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Sultanate of Bengal

Sultanate of Bengal
বাংলা সালতানাত
Sultanate
1342–1538

1555–1576
The Bengal Sultanate at its peak
Capital Gaur
Pandua
Sonargaon
Languages Bengali (spoken)
Persian (court and diplomatic language)
Arabic (liturgical)
Religion Sunni Islam (official), Hinduism, Buddhism
Government Absolute monarchy, unitary state with federal structure
Sultan
 •  1342–1358 Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah (first)
 •  1572–1576 Daud Khan Karrani (last)
Historical era Late medieval
 •  Independence declared from Delhi 1352
 •  Battle of Raj Mahal 1576
Currency taka
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Bengal under the Delhi Sultanate
Sur Empire
Sur Empire
Kingdom of Mrauk U
Kingdom of Bhati
Bengal Subah
Today part of  Bangladesh
 India
 Myanmar
   Nepal

The Bengal Sultanate, officially the Sultanate of Bengal, was a Muslim state and empire based in the Indian subcontinent on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. It was an important power in South and Southeast Asia. Its rulers carried the title of King of Kings in the East. The kingdom's heartland was in Bengal, which is today divided between Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, but its realm included large parts of North India and western Myanmar. Its bordering countries included the Delhi Sultanate, Tibet, Ahom and Burmese states.

The Bengal Sultanate seceded from the Delhi Sultanate under Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah in 1352 and had capitals in Gaur, Pandua and Sonargaon. Delhi recognised Bengal's independence after it was defeated by Ilyas Shah and his son, Sikandar Shah. The kingdom enjoyed a strategic relationship with Ming China. It reached the height of its power during the reigns of Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah and Alauddin Hussain Shah in the 15th and early 16th centuries, when it controlled most of the eastern subcontinent. Trade links were fostered with the Horn of Africa, the Maldives and Malacca. Its political economy featured the Taka as its standard currency. Bengali Muslim architecture flourished under the sultanate's distinct regional genre, incorporating Bengali and Persian elements. A cosmopolitan literary culture developed in the kingdom.


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