Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah

Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was son of Sikandar Shah and one of his Hindu wives.^[3] He had at least seventeen half-brothers. During his father's reign he served as the governor of Alapsing (modern Mymensingh) and established a mint town named Ghiyaspur there. A capable prince, he was reportedly the favorite of his father. When his stepmother attempted to persuade Sikandar to name one of her sons as heir and blind and imprison Ghiyasuddin, the prince rebelled and overthrew his father Sultan Sikandar Shah at the Battle of Goalpara in 1390. His army killed the sultan despite Azam Shah ordering them not to kill his father, following which he ascended the throne and blinded all of his half-brothers.^[4]

During the early part of his reign, he conquered and occupied Kamarupa in modern-day Assam. The invasion was facilitated by Kamrup's internal instability, leading to a precarious hold over the region. A stone inscription issued by Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was found at Boko, Kamrup dated to 1389-90 AD indicating that he conquered Kamrup region by then.^[5] Numismatic evidence, including coins dated 799 AH (1396–97 CE) found in Koch Bihar and 802 AH (1399–1400 CE) found in Guwahati, suggests significant political influence by Giyasuddin Azam Shah in Kamrup.^[6] A copperplate inscription about a land grant made in the year 1399 AD at Hajo region mentions a Kamrupa king defeating the Gauda king Ghiyasuddin. The name of the Kamrupa king isn't clear from the inscription.

His interests included establishing an independent judiciary and fostering Persianate and Bengali culture.^{[citation needed]} He also had a profound regard for law. A story about him and a qazi is very famous as a folktale and moral story.^[7] Once, the sultan while hunting accidentally killed the son of a poor widow with his arrow. The widow appeared before a qazi and brought a charge of murder against the sultan. Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was summoned by the Qazi, and appeared before the court like an ordinary accused person. Many people had gathered there to see a case against the sultan of the country.^[8][9] The sultan obeyed the law and gave indemnity to the poor widow for killing her son. When the trial was over the Qazi stood up and praised the sultan for his regard for the law.^[7][9]

Then the sultan said that he would have instantly beheaded the qazi if he faltered in his judgment. The qazi smiled and said that he would have flayed his majesty's back with a whip if he had not obeyed the law. Sultan Ghiyasuddin embraced the brave qazi, and the whole crowd shouted in their honour.^[8][7][9]

The Sultan pioneered diplomatic relations with China by sending embassies to the Ming dynasty court in Peking. He exchanged envoys and gifts with the Yongle Emperor. Bengal was interested in establishing a strategic partnership with China to counter the influence of its neighbors, including the Delhi Sultanate. The Chinese mediated in several regional disputes. The Sultan also built strong relations with the Sultanate of Jaunpur in North India. He sent envoys to the Hejaz and financed the construction of madrasas in Mecca and Medina.^[10][11]

Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah was a patron of scholars and poets. Among others, the Persian poet Hafez kept correspondences with him. One of the earliest Muslim Bengali poet, Shah Muhammad Sagir, who was a poet-laureate of Ghiyasuddin, wrote his famous work, Yusuf-Zulekha at the request of the Sultan. The Hindu poet, Krittibas Ojha, also translated the Ramayana in Bengali as Krittivasi Ramayan during his reign.^[12]

• List of rulers of Bengal