| Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah | |
|---|---|
| Sultan ofBengal Shah of Bengal | |
 Gold tanka of Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah | |
| 19thSultan of Bengal | |
| Reign | 1519–1533 |
| Predecessor | Husain Shah |
| Successor | Firuz Shah IV |
| Died | 1533 |
| Spouses | Daughter ofIbrahim Lodi |
| Issue | Firuz Shah IV |
| Father | Husain Shah |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Nāṣir ad-Dīn Naṣrat Shāh[a] (r. 1519–1533), also known asNusrat Shah, was the secondSultan of Bengal belonging to theHussain Shahi dynasty.[1] He continued with his father's expansionist policies but by 1526, had to contend with theMughal ascendency in theBattle of Ghaghra. Simultaneously, Nasrat Shah's reign also suffered a reverse at the hands of theAhom kingdom. The reigns ofAlauddin Husain Shah and Nasrat Shah are generally regarded as the "golden age" of theBengal Sultanate.[2]
Nasrat was born into an aristocraticSunni Muslim family in theBengal Sultanate. His fatherAlauddin Husain Shah was the first Sultan of theHussain Shahi dynasty and the father of eighteen sons and at least eleven daughters. Among Nasrat's siblings wereDanyal andMahmud.[3]
Nasrat Shah married a daughter ofIbrahim Lodi, who was thePashtun ruler of the neighbouringDelhi Sultanate.[4]
After his father's death in 1519, Nasrat rose to the throne as Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah. Trailing the policies of his father, Nasrat Shah expanded the Sultanate territory early on in his reign andKhalifatabad emerged as an important mint-town.[5] FollowingBabur's invasion of India,Mahmud Lodi and his Afghan confederates fled to Bengal for safety. In 1527, Babur despatched an envoy to Bengal in order to deduce Nasrat Shah's attitude towards Mughal ascendency and collect some information regarding Bengal. Nasrat Shah did not respond and imprisoned the envoy. However, Nasrat Shah later negotiated peace deals and freed the envoy, in order to send gifts to Babur. Babur was pleased with the response; describing Nasrat as one of the great rulers of theIndian subcontinent, praising Bengali soldiers for their gunnery and navy, and recognised the loyalty ofBengalis for their leader.[6]
After being pestered by the Afghans, the Mughals declared war against them and their Bengali allies. Attempting to defeat the Afghans on the way, theMughals proceeded towards Bengal. Babur took control ofTirhut before stopping atBuxar, where he requested Bengal to dismiss their troops camped at the banks of theGhaghara. Nasrat Shah's refusal led to theBattle of Ghaghra, taking place on 6 May 1529, in which the Mughals fought the Afghans and Bengalis. The Mughal Empire were victorious, and their territory extended to Ghaghara's eastern bank inBihar though they did not penetrate Bengal.[7] Nasrat Shah maintained Bengal's status as an independent nation.[8]
He completed the building ofBaro Shona Masjid inGauḍa (city) in 1526 AD.8
| Preceded by | Sultanate of Bengal Hussain Shahi dynasty 1519–1533 | Succeeded by |