authority, the city of Dhaka and Mughal power in the province attained its greatest heights. In the year 1660, he was assigned as the Mughal Viceroy in the struggle against the Maratha rebel Ch. Shivaji Maharaj he barely survived and grieved the death of a son. He was awarded many honors and gifts by the Mughal Emperor.
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[edit] Early life
Mirza Abu Talib is of Iranian origin. His grandfather and father, Mirza Ghias Beg Itimaduddaula and Asaf Khan, were the wazirs (or Prime Ministers) of the Mughal Emperors Shahjahan and Jahangir respectively. Emperor Jahangir awarded the title of Shaista Khan to Mirza in recognition of his family's service and position in the Mughal court.
Shaista Khan trained and served with the Mughal army and court, winning multiple promotions and appointed governor of various provinces. He also developed a reputation for being a successful military commander and grew close to the prince Aurangzeb when the duo fought against the kingdom of Golconda.
[edit] Confrontation with Shivaji
After his accession to the throne and after the dramatic death of Afzal Khan, Aurangzeb sent Shaista Khan as viceroy of the Deccan with a large army to defeat Shivaji. In January, 1660 Shaista Khan arrived at Aurangabad and quickly advancing seized Pune, this city was the renown center of Shivaji's cult. He also captured the fort of Chakan, Kalyan and north Konkan after heavy fighting with the Maratha.[2] The Maratha were banned from entering the city of Pune and Mughal distance from the locals turned out to be an error. On April 5, 1663 evening, a wedding party had obtained special permission for taking out a procession. Shivaji and many of his nearly 400 men disguised as the bridegroom's procession members entered Pune. Others entered in small parties dressed as laborers and soldiers of maratha generals serving under Shaista khan. After midnight, in a brave attack, they cut through and slain the Mughal guards. The Marathas then entered the palace of the Nawab in an attempt to assassinate the Mughal Viceroy Shaista Khan.
Shaista Khan was clearly unaware, and unprepared The Marathas broke into the courtyard of the palace slaughtered Mughal palace guards. Shaista Khan's thumb was cut down by the brave act of Shivaji and his son was killed in an encounter with the Marathas in the palace courtyard, forty attendants and six women were killed. Taking advantage of confusion and the dark hours, the Marathas escaped the palace and Pune town, despite widespread camping of Mughal forces. Shocked by the sudden and bold attack in Pune, Aurangzeb transferred Shaista Khan back to Bengal and awarded him many honors and gifts for his short lived struggle.
[edit] Campaign against Arakan
Upon his arrival in Bengal, Shaista Khan was immediately engrossed in putting down the rebellions of hill tribes. Shaista Khan foresaw a potent threat from the Arakan kingdom (in modern Myanmar), which had developed its military and naval strength. He immediately began developing the Mughal navy, increasing its fleet to as many as 300 ships within a year. He also made strenuous diplomatic efforts to win the support of the Dutch East India Company as well as Portugal, which was supporting Arakan with resources and troops. With active Dutch military support, Shaista Khan led Mughal forces on an assault on the island of Sandwip, which lay in Arakanese control. Shaista Khan gained a considerable advantage when a conflict erupted between the Arakanese and the Portuguese. By promptly offering protection and support, Khan sequestered the aid of the Portuguese against the Arakanese and Mughal forces succeeded in capturing the island in November, 1665.
In December 1665 Shaista Khan launched a major military campaign against Chittagong, which was the mainstay of the Arakenese kingdom. The imperial fleet consisted of 288 vessels of their own and about 40 vessels of the Ferinigis (Portuguese) as auxiliaries. Ibn Hussain, Shaista Khan's admiral, was asked to lead the navy, while the subahdar himself took up the responsibility of supplying provisions for the campaign. The overall command was given to Buzurg Ummed Khan, a son of Shaista Khan.[3] The Mughals and the Portugese held sway in the following naval battle. The conquered territory was placed under direct imperial administration. The name of Chittagong was changed to Islamabad and it became the headquarters of a Mughal faujdar.[3] Khan also re-asserted Mughal control over Cooch Behar and Kamarupa.
[edit] Governor of Bengal
Upon his victory against the Arakanese, he ordered the release of thousands of Bengali peasants being held captive by the Arakanese forces. As governor, Shaista Khan encouraged trade with Europe, Southeast Asia and other parts of India. He consolidated his power by signing trade agreements with European powers. Despite his powerful position he remained loyal to Aurangzeb. Often mediating trade disputes and rivalries, Shaista Khan banned the British East India Company from Bengal after the British demanding greater trading rights and hostile military exchanges erupted between Mughal and British forces.
Shaista Khan encouraged the construction of modern townships, public works in the capital of Dhaka, leading to a massive urban and economic expansion. He was a great patron of the arts and encouraged the construction of majestic monuments across the province, including mosques, mausoleums and palaces that represented the finest in Indo-Sarcenic and Mughal architecture. Khan greatly expanded the Lalbagh Fort, the Chowk Bazaar Mosque, the Satgumbad Mosque and the Choto Katra. He also supervised the construction of a majestic mausoleum for his daughter Bibi Pari.
[edit] Legacy
In his late years, Shaista Khan left Dhaka and returned to Delhi. His legacy was the expansion of Dhaka into a regional centre of trade, politics and culture; a thriving and prosperous city from a small township. The Shaista Khan Mosque is a massive standing monument to Shaista Khan, built on his palace grounds. Incorporating unique elements of Bengali and Mughal architecture, it is a major tourist attraction and a valued historical monument protected by the Government of Bangladesh today.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Shaista Khan, maternal uncle of the Emperor
- ^ Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2007). The Mughul Empire, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-407-1, pp.243,259-60
- ^ a b Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2007). The Mughul Empire, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-407-1, p.230
[edit] References
- Sir Jadunath Sarkar, History of Bengal, II (Dhaka, 1948)
- Abdul Karim, History of Bengal, Mughal Period, I, (Rajshahi, 1992)
- Duff, Grant, History of the Marhattas Oxford University Press, (London)
