Royal subahdars: Mughal princes in Dhaka

Illustration: Maisha Syeda; Wikimedia Commons

Mughal emperors sent subahdars to Dhaka for governing Bengal but did you know that a few of these subahdars hailed from the Mughal family itself?

The first Mughal prince to become subahdar of Bengal was Shah Shuja, a son of Emperor Shah Jahan. Noted historian, Ahmad Hasan Dani, in his book Dacca: A Record of its Changing Fortunes, quotes Shah Shuja saying "who had never paid tribute to any of my predecessors, have sent me ambassadors with letters professing loyalty and obedience and some elephants by way of present."

The fact that he was the emperor's son had its advantages when it came to ruling the region. Shah Shuja dethroned Dhaka as a Mughal capital, transferring it to Rajmahal. 

Further down the corridors of history, Emperor Aurangzeb's son Muhammad Azam Shah ruled and lived in Dhaka for more than a year. Perhaps, his most lasting visible influence today is the Lalbagh Fort. He laid the foundation stone of the Fort but left soon after. 

The last Mughal prince Dhaka to become subahdar of Bengal was Azim-ush-Shan, a grandson of Emperor Aurangzeb.