129-579: Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah was the founder of the Sultanate of Bengal and its inaugural Ilyas Shahi dynasty . The Ilyas Shahi Dynasty ruled Bengal for 145 years (1342–1487), except for a 21-year interregnum by the descendants of Raja Ganesha . Ilyas Shah was instrumental in unifying the principalities of Bengal into a single state. Born in Sistan , and a follower of Sunni Islam , Ilyas Shah rose through
258-501: A congregational mosque within Ilyas Shah's fort in 1587. Presently, a mazar (mausoleum) on SDO Road is attributed to the former Sultan, and lies adjacent to the Haji Ilyaas Park (also named after him). The tomb is respected by both Muslims and Hindus, who hold a mela every year during his urs . Sultanate of Bengal The Bengal Sultanate ( Middle Bengali : বাঙ্গালা সালতানাত , Classical Persian : سلطنت بنگاله
387-666: A Pashtun general, he regained control of his country during the Reconquest of Arakan . The restored Arakanese realm became a vassal state of Bengal. A war with Arakan in 1459 led to the defeat of Bengali Sultan Rukunuddin Barbak Shah . The Arakanese developed an alliance with Portuguese Chittagong against Bengal. Despite achieving independence from the Sultans of Bengal, the Arakanese kings continued to fashion themselves after
516-618: A brief interregnum by Ali Mardan himself) until Delhi Sultan Iltutmish sent forces under his son, Nasir-ud-din Mahmud, to bring Bengal under the direct control of the Delhi Sultans. Iltutmish declared Bengal as a province of Delhi in 1225. The Delhi Sultans attempted to govern Bengal through appointed governors, however, Delhi could not succeed given the considerable overland distance with Bengal. Ambitious governors rebelled and ruled as independent rulers until being suppressed militarily by
645-564: A confederation of twelve aristocrats of the former sultanate, who became known as the Baro Bhuyans . Their leader was Isa Khan , a zamindar and a former nobleman of the sultanate through his mother Princess Syeda Momena Khatun . The confederation was made up of petty kingdoms . The Mughal government eventually suppressed the remnants of the sultanate in the Bhati area and brought all of Bengal under full Mughal control. The Bengal Sultanate
774-626: A flourishing shipbuilding industry was part of the evidence that Bengal enjoyed significant seaborne trade. The expansion of muslin production, sericulture and the emergence of several other crafts were indicated in Ma Huan's list of items exported from Bengal to China. Bengali shipping co-existed with Chinese shipping until the latter withdrew from the Indian Ocean in the mid-15th century. The testimony of European travelers such as Ludovico di Varthema , Duarte Barbosa and Tomé Pires attest to
903-624: A large fort and urbanised the area. Ilyas then thrust through the Terai plains with his army, into the Kathmandu Valley ruled by Jayaraja Deva . His army sacked the temple of Swayambhunath and looted Kathmandu city for three days, returning to Bengal with plentiful spoils. Ilyas Shah then invaded Orissa , which was ruled by Bhanudeva II of the Eastern Ganga dynasty . He further sacked Jajpur , Cuttack and reached as far as
1032-556: A relatively short-lived but significant reign, during which he helped an Arakanese king to achieve the reconquest of Arakan . Jalaluddin established control over Fatehabad . Jalaluddin also promoted more native Bengali elements into the architecture and governance of the sultanate. He was initially loyal to the Abbasid Caliph but later declared himself as the Caliph in a sign of Bengali Muslim independence. The Ilyas Shahi dynasty
1161-488: A strong architectural legacy. Buildings from the period show foreign influences merged into a distinct Bengali style. The Bengal Sultanate was also the largest and most prestigious authority among the independent medieval Muslim-ruled states in the history of Bengal . Bengal was gradually absorbed into the Delhi Sultanate during the 1200s. It began with Bakhtiyar 's conquest of Gauda between 1202 and 1204 during
1290-489: A sugar shattering situation (become excited) That this Persian candy [ode], to Bangalah [Bengal] is going on. Banglapedia (English Edition) Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh is the first Bangladeshi encyclopedia. It is available in print, CD-ROM format and online, in both Bengali and English. The print version comprises fourteen 500-page volumes. The first edition
1419-844: A tradition during the reigns of his successors. Ghiyasuddin also sponsored construction projects in Arabia . He exchanged letters and poetry with the Persian poet Hafez . The Bengal Sultans pledged nominal allegiance to the Abbasid Caliphate in Cairo. The coins of the Bengal Sultans often bore the name of the contemporary Abbasid Caliph. Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah held his court in the central Bengali city of Sonargaon, in addition to Pandua. The travel accounts of Chinese envoys state that
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#17327657727661548-679: A vassal king in 1430. However, conflict later emerged between Arakan and Bengal based on the control of Chittagong . Arakan asserted its independence as a coastal power. Under Alauddin Husain Shah , Bengali sovereignty was restored in Chittagong and northern Arakan. However, the Arakanese persisted to fight over Chittagong, often allying with Portuguese pirates . During Husain Shah's rule, Bengali control over Assam reached its zenith. Under
1677-535: Is a partial listing of mint towns: Vassal states were a number of tributary states and protectorates on the periphery of the Bengal Sultanate under the suzerainty of the Sultan of Bengal. Direct control was not established over these territories for various reasons. Vassal states had Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist rulers. The following illustrates the most notable vassal states. In the southeast, Arakan
1806-465: Is supported by Dinesh Chandra Sen . However, many reputed historians such as R. D. Banerji and Ahmad Hasan Dani have refuted Sanyal's narrative, due to no historical sources being cited other than quotes from a certain " Mir Farazand Husayn ", who is unheard of in the Muslim chronicles for Indian history . Dani considers Sanyal's narrative to be imaginary, and simply an attempt to glorify the history of
1935-795: Is the chairman of the Board of Editors of Banglapedia , and the editor of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh . A professor of history at the University of Dhaka , the oldest and largest university in Bangladesh, Islam gave up his day job five years before the formal date for retirement, to make time for Banglapedia . He also edited the 3 volumes of the History of Bangladesh (political, economic and socio-cultural), published by
2064-504: The Bangladesh Liberation War . A study by Bdnews24.com , a news portal, claimed that Banglapedia is biased and inaccurate about Bangladesh's indigenous population. The encyclopedia is also reported to have used derogatory coinage such as Mogh for Marma and Rakhine , Tipra for Tripuri and Murang for Mros , as well as upajati (literally "sub-nation", used to mean "tribal") to define them all. Leaders of
2193-496: The Banglapedia , which clarifies issues such as date systems, contributors, cross references, and headings. According to the publisher, the goal of this reference tool is to inquire, interpret and integrate the lived experiences and achievements of the people of Bangladesh from ancient times to the present. The project, conceptually and territorially, interprets the term "Bangladesh" to mean successively ancient Eastern India,
2322-491: The Bengal Sultanate , Bengal Subah , Bengal Presidency , East Bengal , East Pakistan , and Bangladesh . The editor's preface states: From ancient times to 1971, the political geography of the region has changed often, and with that its name has also undergone changes. The cognates of Vanga, Bangalah, Vangla, Bengal, Vangadesh, Vangladesh, etc. have the closest affinity both territorially and linguistically with
2451-656: The Chilika Lake . The Jagannath Temple was also desecrated during the invasion. He also led a successful campaign against the Kamarupa kingdom in present-day Assam , being the first Muslim king to capture Guwahati . Ilyas Shah also founded the city of Hajipur and first settled in 1350 AD. In November 1353, the Delhi Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq launched an invasion of Bengal. His army occupied Pandua. Ilyas Shah and his forces retreated to
2580-800: The Ghiyasia Madrasa and Banjaliah Madrasa. Taqi al-Din al-Fasi , a contemporary Arab scholar, was a teacher at the madrasa in Makkah. The madrasa in Madinah was built at a place called Husn al-Atiq near the Prophet's Mosque . Several other Bengali Sultans also sponsored madrasas in the Hejaz . In Africa, Sultan Ashraf Barsbay of Egypt sent the Bengali Sultan a robe of honour and a letter of recognition. There are also records of envoys from
2709-628: The Ming dynasty . He sent ambassadors in 1405, 1408 and 1409. Emperor Yongle of China responded by sending ambassadors to Bengal between 1405 and 1433, including members of the Treasure voyages fleet led by Admiral Zheng He . The exchange of embassies included the gift of an East African giraffe by Sultan Shihabuddin Bayazid Shah to the Chinese emperor in 1414. China also mediated an end to
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#17327657727662838-713: The Sundarbans . The governor of the Sundarbans, Khan Jahan Ali , built the mint town of Khalifatabad . Like many other officials, Khan Jahan had settled in Bengal after Timur 's sack of Delhi. During the reign of Rukunuddin Barbak Shah , the Kingdom of Mrauk U conquered Chittagong. The late 1480s saw four usurper Sultans from the Abyssinian mercenary corps. Tensions between different Muslim communities often affected
2967-588: The Suri Empire , followed by Mughal conquest and disintegration into petty kingdoms. The Bengal Sultanate was a Sunni Muslim monarchy with Bengali , Turco-Persian , Afghan and Abyssinian elites. The most prominent dynasties were the Ilyas Shahi , House of Ganesha and Hussain Shahi. The kingdom was known for its religious pluralism where non-Muslim communities co-existed peacefully. While Persian
3096-621: The Twipra Kingdom . The Pratapgarh Kingdom came under Bengali suzerainty . Hussain Shah also waged several campaigns against the Gajapati rulers of Orissa. Hussain Shah extended Bengali territory in the west beyond Bihar, up to Saran in Jaunpur . The Sultan of Jaunpur took refuge in Bengal after an invasion by the Lodi dynasty of Delhi. The Delhi Sultan attacked Bengal in pursuit of
3225-653: The converted Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah received recognition from Al-Mu'tadid II , which strengthened Jalaluddin's legitimacy in the eyes of the clergy. Many coins minted by the Bengal Sultanate bore the names of both the Bengali Sultans and the Abbasid Caliphs. Sultan Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah sponsored the construction of madrasas (Islamic theological schools) in the pilgrimage cities of Makkah and Madinah . The schools became known as
3354-411: The jagirdar system of land ownership. The production of silver coins inscribed with the name of the Sultan of Bengal was a mark of Bengali sovereignty. Bengal was more successful in perpetuating purely silver coinage than Delhi and other contemporary Asian and European governments. There were three sources of silver. The first source was the leftover silver reserve of previous kingdoms. The second source
3483-846: The 16th century, the Lodi dynasty of Delhi again attacked Bengal in pursuit of the Sultan of Jaunpur. The Lodis eventually agreed to a peace treaty with Bengal. The Jaunpur Sultanate attacked Bengal during the 15th century. With diplomatic help from Ming China and the Timurid ruler of Herat , Bengal fended off the Jaunpuri invasion. Arakan and the Brahmaputra Valley was often subjected to Bengali invasions. The Bengal Sultanate defeated Burmese forces in Arakan and restored Min Saw Mon as
3612-609: The Abyssinians. Muslim poets were writing in the Bengali language by the 15th century. By the turn of the 16th century, a vernacular literature based on concepts of Sufism and Islamic cosmology flourished in the region. Bengali Muslim mystic literature was one of the most original in Islamic India. And with the three washers [cups of wine], this dispute is going on. All the parrots [poets] of India have fallen into
3741-877: The Asiatic Society In 1991. He is now working on the Children's Banglapedia and the Cultural Survey of Bangladesh , and is also in charge of the National Online Biography project of the Society and the Banglapedia Trust. The encyclopedia was prepared by a board of editors that included Professor Sirajul Islam of the Department of History, Dhaka University, as the chairman and chief editor, Professor Sajahan Miah of
3870-497: The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh was working on a three-volume study titled History of Bangladesh, 1704-1971 in 1991. The editors felt the need for a standard desk reference, as that project progressed laboriously, culling facts from various libraries. The idea finally led to a concept paper prepared by Sirajul Islam and his colleagues and submitted to the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh in early 1994. The Banglapedia project
3999-526: The Asiatic Society office on the day of the release, and sales continued until 9:30 in the evening. A total of 4,500 sets of the Bengali version and 2,500 of the English version were sold on the day of release. The first attempt to compile a Bengali encyclopedia was undertaken by Felix Carey (1786–1822), who was the son of Reverend William Carey (1761–1834) of Serampore and the first lexicographer of
Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah - Misplaced Pages Continue
4128-590: The Bay of Bengal. It attracted immigrants and traders from different parts of the world. Bengali ships and merchants traded across the region, including in Malacca, China, and the Maldives. The Bengal Sultanate was described by contemporary European and Chinese visitors as a prosperous kingdom. Due to the abundance of goods in Bengal, the region was described as the "richest country to trade with". The Bengal Sultanate left
4257-596: The Bengal Sultanate until the reign of the Hussain Shahi dynasty , when it was formally annexed by the sultanate. In the northeastern Barak Valley , the ruler Bazid of the Pratapgarh Kingdom declared himself as a Sultan on par with the Sultan of Bengal. This invited the retribution of Alauddin Husain Shah , who dispatched Sarwar Khan to suppress the newly formed sultanate in Pratapgarh. Bazid
4386-609: The Bengal Sultanate's territory extended from Koch Bihar in the north to Puri in the south and from the Son River in the west to the Brahmaputra River in the east. The Mughals became determined to bring an end to the expansionism of the Bengal Sultanate; while eager to absorb the Bengal region for its riches. The Battle of Tukaroi in Orissa saw Mughal forces led by Akbar overwhelm the Bengal Sultanate's forces led by
4515-526: The Bengal-Jaunpur War after a request from Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah. Ming China considered Bengal to be "rich and civilized" and one of the strongest countries in the entire chain of contacts between China and Asian states during the 15th century. Sino-Bengali contacts was the main feature of relations between China and the Indian subcontinent during the 15th century. The Bengali language
4644-469: The Bengali Sultans by copying clothes, coins, titles and administrative techniques. Bengali Muslim influence on Arakan lasted for 350 years. In the Indian Ocean, the Bengal Sultanate was involved in trading with the Maldives where Bengali rice was exchanged for Maldivian shell currency. Historians have focused on Bengal's relations with Ming China during the early 15th century. For example, Trade and Diplomacy in India-China Relations: A Study of Bengal During
4773-474: The Bengali triad. Ilyas Shah established his capital in Pandua . He unified the delta of Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers into the Sultanate of Bengal. Ilyas Shah waged wars and raids against several city-states and kingdoms in the eastern subcontinent. He conquered eastern Bengal and northern Bihar. He led the first Muslim army into Nepal , raided the Kathmandu Valley , and returned to Bengal with treasures. He controlled an area stretching from Assam in
4902-402: The Burmese language. In 1819, he began the translation of the fifth edition of Encyclopædia Britannica , naming it Vidyarthabali . From October 1819 till November 1820 the book was printed by Felix Carey every month in 48-page installments. Thus completed, the first part of Vidyarthabali was compiled into the 638-page Vyabachchedvidya , the first book on anatomy and surgery in Bengali. Work on
5031-509: The CD-ROM version includes about 70,000 links and an option to create a personal "favorite list". Banglapedia has had several online addresses, some are no longer authorised by the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Controversy over Banglapedia broke out even before publication, when the Inqilab group , a major Bangladeshi newspaper publishing house, got hold of a few entries on religion and related issues. There have also been complaints about an omission of Jamaat-e-Islami 's activities during
5160-410: The Delhi Sultanate and the Jaunpur Sultanate. The Delhi Sultanate initially received tributes from the Bengal Sultanate between 1353 and 1359. Tributes stopped after a war and peace treaty in 1359. Sultan Ghiyasuddin Azam sent envoys to the neighboring Jaunpur Sultanate . He sent elephants as gifts to Sultan Malik Sarwar Khwajah-i-Jahan. The two sultanates fought a war between 1415 and 1420. The end of
5289-424: The Delhi Sultanate were maintained by his successors in the Bengal Sultanate, including the Sufi preachers Ibrahim Danishmand , Saiyid Arif Billah Muhammad Kamel, Saiyid Muhammad Yusuf and others. During the early 15th century, the Ilyas Shahi rule was challenged by Raja Ganesha , a powerful Hindu landowner, who managed to place his son (a convert to Islam), Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah , on the throne. Jalaluddin had
Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah - Misplaced Pages Continue
5418-556: The Delhi Sultanate. However, there were capable rulers among the rebels, including Yuzbak Shah (1257), Tughral Khan (1271–1282), and Shamsuddin Firoz Shah (1301–1322). The latter achieved the Conquest of Sylhet and established a strong administration in eastern and south-western Bengal. In 1325, the Delhi Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq reorganized the province into three administrative regions, with Sonargaon ruling eastern Bengal; Gauda ruling northern Bengal; and Satgaon ruling southern Bengal. Even this arrangement broke down. By 1338,
5547-424: The Department of Philosophy, Dhaka University, as the convenor and managing editor, Professor M. Aminul Islam as the chairman of Project Implementation Committee, the chairman of Fund Management Committee, and the chairman of Cartography Committee, Professor Abdul Momin Chowdhury as the chairman of Publication Committee, Professor S M Mahfuzur Rahman as the convenor of Purchase and Procurement Committee, Shahida Alam as
5676-432: The East African city-state of Malindi being hosted in the Bengali court. Animals constituted a significant part of tributes in medieval courts. The East African envoys brought giraffes, which were also noticed by the Chinese envoys in Bengal. In Central Asia, there are records of contacts between Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah and Sultan Shahrukh Mirza of the Timurid Empire. In Southeast Asia, European accounts refer to
5805-510: The Fifteenth Century chronicles the relationship between the Bengal Sultanate and Ming China. This relationship was also noted by Indian independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru in his book The Discovery of India . Political relations between China and the Indian subcontinent became nonexistent after the decline of Buddhism in India. In the 15th century, the Bengal Sultanate revived the subcontinent's relations with China through regular contacts. Sultan Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah began sending envoys to
5934-405: The Hussain Shahi dynasty. This era is often regarded as the golden age of the Bengal Sultanate, in which Bengali territory included areas of Arakan , Orissa , Tripura , and Assam . Under the order of Hussain Shah, Shah Ismail Ghazi commanded the Bengali forces in the Conquest of Kamata , conquering large parts of Assam. After overthrowing the Hindu Khen dynasty , Prince Danyal was appointed
6063-417: The Islamic world, the sultanate pledged allegiance to the contemporary Abbasid Caliphate , which was at the time held by the Mamluk Sultan of Cairo . The Abbasid caliph was still considered to be the symbolic leader of Sunni Islam at the time, despite dwindling territory under direct caliphate rule. For the Bengali Sultans, relations with the caliphate provided legitimacy among the Muslim clergy. For example,
6192-413: The Jaunpur Sultan. Unable to make headway, the Delhi Sultan withdrew after concluding a peace treaty with Bengal. Under Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah , the Sultanate pushed into the Mithila region and annexed the ruling Oiniwar dynasty in 1526 with the ruler of the Oiniwars, Laksminathasimha, being killed in battle. Embassies from Portuguese India frequented Bengal after the landing of Vasco Da Gama in
6321-595: The Maldives, based on rice and cowry shells, was probably done on Arab-style baghlah ships. Chinese accounts point to Bengali ships being prominent in Southeast Asian waters. A vessel from Bengal, probably owned by the Sultan of Bengal, could accommodate three tribute missions- from Bengal, Brunei and Sumatra- and was evidently the only vessel capable of such a task. Bengali ships were the largest vessels plying in those decades in Southeast Asian waters. All large business transactions were done in terms of silver taka. Smaller purchases involved shell currency . One silver coin
6450-445: The Middle East. The Bengal Sultanate had robust foreign relations . Records show that the Bengal Sultanate exchanged embassies with states in China, Europe, Africa, Central Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Diplomatic allies helped Bengal to fend off invasions from neighbouring kingdoms. For example, the Timurid ruler of Herat and the Ming emperor of China helped bring an end to the Bengal Sultanate–Jaunpur Sultanate War . Bengal
6579-431: The Mughals and Bengal Sultans. Humayun later took refuge in the Safavid Empire in Persia. Sher Shah Suri succeeded in conquering Bengal, forming the Sur Empire , which was of Afghan origin. During this period, the Grand Trunk Road was renovated, while the Sur rulers placed successive governors in Bengal. The third governor Muhammad Khan Sur declared independence after the death of Islam Shah Suri . Muhammad Khan ended
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#17327657727666708-412: The Sanyal and Bhaduri Brahmins of Varendra . Banerji questioned whether Sanyal had ever read previous history books before writing his book as it had several mistakes regarding the members and history of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty . Citing Nalini Kanta Bhattasali , Abdul Karim also mentions that Ilyas married a Hindu woman according to tradition, without mentioning her name as Fulmati. Ilyas worked under
6837-437: The Sultan lived in a palace near the river port of Sonargaon. The river port had shipping links to China, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. In 1406, Ma Huan found Sonargaon as a large metropolis. Other Chinese envoys provided descriptions of a fortified walled city. Sonargaon was a center of Sufi education and Persian literature and Azam Shah even invited Hafez to settle there. The institutions founded by Abu Tawwama during
6966-416: The Sultan of Delhi attacked the newly formed Bengal Sultanate. After the siege of Ekdala Fort, Bengal agreed to pay a tribute to the Sultan of Delhi. In 1359, Delhi again invaded Bengal after the previous peace treaty collapsed. However, negotiations ultimately resulted in a new treaty in which Delhi recognized the independence of Bengal. The Bengal Sultans also received support from South Indian allies. During
7095-432: The Suri Empire. The invasion prompted the Mughal Empire to occupy parts of Bengal. Both the Mughals and Bengal Sultanate were overrun by the Suri forces. Bengal regained its independence after Suri governors rebelled and re-established the sultanate. The first Mughal emperor Babur turned his sights on Bengal after the Battle of Panipat in 1526. At the Battle of Ghaghra in 1529, Bengal reached a peace treaty with Babur. During
7224-440: The Tripuri throne. Tripura was a prominent vassal of Bengal. In the southwest, Orissa was prominent in the military history of the Bengal Sultanate. The first Bengali Sultan Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah defeated the rulers of Orissa and extended his realm up to Chilika Lake . He raided Jajpur and Cuttack. Ilyas Shah returned to Bengal with plunders from Orissa, including 44 elephants. During the reign of Alauddin Hussain Shah, Orissa
7353-431: The changing features of the formation of the delta's janapada or human settlements on the human plane. The latter includes the rise and fall of kingdoms, invasions from within and beyond and their implications, dynastic rules and administration, as well as other aspects of Bangladesh's past and present. Entries on topics after 1947 are restricted to the geographical region of Bangladesh. However, for biographical entries,
7482-645: The chief editor. After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, three specialized encyclopedias were published - the multi-volume Islami Bishwakosh (Encyclopedia of Islam, 1986) by Islamic Foundation Bangladesh , 5-volume Shishu-Biswakosh ( Encyclopedia for Children , 1995) by Bangladesh Shishu Academy , and 4-volume Vijnan Biswakosh ( Encyclopedia of Science , 1998) by Bangla Academy . Banglapedia contains over 5,700 entries, which are divided into six categories: arts and humanities, history and heritage, state and governance, society and economy, natural sciences, and biological sciences. The writing of each article
7611-851: The convenor of Public Relations and Communication Committee, and Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury as the chairman of Multimedia Committee. The management structure includes a total of sixty members, divided into six different sub-committees headed by six subject editors. Each sub-committee covered a particular discipline. There were six consulting editors, four language editors, and three translation editors. Each subject editor received assistance from six assistant and associate editors. Banglapedia s subject editors were: Professor Abdul Momin Chowdhury (History and Heritage), Professor Wakil Ahmed (Arts, Humanities, Religion), Professor Mahfuzur Rahman (Society and Economy), Dr Kamal Siddiqui (State and Governance), and Professor S M H Kabir (Science and Technology). The CD-ROM version of Banglapedia has more entries than
7740-506: The east to Varanasi in the west. In 1353, Ilyas Shah was defeated by Delhi Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq in the Siege of Ekdala Fort during the Bengal Sultanate-Delhi Sultanate War . Bengal agreed to pay a tribute to the Delhi Sultan. Despite losing control of many conquered areas, Ilyas Shah remained in firm control of Bengal. Ilyas Shah founded the Ilyas Shahi dynasty which ruled Bengal for fifteen decades. His son and successor Sikandar Shah defeated Delhi Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq during
7869-439: The east. The Bengal Sultanate controlled large parts of the eastern South Asia during its five dynastic periods, reaching its peak under Hussain Shahi dynasty . Its raids and conquests reached Nepal in the north, Brahmaputra valley (modern-day Assam ) in the east, and Jaunpur and Varanasi in the west. It was reputed as a thriving trading nation and one of Asia's strongest states. Its decline began with an interregnum by
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#17327657727667998-482: The east. The Islamic kingdoms had multiethnic elites. Persian and Arabic were used alongside local languages. Persian was used as a diplomatic and commercial language. Arabic was the liturgical language of the clergy. In Bengal, the Bengali language became a court language and was the main vernacular language under Muslim rule. The third Sultan Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah began expanding Bengal's influence abroad. He began to send embassies to Ming China , which continued as
8127-416: The encyclopedia, one fifth of whom were foreign experts in Bangladesh or experts working abroad. They are mostly academics, as well as specialists in districts and upazilas for locality inputs and people from professions and occupations. District and upazila cartography has been processed at the Geographic information system (GIS) and cartographic laboratory set up for the Banglapedia. A gazetteer group
8256-483: The establishment of the Sultanate of Bengal in 1352 through the unification of these regions, moving his capital to Pandua , not far from Lakhnauti in northern Bengal. The area was the former capital of the Gaur kings and Pala emperors . This territory which was known as "Vanga" was renamed as " Bangālah " or "Mulk-i-Bangālah" . He was known as "Shāh-i-Bangālah" during his tenure. Ilyas Shah displayed an egalitarian attitude towards his subjects; his administration
8385-449: The first Muslim ruler to invade the Kathmandu Valley . Under Ilyas Shah, the territory of the Bengal Sultanate expanded to include parts of north India, northeast India, Nepal and Orissa. He was of Turk There are conflicting views on whether Ilyas was born in Sistan or not, although it is agreed that his origins definitely lay in the Sistan region of what is today eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan . According to Syed A M R Haque, it
8514-472: The fortress of Ekdala. The Delhi Sultan laid siege to the fortress for two months. The Delhi Sultanate's forces then began withdrawing. Ilyas Shah began to pursue the Delhi army and reached as far as Varanasi . The Delhi army formidably fought back. Firuz Shah returned to Delhi in 1355. Ilyas Shah regained control of Bengal and his realm extended up to the Koshi River . The extent of Ilyas Shah's campaigns, including his conquest of major Indian cultural centers,
8643-402: The governor of the new region. Hussain Shah also restored Bengali sovereignty in Chittagong and northern Arakan after the Bengal Sultanate–Kingdom of Mrauk U War of 1512–1516 . Hussain Shah minted coins with the proclamation "conqueror of Kamrupa, Kamata, Jajnagar and Orissa". According to historian Jadunath Sarkar , a 1513 inscription from Sonargaon indicates that Hussain Shah annexed a part of
8772-429: The houses of the rich during dawn and play music; and they would be rewarded with wine, food and money during breakfast hours. Some men would have performances with a chained tiger. The Hindu minority did not eat beef. The streets and markets included bathing areas, eating and drinking places, and dessert shops. Betel nut was offered to guests. The population included royalty, aristocrats, natives and foreigners. Many of
8901-510: The imperial provincial governor of Satgaon in present-day South Bengal . Following Yahya's death in 1338, Ilyas declared himself as the independent Sultan of Satgaon, with the title of Shams ad-Din . He then waged a long war from 1339 to 1352 against Sultan Alauddin Ali Shah of Lakhnauti ( North Bengal ) and Sultan Ikhtiyaruddin Ghazi Shah of Sonargaon ( East Bengal ). Ilyas Shah emerged victorious after conquering Lakhnauti and Sonargaon in 1342 and 1352 respectively. He then proclaimed
9030-439: The independence of Pakistan and the partition of Bengal in 1947, there have been more attempts to compile and publish an encyclopedia. The first was a project to produce a Bengali adaptation of Columbia Viking Desk Encyclopedia by Franklin Book Programs Inc., undertaken in 1959 and aborted ten years later. The unfinished papers were compiled into four unequal volumes as Bangla Vishvakosh (1972) with Khan Bahadur Abdul Hakim as
9159-420: The independent Bangladesh, in historical succession. The encyclopedia's chief editor is Sirajul Islam . Over 1450 writers and specialists in Bangladesh and abroad helped create the entries. Banglapedia has over 5,700 entries in six editorial categories, each of which is overseen by an expert editor, as well as over 2,000 single and four-colour illustrations and 2,100 cross-references. The project
9288-548: The interrupting period of Delhi's rule and re-established the Bengal Sultanate under the Muhammad Shahi dynasty, which was also of Afghan origin. The Afghan Karrani dynasty was the last ruling dynasty of the sultanate. According to the Riyaz-us-Salatin , Sultan Sulaiman Khan Karrani shifted the capital from Gaur to Tanda in 1565. Sulaiman Khan Karrani annexed large parts of Orissa. During his reign,
9417-518: The invasion of Sher Shah Suri, the second Mughal emperor Humayun occupied Gaur . The third Mughal emperor Akbar launched a war against Bengal at the Battle of Tukaroi in 1575. Akbar finally defeated the last Sultan of Bengal at the Battle of Raj Mahal in 1576. The economy of the Bengal Sultanate inherited earlier aspects of the Delhi Sultanate, including mint towns, a salaried bureaucracy and
9546-511: The last Sultan Daud Khan Karrani , resulting in the Treaty of Cuttack . Mughal rule formally began with the Battle of Raj Mahal when the last reigning Sultan of Bengal was defeated by the forces of Akbar. The Mughal province of Bengal Subah was created. The eastern deltaic Bhati region remained outside of Mughal control until being absorbed in the early 17th century. The delta was controlled by
9675-418: The linguistic identity prevails. The range of topics covered by Banglapedia includes political geography, religion, literature, art and architecture, folk practices and institutions, indigenous and colonial administration, politics, society, economy, ethnicity, and the sciences. All 64 districts of Bangladesh , as well as 451 upazilas , have been described in details ranging from topographical accounts to
9804-539: The military command of Shah Ismail Ghazi , the Bengali army overthrew the Kamata Kingdom 's Hindu Khen dynasty in 1498, extending the Sultanate as far as Hajo and preparing to advance towards central Assam. Assamese Bhuyans eventually overthrew the local administrations within a few years and restored local rule. Bengal was overwhelmed during the pan-Indian invasion of Sher Shah Suri and became part of
9933-461: The name Phulmati Begum, and they later had two sons and several daughters including Prince Sikandar . Sanyal adds that the marriage was initially protested by upper-class Brahmins due to the fact that widow remarriage was impermissible in Hinduism. Nevertheless, Ilyas proceeded with the nikah as he could not allow the girl to live as an outcast in her society or fall into harlotry. This narrative
10062-399: The number of dairy farms and hatcheries. Over 2,000 single and four-colour illustrations depict Bangladeshi art and architecture, everyday life, cities and villages and personages. It has about 2,100 cross-references, cartographic information, tables and statistics. It is laid out in alphabetical order and is prefaced by an essay by the chief editor. There is a section explaining how to use
10191-579: The number of entries was cut down to around 6,000. The project officially took off in 1998. When the project began, the Society had only eight hundred thousand taka in its coffers for the project. Banglapedia raised further contributions from universities, banks, multinational companies, international organisations and even private individuals. A pool of agencies, including UNESCO , the University Grants Commission , universities, financial institutions and NGOs initially financed
10320-475: The political affairs of the country. The chief of the admiralty had various responsibilities, including shipbuilding , river transport, to fit out strong boats for transporting war elephants; to recruit seamen; to patrol the rivers and to collect tolls at ghats. The efficiency of the navy eroded during the Hussain Shahi dynasty. The Sultans also built forts, including temporary mud walled forts. In 1353,
10449-665: The presence of a large number of Bengali merchants in the Malacca Sultanate . The merchants were wealthy shipowners. It is yet to be ascertained whether these merchants had a significant role in the Sultan's court. Ship-owning merchants were often royal envoys. Contacts between Bengal and the Bruneian Empire and the Sumatran Aceh Sultanate are recorded in Chinese accounts. Within the subcontinent, Bengal had both tense and peaceful relations with
10578-515: The presence of a large number of wealthy Bengali merchants and shipowners in Malacca . Historian Rila Mukherjee wrote that ports in Bengal may have been entrepots , importing goods and re-exporting them to China. A vigorous riverine shipbuilding tradition existed in Bengal. The shipbuilding tradition is evidenced in the sultanate's naval campaigns in the Ganges delta. The trade between Bengal and
10707-463: The principality of Calicut. Individual Portuguese merchants are recorded to have lived in the Bengal Sultanate's capital of Gaur. Portuguese politics played out in Gaur as a reflection of contradictions in contemporary Portugal. The Portuguese provided vivid descriptions of Gaur. They compared the affluence of Gaur with Lisbon . The city included a citadel, a royal palace and durbar , mosques, houses for
10836-501: The print version, along with 65 video clips, 49 audio clips, 2,714 images and thumbnails, and 647 maps. The audio clips include songs by Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam , while the video clips include Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 's speech on 7 March 1971. Some images that appear in black and white in the print version are in color in the CD-ROM version. Designed to run on Windows 98 , Windows ME , Windows 2000 and Windows NT ,
10965-460: The project, which was completed at a cost of taka 80 million. Education Ministry funded about 74% of the cost, while 26% of the fund came mostly from universities and banks. Before direct sales started on 3 January 2003, 4,000 copies of the English version and all but 250 copies of the Bengali version were sold in advance out of the initial print of 5,000 copies for each versions. For an additional run of 10,000 prints people waited in queues outside
11094-588: The ranks of the Delhi Sultanate . In the early 14th-century, the Delhi Sultanate divided Bengal into three provinces based in the towns of Satgaon in South Bengal, Sonargaon in East Bengal, and Lakhnauti in North Bengal. The purpose was to improve administration as Delhi's sway over Bengal weakened. Ilyas Shah was appointed Governor of Satgaon. In the middle of the 14th-century, the governors of
11223-568: The reign of Muhammad of Ghor . This saw the beginning of the rise of Turko - Afghans in the Indian subcontinent. Bakhityar Khalji served as a military general of the Ghurid ruler Muhammad of Ghor. He formed the Khalji dynasty of Bengal . After the assassination of Bakhtiar Khalji by his own officer Ali Mardan in 1206, Bengal was administered by various Maliks belonging to the Khalji tribe (except
11352-601: The rich built ships and went abroad for trade. Many were agriculturalists. Punishments for breaking the law included expulsion from the kingdom, as well as bamboo flogging. Bengal received settlers from North India, the Middle East and Central Asia. They included Turks, Afghans, Persians and Arabs. An important migrant community were Persians. Many Persians in Bengal were teachers, lawyers, scholars and clerics. Mercenaries were widely imported for domestic, military and political service. One particular group of mercenaries were
11481-568: The rich, and bustling bazaars. Portuguese historian Castenhada de Lopez described the houses of Gaur as being one-storeyed with ornamental floor tiles, courtyards, and gardens. Gaur was the centre of regional politics. The Sultan of Bengal gave permission for establishing the Portuguese settlement in Chittagong . During the period of the Iberian Union , there was no official Portuguese sovereignty over Chittagong. The Portuguese trading post
11610-427: The second Siege of Ekdala Fort in 1359. A peace treaty was signed between Delhi and Bengal, with the former recognizing the independence of the latter. Firuz Shah Tughluq gave a golden crown estimated to be worth 80,000 taka to Sikandar Shah. The peace treaty ensured Bengal's independence for two centuries. Sikandar Shah's reign lasted three decades. The Adina Mosque was built during his reign. The mosque's design
11739-476: The second part, Smritishastra , which was largely on jurisprudence, then began. But Carey died after only two 40-page installments were printed in February and March 1821. It was followed by Maharaja Kalikirshna Dev Bahadur's (1808–1974) Sankshipta Sadvidyabali (1833), a concise encyclopedia. Then came Raja Radhakanta Deb's Sabdakalpadrum (1822–1858), a Sanskrit encyclopedic dictionary in eight parts. Next
11868-535: The service of the Delhi Sultanate , though it is not confirmed if he was positioned in Bengal from the start. Some have claimed that Ilyas was originally based in Delhi and moved to Bengal after problems arose, while others claim that his family had migrated to Bengal long before. According to Banglapedia , Ilyas was initially working under Malik Firuz in Delhi. Nevertheless, Ilyas eventually served under Izzuddin Yahya ,
11997-471: The sultanate. Alauddin Hussain Shah gained control of Bengal in 1494 when he was prime minister. Alauddin Husain Shah founded the Hussain Shahi dynasty which had Sayyid of Arab or Afghan origin. He brought end to a period of instability. As Sultan, Hussain Shah ruled until 1519. The dynasty he founded reigned until 1538. Muslims and Hindus jointly served in the royal administration during
12126-420: The term Bangla . With the rise of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation state, the term has no doubt obtained a specific meaning. It may be noted here that the term Bangalah or Bengala , from which Bangla and Bengal originated, was coined and circulated by Muslim rulers whose seats of administration were located mostly within the present territory of Bangladesh. Over 1,200 writers and specialists contributed to
12255-816: The three administrative regions had separatist Sultans , including Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah in Sonargaon; Alauddin Ali Shah in Gauda, and Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah in Satgaon. Fakhruddin conquered Chittagong in 1340 and was succeeded by his son Ikhtiyaruddin Ghazi Shah in 1349. Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah (or just Ilyas Shah ) defeated Alauddin Ali Shah and secured control of Gauda. He then defeated Ikhtiyaruddin of Sonargaon. By 1352, Ilyas Shah emerged victorious among
12384-552: The three city-states declared independence. The three city-states began warring against one another. Ilyas Shah eventually defeated the ruler of Lakhnauti, Alauddin Ali Shah , and the ruler of Sonargaon, Ikhtiyaruddin Ghazi Shah . He unified Bengal into an independent sultanate, establishing his capital in Pandua . As Sultan, Ilyas Shah waged a war against the Delhi Sultanate to secure recognition of Bengal's independence. He raided cities across northern and eastern subcontinent, becoming
12513-455: The title of Shah and minting coins in Arabic and Bengali inscriptions. A close cultural and commercial relationship developed across the Bay of Bengal. Eventually, Arakan asserted its independence. The Kingdom of Mrauk U became a formidable coastal power. In southern Bengal, the island of Chandradwip hosted remnants of the pre-Islamic Hindu Deva dynasty . The kingdom was a vassal state of
12642-495: The usefulness of elephants, though very slow, could not be minimised. The navy was of prime necessity in riverine Bengal. In fact, the cavalry could ensure the hold over this country for a period of six months whereas the boats backed by the paiks could command supremacy over the other half of the year. Since the time of Iwaz Khalji, who first organised a naval force in Islamic Bengal, the war boats played an important role in
12771-620: The very first Muslim army into Nepal . He first occupied the Tirhut region, which he divided into two parts. The part north of the Budhi Gandaki River were restored to Raja Kameshwar Thakur of the Oiniwar dynasty , while Ilyas kept the southern part for himself, stretching from Begusarai to Nepal Terai . Its headquarters was situated in the village of Ukkacala (later known as Hajipur in his honour), where Ilyas had constructed
12900-426: The vital part of the Bengal infantry during this period. There were occasions when the paiks also tackled political situations. The particular battle array of the foot-soldiers who used bows, arrows and guns attracted the attention of Babur. War elephants played an important part in the Bengal army. Apart from carrying war materials, elephants were also used for the movement of the armed personnel. In riverine Bengal
13029-524: The war brought a long period of peace between the neighbouring states. In 1494, the Jaunpuri Sultan Hussain Shah Sharqi was given refuge in Bengal after being defeated by the Lodi dynasty of Delhi. On the coastline of the Bay of Bengal, the Bengal Sultanate became influential in the control of Arakan. Min Saw Mon , a deposed Arakanese king, fled to Bengal after a Burmese invasion. With the support of Bengali forces led by
13158-575: The world traded in the Bay of Bengal . Cotton textile exports were a unique aspect of the Bengali economy. Marco Polo noted Bengal's prominence in the textile trade. In 1569, Venetian explorer Caesar Frederick wrote about how merchants from Pegu in Burma traded in silver and gold with Bengalis. Overland trade routes such as the Grand Trunk Road connected Bengal to northern India, Central Asia and
13287-509: The world. Other notable cities included the initial royal capital of Pandua , the economic hub of Sonargaon , the Mosque City of Bagerhat , and the seaport and trading hub of Chittagong . The Bengal Sultanate was connected to states in Asia, Africa, the Indian Ocean, and Europe through maritime links and overland trade routes. The Bengal Sultanate was a major trading center on the coast of
13416-412: The year in Bengal. The cavalry was probably the weakest component of the Bengal Sultanate's army, as the horses had to be imported from foreign countries. The artillery was an important section. Portuguese historian João de Barros opined that the military supremacy of Bengal over Arakan and Tripura was due to its efficient artillery. The artillery used cannons and guns of various sizes. The paiks formed
13545-539: Was Rajkrishna Ray (1849–1894) and Saratchandra Dev's (1858-unknown) joint work Bharatkosh , the first Bengali encyclopedia laid-out in alphabetical order (1880–1892) published in three volumes. Reverend Krishna Mohan Banerjee 's (1813–1885) adaptation of Encyclopædia Britannica , Vidyakalpadruma or Encyclopædia Bengalensis (1846–51), and the 22-volume Bangla Visvakosh (1886–1911), edited by Nagendranath Basu (1866–1938) with contributions from many major personalities of contemporary Bengal, were published next. After
13674-595: Was a late medieval sultanate based in the Bengal region in the eastern South Asia between the 14th and 16th century. It was the dominant power of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta , with a network of mint towns spread across the region. The Bengal Sultanate had a circle of vassal states in the Indian subcontinent , including parts of Odisha in the southwest, Arakan in the southeast, and Tripura in
13803-476: Was a prominent vassal of the Bengal Sultanate. In 1430, the Bengal Sultanate restored the Arakanese throne in Mrauk U after driving out Burmese invaders who came from Bagan . The Kingdom of Mrauk U paid tributes to the Sultan of Bengal for a sustained period, with the timeframe ranging between estimates of a century or a few decades. Arakanese rulers replicated the Sultan's governing techniques, including adopting
13932-538: Was a vassal state of Bengal. Northern Orissa was directly ruled by Bengal. During the Karrani dynasty, Orissa was the scene of the Battle of Tukaroi and the Treaty of Cuttack between the Mughals and Bengal Sultanate in 1575. The Sultans had a well-organised army, including cavalry, artillery, infantry and war elephants; and a navy. Due to the riverine geography and climate, it was not feasible to use cavalry throughout
14061-482: Was also active in regional diplomacy. For example, the ship of the Bengali embassy to China also transported the envoys of Brunei and Aceh ( Sumatra ) to China. Bengal gave consent to envoys from Portuguese India for setting up Portuguese trading posts in coastal areas. Other European visitors included Niccolo De Conti , Ludovico di Varthema and Caeser Fredrick from the Republic of Venice and Bologna . In
14190-411: Was an absolute monarchy , and took influence from Persianate traditions. Its revenue system was maintained in the Bengali language throughout the course of its history. The government employed both Muslims and Hindus, promoting a form of religious pluralism. In addition to the royal family and government body, the Sultan also relied on the support of the ulama (Islamic scholars). The Sultanate
14319-481: Was an export center for cloth and wine. At least six varieties of fine muslin and four types of wine were found in Pandua. High-quality paper was produced from the bark of Pandua's mulberry trees. Sultan Mahmud Shah of Bengal shifted the capital from Pandua to Gaur in 1450. One of the probable reasons behind the move was a change in the course of nearby rivers. The reign of Mahmud Shah witnessed greater control over
14448-484: Was based on the Great Mosque of Damascus - a style used during the introduction of Islam in new areas. During this time, much of the agricultural land was controlled by Hindu zamindars , which caused tensions with Muslim taluqdars . Bengal became the eastern frontier kingdom among medieval Islamic states. In the 14th century, Islamic kingdoms stretched from Muslim Spain in the west to the Indian subcontinent in
14577-624: Was considered "world-conquering" in the context of medieval India. This led to him being styled as "the second Alexander " in the same manner as Alauddin Khalji . Ilyas Shah died on January 1358, and was buried in Ukkacala . In honour of his efforts in fortifying and urbanising Ukkacala, the city was renamed to Hajipur (city of the Haji ). During the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar , the Governor of Bihar Said Khan's brother Makhsus Shah constructed
14706-476: Was created to focus on districts and upazilas. The fact that around 400 local intellectuals were charged with writing about their respective zilas and upazilas was described as a unique approach to information gathering. In addition, 250 people worked in research management for seven years. A total of 2,000 scholars and technicians were involved. There were 270 full-time personnel on the project in all, with 35 to 40 people employed at any given time. Sirajul Islam
14835-462: Was defeated and agreed to pay a tribute to the Sultan of Bengal. He was also made to relinquish his claims over Sylhet , which was under direct Sultanate rule. In the east, Tripura was vital to Bengal for the supply of gold, silver and other commodities. Tripura had coarse gold mines and mountain trade networks linked to the Far East. In 1464, the Sultan of Bengal helped Ratna Manikya I assume
14964-406: Was divided into administrative subdivisions such as arsa and iqlim , which were further divided into mahals , thanas and qasbas . Mint towns consisted of royal and provincial capitals where taka coins were minted, thus developing the areas as important economic urban centres within the Sultanate. With the expansion of the empire, the number of mint towns increased gradually. The following
15093-532: Was dominated by pirates who allied with the Arakanese against Bengal. The absorption of Bengal into the Mughal Empire was a gradual process. It began with the defeat of Bengal forces under Sultan Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah by the first Mughal ruler Babur at the Battle of Ghaghra. The second Mughal ruler Humayun occupied the Bengal capital of Gaur during the invasion of Sher Shah Suri against both
15222-527: Was formally adopted on 19 February 1997, and Islam was appointed project director and chief editor. As the head of the Project Implementation Committee, his task was to plan and manage the project funding. In 1996, some three dozen committees were formed with three to four people in each committee to recommend the entries. Twenty-seven thousand entries were proposed, requiring a 20-volume compendium. Because of financial constraints,
15351-542: Was funded by the Government of Bangladesh , private sector organizations, academic institutes and UNESCO . Though its original budget was 800,000 taka (roughly US$ 10,000), the Asiatic Society eventually spent 80 million taka (roughly US$ 1 million) on the project. Despite controversies over entries on the Bangladesh Liberation War and indigenous people , both the Bengali and English versions became popular upon publication. The Banglapedia project originated when
15480-402: Was his predecessors who had first arrived to the subcontinent , as Muslim missionaries, and the family were granted jagirs by the Delhi Sultanate in Bengal in 1227. Ilyas was a Sunni Muslim by faith. According to a narrative by Durgachandra Sanyal , Ilyas was on his way to Sonargaon when he married a Bengali Brahmin widow from Bajrayogini, Bikrampur that had embraced Islam and taken
15609-437: Was known for its equality and acceptance of members from different religious, caste, social, and ethnic communities. He standardised the people of Bengal under the banner of one politico-social and linguistic platform, including the Bengali language . The region received immigrants from across the Muslim world , including North Indians , Turks , Abyssinians , Arabs and Persians . As the ruler of Satgaon , Ilyas Shah led
15738-495: Was made in Bengal from the bark of mulberry trees. The high quality of paper was compared with the lightweight white muslin cloth. Europeans & Ming Chinese referred to Bengal as "the richest country to trade with". Bengal was the eastern pole of Islamic India. Like the Gujarat Sultanate in the western coast of India, Bengal in the east was open to the sea and accumulated profits from trade. Merchants from around
15867-492: Was overseen by an expert editor. Banglapedia was not designed as a general encyclopedia. Its purpose is to provide a standard desk reference for Bangladeshis, as well as for people interested in Bangladesh, Bengali-speaking people, and related political, cultural and geographical contexts. The encyclopedia's editors intended to cover the rise of the Bengal Delta on the physical plane, and its evolution to date, and
15996-568: Was published in January 2003 in ten volumes by the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh . with a plan to update it every two years. The second edition was issued in 2012 in fourteen volumes. Banglapedia was not designed as a general encyclopedia but as a specialized encyclopedia on Bangladesh-related topics. For the encyclopedia's purposes, Bangladesh is defined as the territory comprising ancient Eastern India, Bengal Sultanate , Bengal Subah , Bengal Presidency , East Bengal , East Pakistan , and
16125-410: Was restored in 1432. Nine kings ruled Bengal from Pandua over the course of ten decades. They built palaces, forts, bridges, mosques, and mausoleums. Chinese envoy Ma Huan described the city at the time in his travel accounts, which state that "the city walls are very imposing, the bazaars well-arranged, the shops side by side, the pillars in orderly rows, they are full of every kind of goods". Pandua
16254-437: Was the most spoken language while Persian was an administrative and commercial language. Men wore white shirts, cotton fabrics of various colors, turbans, sarongs, lungis, dhutis, leather shoes, and belts to wrap their robes on the waist. Women wore cotton saris. Upper-class women wore gold jewelry. There were various classes of artisans, as well as physicians and fortune tellers. There was a class of musicians who would gather by
16383-416: Was the tribute payments of subordinate kingdoms which were paid in silver bullion. The third source was during military campaigns when Bengali forces sacked neighboring states. The apparent vibrancy of the Bengal economy in the beginning of the 15th century is attributed to the end of tribute payments to Delhi, which ceased after Bengali independence and stopped the outflow of wealth. Ma Huan 's testimony of
16512-404: Was used as the primary official, diplomatic and commercial language, it was under the Sultans that Bengali first received court recognition as an official language. The cities of the Bengal Sultanate are termed as Mint Towns where the historical taka was minted . These cities were adorned with stately medieval buildings. In 1500, the royal capital of Gaur was the fifth-most populous city in
16641-696: Was worth 10,250 cowry shells. Bengal relied on shiploads of cowry shell imports from the Maldives. Due to the fertile land, there was an abundance of agricultural commodities, including bananas, jackfruits, pomegranate, sugarcane, and honey. Native crops included rice and sesame. Vegetables included ginger, mustard, onions, and garlic among others. There were four types of wines, including coconut, rice, tarry and kajang . Bengali streets were well provided with eating establishments, drinking houses and bathhouses. At least six varieties of fine muslin cloth existed. Silk fabrics were also abundant. Pearls , rugs and ghee were other important products. The finest variety of paper
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