Lesson 2/44 min
The Baro Bhuiyans
Emperor Akbar could not establish his authority over the whole of Bengal. Its great zamindars were independent in their own lands and joined together against the Mughals. History knows them as the Baro Bhuiyans.
Did you know?: ‘Baro’ does not mean exactly twelve; the word stood for an unspecified number of powerful zamindars. They were zamindars of the Mughal period.
Notable Bhuiyans
- Isa Khan
- Musa Khan
- Kedar Ray and Chand Ray
- Anwar Ghazi, Bahadur Ghazi and Sona Ghazi
- Sheikh Pir and Mirza Momin
- Raja Pratapaditya of Jessore
Isa Khan (1529–1599)
- Leader of the Baro Bhuiyans
- Akbar's generals sent expedition after expedition but could not defeat him
- The Egarasindhur fort in Kishoreganj was one of his military bases
- The books say he built up Sonargaon as a capital
- After his death his son Musa Khan became leader
Man Singh and Islam Khan
- Akbar's subahdar Man Singh campaigned against Isa Khan but could not crush the Bhuiyans
- After Akbar, Jahangir became emperor; his subahdar Islam Khan defeated Isa Khan's side and ended the rule of the Baro Bhuiyans
- Pratapaditya was one of the powerful Bhuiyan rulers
Watch out: One book puts the Man Singh–Isa Khan battle in 1596 at Tangar in Gafargaon. According to Banglapedia Man Singh sent two forces, by land and by water, in September 1597, and Isa Khan died in 1599. The battle's year and place are left out here.
Check yourself
Who led the Baro Bhuiyans, and who led them after his death?
At a glance
- 1
Baro Bhuiyans: an unspecified number of powerful zamindars of the Mughal period; ‘twelve’ is not an exact count.
- 2
Their leader was Isa Khan (1529–1599), followed by Musa Khan.
- 3
Notable Bhuiyans: Kedar Ray, Chand Ray, Anwar Ghazi, Bahadur Ghazi, Sona Ghazi, Sheikh Pir, Mirza Momin, Pratapaditya.
- 4
They held out under Akbar; Jahangir's subahdar Islam Khan crushed them.
- 5
Isa Khan's military base was the Egarasindhur fort in Kishoreganj.