Lesson 5/54 min
Sonargaon
In 1338 Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah proclaimed himself an independent sultan at Sonargaon. In 1352 Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah took Sonargaon.
Sonargaon at a glance
- Location: Narayanganj district; ancient name Suvarnagrama
- Hindu pilgrimage sites Langalbandh and Panchamighat: on the west bank of the Old Brahmaputra
- The Folk Art Museum (Joynul folk art museum) of Bangladesh is at Sonargaon
- Remains: the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah, the Panch Pir shrine, a mosque built by Husain Shah
Sonargaon as a capital
| Period | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1338–1352 | Capital of the first independent sultanate of Bengal under Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah (the book's view) |
| Under Ilyas Shah and Sikandar Shah | Centre of the eastern Bengal province |
| Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah | His independent rule in eastern Bengal |
| Isa Khan | Masnad-i-Ala; capital of the Bhati kingdom |
Travellers
| Traveller | Year | Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Ibn Battuta (Morocco) | 1346 | In Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah's time |
| Ralph Fitch (England) | 1586 | Saw Sonargaon in Isa Khan's time |
Watch out: Khandokar's book makes other unverified claims, such as that Mahasthangarh was the capital before Sonargaon or that the name comes from Isa Khan's wife Sonabibi. They are left out here.
Check yourself
Who became an independent sultan at Sonargaon in 1338?
At a glance
- 1
Sonargaon is in Narayanganj; its ancient name was Suvarnagrama.
- 2
In 1338 Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah became an independent sultan at Sonargaon; Ilyas Shah took it in 1352.
- 3
Ibn Battuta came to Sonargaon in 1346; Ralph Fitch in 1586.
- 4
Sonargaon has the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah and the folk art museum.