Sher Shah Suri

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SHER SHAH SURI (1486 – 22 May 1545) 1. Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi by Abbas Khan Sarwani, 2. Tareekh-e-Saltanat-e-Afghaniya by Ahmed Yadgar 3. Makhzan-i-Afghani by Nimat Ullah Q: Write a note on the character and achievements of Sher Shah Suri. Farid Khan, titled as Sher Shah, stands as a unique character in the history of India. He was not a soldier of fortune and unlike most famous historical personalities of that time whether in Asia or in Europe, he didn’t inherit any wealth or power from a royal background. Sher Shah’s life style, leadership and interaction with friends and enemies, was all classic. According to Mr. Keene, "No Government-not even the British-has shown so much wisdom as this Pathan." According to Dr. Smith, "If Sher Shah had been spared; the Great Mughals would not have appeared on the stage of history." CHARACTER: Sher Shah's father was an Afghan jagirdar at Jaunpur. He rose to serve under the king of Bihar, and then joined the Mughal court. In 1540, he started his military campaigns by taking over the fort of Chanderi and by 1545 he had established himself as the supreme ruler from Sindh and Punjab to whole of Rajputana in the West and Bengal in the East. By expelling Hamayun out of India, he established Second Afghan rule in India and made Delhi as his capital. His character can be studied under the following headings: 1. As a Man: Sher Shah was a man of versatile genius. Because of his personal qualities, he became an independent ruler from a petty chief. He was very hard working and never lost time in useless pursuits. He himself supervised most of the official work. He had sympathy for the poor and the aggrieved s. No doubt, he had one short-coming. In order to fulfill his ambition, he sometimes resorted to deceitful means. That is why he is believed to be a man, who had got the habit of “planning like a fox and attacking
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