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{{Short description|War between Delhi Sultanate and Bengal (1277-1281)}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Balban's campaign of Bengal
| place = [[Bihar]], [[Bengal]] and [[Odisha]]
| partof = [[Balban#Military campaigns|Campaigns of Balban]]
| date = 1277–1281
| territory = [[Bengal]] re-annexed by [[Delhi Sultanate]]
| result = [[Delhi Sultanate]] victory
| combatant1 = [[Delhi Sultanate]]
| combatant2 = [[Bengal]]{{Efn|The Muslim principality of Bengal from 1206 to 1287 was a province of [[Delhi Sultanate]] under the [[Mamluk dynasty (Delhi)|Mamluk dynasty]], occasionally revolted and gained independence}}
| commander1 = [[Balban]] Amin Khan{{Executed}} Tirmati Khan{{Executed}} Tamar Khan Shamsh Malik Tajuddin Shahabuddin Bahadur [[Nasiruddin Bughra Khan]] Malik Husamuddin Malik Berbek Bekturs Malik Sherandaz
| commander2 = [[Tughral Tughan Khan]]{{KIA}}
| strength1 = 200,000–300,000 soldiers Thousands of Boats
| strength2 = Unknown
| casualties1 = High
| casualties2 = Nearly all were captured and executed
}}

[[Balban|Ghiyath al-Din Balban]]'s campaign of Bengal (1277–1281) was a major expedition to reconsolidate Delhi Sultanate's authority over Bengal. In 1279, the [[List of sultans of Delhi|Sultan of Delhi]], faced significant challenges against the authority and military prowess. Amidst the crisis, [[Tughral Tughan Khan]], the [[Delhi Sultanate]]'s governor of Bengal, rebelled and declared sovereignty. In response, Balban ordered Amin Khan, the governor of [[Awadh|Oudh]], to suppress Tughral's rebellion. Amin Khan's forces were decisively defeated. Two more armies led by Tirmati Khan, and Shahabuddin Bahadur were also defeated by Tughral in the following years.

Despite his deteriorating health, Balban personally led a fourth campaign against Tughral, mobilizing an army over 200,000 additional. Thousands of boats facilitated the movement of soldiers and supplies along the [[Ganges]]. Upon learning of Balban's approach, Tughral Khan fled the Bengali capital, which was subsequently occupied by royal forces without resistance. Tughral sought refuge in the jungles of [[Jajpur|Jajnagar]] but was eventually captured and executed. His head was presented to Balban, who, in a display of retribution, ordered harsh reprisals against Tughral's allies and relatives.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Srivastava|1971|pp=[https://archive.org/details/dli.scoerat.1789historyofindia1000adto1707ad/page/79/mode/1up? 79–80]}}</ref>

== Background ==
In 1277, [[Balban|Ghiyath al-Din Balban]], ({{Reign|1266|1281}}) seriously fell ill.<ref name=":1">{{Cite Banglapedia|last=Ahmed|first=ABM Shamsuddin|article=Mughisuddin Tughral|article-url=Mughisuddin_Tughral}}</ref> Stricken by a severe illness that confined him to his bed, Balban's survival was uncertain. In 1279, the Mongols launched a formidable offensive in Punjab, engaging the royal army under Prince Muhammad Khan in a fierce conflict.<ref name=":0">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehta|1979|p=122}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Haig|1928|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.177678/page/78/mode/1up?q=Balban 79]}}</ref> Concurrently, [[Tughral Tughan Khan]], the Mamluk governor of Bengal and a former slave officer of Balban, led successful campaign against [[Jajpur|Jajnagar]] (in modern [[Odisha|Orissa]]). He obtained from there considerable treasures and many elephants and appropriated them. He did not send anything to the Sultan, citing his old age and preoccupation with Mongol invasions.<ref name=":7">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habib|Nizami|1970|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.147431/page/n316/mode/1up 293]}}</ref> Feeling confident of his power, eventually asserted independence and withheld the king’s share (''[[Khums]]'') of the spoils. He took the [[regnal name]] of Sultan Mughisuddin, issued coins, read [[khutbah]] in his own name and declared his independence,{{Efn|"According to Isami, Tughril rebelled against Balban in the eighth year of the Sultans reign (A.D 1275)." ({{Harvard citation no brackets|Habib|Nizami|1970|p=293}})}} further destabilizing the sultanate.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habibullah|1961|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.199570/page/n161/mode/1up 144]}}{{Break}}{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehta|1979|p=122}}{{Break}}{{Harvard citation no brackets|Qinungo|1943|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.24396/page/n81/mode/1up 60]}}</ref> Lakhnauti had thus earned at Delhi the nickname of Balghakpur "the city of rebellion"<ref name=":6" />

== Initial conflicts (1277–1279) ==

=== Battle of Gogra River ===
In response, Balban ordered Amin Khan, the governor of Oudh ([[Awadh]]), to suppress Tughral's rebellion. In 1277,<ref name=":1" /> Amin Khan proceeded with his army. Tughral confronted Amin Khan with his forces. A significant military engagement occurred near the [[Ghaghara|Ghagra River]] in northern [[Bihar]] where Tughral decisively defeated the forces of Amin Khan. During the battle, some of Amin Khan's troops defected to Tughral which the rebel won over through lavish grants of gifts.<ref name=":7" /> While retreating, the imperial army suffered heavy casualties at the hands of local [[Hindus|Hindu]] tribes in Awadh. The defeat severely undermined Balban's reputation, leading him to order the execution of the defeated commander, who was hanged at the Awadh gate in a display of the sultan's rage.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habibullah|1961|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.199570/page/n161/mode/1up 144]}}{{Break}}{{Harvard citation no brackets|Haig|1928|p=79}}{{Break}}{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habib|Nizami|1970|p=293}}</ref>

=== Tirmati Khan's expedition ===
In January 1278, a second royal army, led by Tirmati Khan, along with Tamar Khan Shamsh and Malik Tajuddin advanced towards Bengal crossing river [[Sarju]]. Their advance was halted by Tughral somewhere between [[Mithila (region)|Tirhut]] and [[Gauḍa (city)|Lakhnauti]]. Tughral's army, though weaker in cavalry, outnumbered the imperial forces and was strengthened by numerous elephants and Hindu foot soldiers ([[Paik (soldier)|paiks]]), making it a formidable force. The two armies faced each other for an extended period, during which Tughral bribed several officers in the imperial camp. When battle commenced, the Delhi troops, possibly led by two Shamsi nobles, remained neutral, leading to a crushing defeat for Malik Tirmati's imperial forces. Fleeing imperial soldiers were plundered by Hindus, and many, fearing Sultan Balban's harsh punishment, chose to join Tughral in Lakhnauti. Tirmati's was gibbeted on the Sultan's orders.<ref name=":4">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Qinungo|1943|p=61}}</ref>

=== Shahabuddin Bahadur's expedition ===
Tughral also repulsed the third expedition, led by Shahabuddin Bahadur, the Amir of Oudh in 1279.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habibullah|1961|pp=44-45}}</ref> Advancing through Tirhut towards Lakhnauti, Bahadur engaged Tughral's forces at the frontier. He pledged to capture Tughral alive. A fierce battle ensued, Tughral charged at Bahadur's center who fought bravely. But a critical division of the imperial army collapsed and fled during the battle, leading to Bahadur's retreat in defeat.<ref name=":4" /> Bahadur with his fugitive soldiers returned Delhi, Balban wanted to put him to death, but Bahadur’s friends succeeded in saving his life by giving proofs of his courage on the battle-field. Balban exiled him from the court.<ref name=":8">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habib|Nizami|1970|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.147431/page/n317/mode/1up 294]}}</ref>

These successive defeats galvanized Balban's military commanders, who rallied to quell the revolt.<ref name=":0" />

== Balban's invasion (1280–1281) ==
The successive defeats enraged Balban who swore never to return without the rebel’s head. He left Delhi and marches towards [[Samana, India|Samana]] and [[Sunam|Saman]]. In January 1280, Sultan Balban, accompanied by his second son [[Nasiruddin Bughra Khan|Bughra Khan]], embarked on the military campaign, leaving Delhi under the regency of his trusted friend, Malik Fakhruddin, the [[kotwal]]. In March, upon reaching Awadh the Delhi army bolstered by over 200,000 additional troops provided by the [[Iqta'|iqtadars]] of the [[Ganges Delta|Gangetic valley]].<ref name=":2">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habibullah|1961|p=145}}</ref> The number of troops may be as high as 300,000.{{Efn|"To these two lakhs must be added about a lakh more perhaps which had already assembled during the Sultan's march from Samana to Oudh" ({{Harvard citation no brackets|Qinungo|1943|p=63}})}} The army was composed of [[Cavalry|horsemen]], [[Infantry|foot-soldiers]], [[Paik (soldier)|paiks]], [[Archery|archers]], Kahars, Kaiwani (bow-men), riders on [[Pony|ponies]], arrow-shooters, [[Mamluk|slaves]], servants, merchants and shopkeepers.<ref name=":8" /> Thousands of boats facilitated the movement of soldiers and supplies along the Ganges.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Qinungo|1943|p=63}}</ref><ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Prasad|2024|pp=[https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.12686/page/n121/mode/1up 97-98]}}</ref>

=== Capture of Lakhnauti ===
Tughral Khan positioned his war-boat fleet at the Sarju River's mouth to monitor the imperial army rather than engage in combat. Sultan Balban, despite the late season, led the main army from Oudh, with Bughra Khan commanding the rear. When Balban crossed the Sarju unopposed, Tughral retreated to Lakhnauti.<ref name=":5" /> Tughral, unwilling to engage in direct confrontation, gathered his treasure and followers and hastily abandoned [[Gauḍa (city)|Lakhnauti]] and moved to "Hajinagar" a place several miles east of [[Sonargaon]].<ref name=":8" />{{Efn|Habibullah writes, "According to chronicler [[Ziauddin Barani]], Tughral fled toward a location referred to as "Hajinagar," likely situated in the southeastern region." ({{Harvard citation no brackets|Habibullah|1961|p=145}})}} Tughral relied on the challenging climate and waterlogged terrain of the province to exhaust Balban's Delhi forces and test the sultan's patience, hoping to later reclaim the capital from a secure retreat. Undeterred, Balban swiftly advanced, capturing the deserted city of Lakhnauti. He appointed Malik Husamuddin to govern the city and maintain communication with the main army, while promptly resuming his pursuit of Tughral.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":9">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habib|Nizami|1970|p=295}}</ref>

=== Pact with Deva dynasty ===
Sultan Balban advanced to [[Bangladesh|East Bengal]] and, upon reaching [[Sonargaon]], met with the local Hindu raja Nauja, likely [[Dasharathadeva|Danujamadhava Ariraja Dasaratha]] of the [[Deva dynasty]]. He was an independent ruler, received respect from Balban as a sovereign prince during negotiations. In exchange for his cooperation in apprehending Tughral, Danuja agreed to block Tughral’s escape via the rivers in his territory.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habibullah|1961|pp=145-146}}</ref> Balban moved eastwards by continuous marches till he reached within 120 miles of Hajinagar, but no trace of Tughral could be found.<ref name=":9" />

=== Attack on Tughral's camp ===
Tughral sought refuge in the jungles of [[Jajpur|Jajnagar]] with his entire army, harem and family.<ref name=":3">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Qinungo|1943|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.24396/page/n88/mode/1up 67]}}</ref> Sultan Balban dispatched a division of 7,000 to 8,000 troops under Malik Bekturs, ordering them to advance ahead of the main army and deploy small scouting parties to gather intelligence. The imperial army proceeded toward the Jajnagar territory. One day, scouts led by Malik Sherandaz and Malik Muqaddir, encountered grain [[Merchant|merchants]] returning to their villages. Suspecting they had come from Tughral’s camp, Sherandaz seized them and executed two, terrifying the others into revealing Tughral’s army’s location, encamped half a [[Kos (unit)|kos]] away on a riverbank. Malik Sherandaz and his band of 30 or 40 horsemen rode cautiously towards the enemy camp. Observing Tughral’s men drinking, singing, and their animals grazing, Sherandaz and his scouts launched a surprise attack on the camp, swords drawn, shouting for Tughral. The sudden assault caused panic, with Tughral's forces believing Balban’s entire army was attacking.<ref name=":3" /> Tughral had nearly reached the river when an officer named Ali struck him with a short battle-axe and knocked him down from his horse. Malik Muqaddar immediately got down from his horse, chopped off Tughral’s head and threw his body into the river. Ali thenceforward known as ''Tughril-Kush'' or 'the Slayer of Tughril'.<ref name=":9" />

== Aftermath ==
Shortly after Malik Berbek Bekturs arrived the scene and learned the report in details. He at first was angry. His anger soon faded away after Sultan Balban promoted the soldiers who participated in that assault.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habib|Nizami|1970|p=296}}</ref>

Muqaddir sent Tughral's head to Bekturs, who presented to Balban. Balban, in a display of retribution, ordered harsh reprisals against Tughral's friends, supporters, and relatives.<ref name=":0" /> The demoralised force was surrounded and nearly the whole of it was captured.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Haig|1928|pp=80-81}}</ref> Sultan Balban returned with a huge amount of booty entered Lakhnauti in triumph. He hanged Tughral’s sons, sons-in-law, ministers, high officials, favored [[Ghilman|ghulams]] (Mamluks), [[Sarlashkar|sar-lashkars]] (army officers), jan-dārs (bodyguards), [[Squire|armor-bearers]] and [[Paik (soldier)|paiks]]. These brutal punishments continued for two-three days. The [[Mufti|Muftis]] and [[Qadi|Qadis]] barely obtained pardon.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Prasad|2024|p=98}}</ref> The defectors were singled out for execution in Delhi to serve as a warning to their families and associates. Ordinary offenders were pardoned, those with slightly higher status faced temporary punishment, higher-ranking ones were imprisoned, and officers were paraded on buffaloes through Delhi's streets.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Srivastava|1966|p=[https://archive.org/details/thesultanateofdelhibylalsrivastava/page/n152/mode/1up? 121]}}</ref> Balban’s extreme cruelty shocked even his own followers.<ref name=":3" /> Balban then appointed his son [[Nasiruddin Bughra Khan]] as the governor of Bengal.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehta|1979|p=123}}</ref> In April 1282, he left Bengal proceeding through Oudh and [[Budaun|Badaun]], and reached Delhi after an absence of three years.<ref name=":3" />

Bughra Khan governed lakhnauti from 1281 to 1287 and after Balban's death he declared himself as the independent sultan of Bengal assuming the title Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud. He had coins and [[Khutbah]] read in his own name. He ruled the region until 1291.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Qinungo|1943|p=71}}{{Break}}{{Harvard citation no brackets|Habib|Nizami|1970|p=306}}</ref> His successors would rule Bengal until [[Tughlaq campaign of Bengal|Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq's annexation]] in 1324.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Majumdar|1960|pp=193-194}}</ref>
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book |last=Qinungo |first=K. R. |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.24396 |title=The History of Bengal |date=1943 |publisher=B. R. Publishing Corporation |isbn=81-7646-239-X |editor-last=Sarkar |editor-first=Jadunath |editor-link=Jadunath Sarkar |volume=II |location=Delhi |chapter=Chapter III. Bengal under the House of Balban}}
* {{Cite book |last=Habibullah |first=Abul Barkat Muhammud |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xV9uAAAAMAAJ |title=The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206-1290 A.D. |date=1961 |publisher=Central Book Depot |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Prasad |first=Ishwari |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pqEJ0QEACAAJ |title=A Short History of Muslim Rule in India: From the Conquest of Islam to the Death of Aurangzeb |date=2024-12-18 |publisher=Fazlul Karim |isbn=978-81-976328-7-7 |language=en |orig-year=1956}}
* {{Cite book |last=Mehta |first=J. L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iUk5k5AN54sC |title=Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India |date=1979 |publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd |isbn=978-81-207-1015-3 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Haig |first=W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QXhZ38Y4ugAC |title=The Cambridge History of India: Turks and Afghans, edited by W. Haig |date=1928 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |volume=III |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Prasad |first=Ishwari |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vuf6SZPo3OkC |title=History of Medieval India |date=1951 |publisher=The Indian Press Ltd. |edition=Third |location=Allahabad |orig-year=1933 |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281016/mode/1up |archive-date=2017-01-16}}
* {{Cite book |last=Srivastava |first=Ashirbadi Lal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PAsfAAAAIAAJ |title=The Sultanate of Delhi, 711-1526 A.D.: Including the Arab Invasion of Sindh, Hindu Rule in Afghanistan and Causes of the Defeat of the Hindus in Early Medieval Age |date=1966 |publisher=Shiva Lal Agarwala |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9cmAQAAMAAJ |title=A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206-1526) |date=1970 |publisher=People's Publishing House |editor-last=Habib |editor-first=Mohammad |editor-link=Mohammad Habib |volume=V |language=en |editor-last2=Nizami |editor-first2=Khaliq Ahmad |editor-link2=K. A. Nizami}}
* {{Cite book |last=Srivastava |first=A. L. |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.scoerat.1789historyofindia1000adto1707ad |title=History of India 1000 A D to 1707 A D |date=1971 |publisher=Shiva Lal Agarwala & Company |edition=3rd |location=Agra}}
* {{Cite book |last=Majumdar |first=R. C. |author-link=R. C. Majumdar |url=https://archive.org/details/delhisultanate00bhar/ |title=History and the Culture of the Indian People |publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan |year=1960 |volume=VI |location=Bombay}}
{{refend}}

[[Category:Wars involving the Delhi Sultanate]]
[[Category:Wars involving medieval India]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Delhi Sultanate]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1278]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1279]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1280]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1281]]

Balban's conquest of Bengal - Revision history

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