Islam Shah Suri (Jalal Khan; 1507 – 22 November 1554) also known as Salim Shah Suri,[1] was Sultan of Hindustan from 27 May 1545 until his death in 1554. He was the second ruler of the Suri dynasty which ruled parts of India in the mid-16th century. He was the second son of Sher Shah Suri.
| Islam Shah Suri | |
|---|---|
 Miniature of Islam Shah Suri | |
| Sultan of Hindustan | |
| Reign | 27 May 1545 – 22 November 1554 |
| Coronation | 27 May 1545 |
| Predecessor | Sher Shah Suri |
| Successor | Firuz Shah Suri |
| Born | Jalal Khan 1507 Delhi, Delhi Sultanate (present day India) |
| Died | 22 November 1554 (aged 46–47) |
| Spouse | Bibi Bai |
| Issue | Firuz Shah Suri |
| House | Sur dynasty |
| Dynasty | Sur dynasty |
| Father | Sher Shah Suri |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
History
editOn his father's death, an emergency meeting of nobles chose Jalal Khan to be successor instead of his elder brother Adil Khan, since he had shown greater military ability. Jalal Khan was crowned on 26 May 1545 and took the title "Islam Shah". He was still worried that his brother would threaten his power and tried to have him captured. But Adil Khan evaded his grasp and raised an army. It marched on Islam Shah while he was at Agra. In the battle Islam Shah came out victorious and Adil Khan fled eastwards, never to be seen again.[2]
The support some nobles had given his brother made Islam Shah suspicious, leading him to ruthlessly purge their ranks and strictly subordinate the nobility to the crown. He continued his father's policies of efficient administration and increased centralization. He had little opportunity for military campaigning; the fugitive Mughal emperor Humayun, whom his father had overthrown, made one abortive attempt to attack him. He did however lead one major campaign against Kalinjar.
Death
editIslam Shah died on 22 November 1554. He was succeeded by his son Firuz Shah Suri, who was only twelve. Within a few days the boy ruler had been murdered by Sher Shah's nephew Muhammad Mubariz Khan, who then ascended the throne as Muhammad Adil Shah. The incomplete tomb of Islam Shah lies about a kilometer to the North-West of Sher Shah's tomb.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Reign of Salim Shah, Successor of Sher Shah Suri".
- ^ "Biography of Islam Shah the Successor of Sher Shah". 10 March 2012. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
- ^ Sanatani, Rohit Priyadarshi. "Tomb of Salim Shah Suri (Islam Shah): The Glory that never was". thespeakingarch.com. Retrieved 21 March 2015.