Sher Shah Suri

Table of Contents
1. Sher Khan
2. Reforms in administration
3. Trade, Communications and Public Works
4. Revenue Policy
5. Justice and Law-and-Order
6. Death of Sher Shah
7. Legacy
8. Women Rulers and Women in Medieval India
9. Summary
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Sher Khan

Sher Shah Suri (original name Farid, commonly known as Sher Khan) was born into an Afghan family that held a small jagir near Jaunpur. He acquired the title Sher Khan after killing a tiger while in the service of a local chief. He gained military experience under various Afghan rulers and later opposed the Mughal emperor Humayun. Sher Shah defeated Humayun decisively at the Battle of Chausa (1539) and the Battle of Kannauj (1540), and established control over large parts of north India. He ruled independently from 1540 until his death in 1545.

Sher Khan

Reforms in administration

Sher Shah Suri is noted for introducing practical administrative reforms that strengthened central authority and improved governance. His measures were aimed at efficiency, revenue security and safer communications across the empire. The main features of his administrative reforms included:

• Centralised authority: The emperor was the supreme head of all departments. Sher Shah supervised appointments and performance of officers from the highest to the lowest ranks to ensure loyalty and efficiency.
• Regular transfer of officials: To check corruption and local influence, he transferred officers periodically (often every two to three years).
• District and local administration: The empire was organised into administrative units for easier control and revenue collection; local responsibility was established so that officials and communities were answerable for law and order.
• Military reorganisation: The army was reorganised for better discipline and supply. Frontier forts and garrisons were maintained to secure the empire.
• Justice and law: He administered justice firmly and sought to make verdicts quick and impartial; local officials reported regularly to the centre so that the ruler remained informed about developments in different parts of the realm.

Trade, Communications and Public Works

Sher Shah placed great emphasis on communications, trade and the safety of travellers, recognising their importance to state revenue and commerce.

• Grand Trunk Road (rebuilding and extension): He repaired and extended the ancient route that later became known as the Grand Trunk Road, improving connectivity from the Gangetic plains to the north-western frontiers.
• Sarais and dak system: He built well-appointed roadside inns (sarais) and established dak-chowkis (postal relay stations) and dak-bungalows at regular intervals to facilitate faster movement of troops, officials and merchants and to provide security to travellers.
• Trade and commerce: Improved roads and security encouraged internal and external trade. Regular supervision of officers and a stable currency further aided commerce.

Revenue Policy

Sher Shah introduced important revenue reforms which formed the basis for later systems under the Mughals and influenced British revenue administration.

• Assessment and measurement: Land revenue was assessed by measuring cultivated land and estimating average crop yields. The state kept records of area and produce so that assessments could be fixed more predictably.
• Fixed assessment practice: Assessments were fixed and levied with an aim to be stable and predictable for cultivators; historical accounts indicate the assessment was commonly set at about one-third of the produce, though figures could vary by locality and crop.
• Revenue administration offices: He appointed specialised officers to collect revenue and maintain records, improving accountability and regular receipts to the treasury.
• Currency reform: Sher Shah introduced a new silver coin called the Rupiya (also spelled rupia), along with copper coins (paisa/dam), creating a standardised monetary system that facilitated trade and taxation.

Justice and Law-and-Order

Sher Shah emphasised the swift administration of justice and internal security. He instituted systems to ensure local responsibility for law and order, required regular reporting by officials, and punished misconduct by state servants to maintain discipline and protect subjects' rights. His policies aimed to reduce arbitrary interference by local officers and to make the administration predictable for the people.

Empire of Sher Khan

Death of Sher Shah

While besieging Kalinjar Fort in 1545, Sher Shah Suri was mortally wounded in a gunpowder explosion. He died in 1545 after a relatively brief but consequential rule of about five years. During this period he established a wide and efficiently administered empire. His tomb at Sasaram in present-day Bihar is admired as an architectural masterpiece.

Legacy

Sher Shah's administrative and fiscal innovations had a lasting impact on the subcontinent. His emphasis on measured land assessment, a regular currency, improved communications and disciplined administration influenced later Mughal rulers-most notably Akbar-and elements of his revenue and administrative practice were used by British colonial administrators. His roads, sarais and postal network improved the economic and military cohesion of northern India.

Women Rulers and Women in Medieval India 

The following points provide examples and broad observations about the role of women rulers and the position of women in different regions of medieval India. These items are presented as distinct points for study and reference.

• Rudrama Devi was a monarch of the Kakatiya dynasty (Deccan Plateau) with capital at Warangal; she ruled from 1263 and projected a male royal image to strengthen her position.
• Akka Mahadevi was a prominent figure in the 12th-century Veerashaiva Bhakti movement in Karnataka; her vachanas (short lyrical poems) in Kannada are important Bhakti literature.
• Meera, a few centuries later in northern India, became a well-known devotional poet and saint of the Bhakti movement.
• The Muslim conquests brought social and cultural changes; in some regions the position of women became more constrained, and practices such as purdah gained prominence among the elite.
• Jauhar became a tragic custom among some Rajput communities during sieges to avoid capture; it was performed in episodes such as during invasions from the 11th century onwards.
• During the conquest of Sindh by Muhammad bin Qasim, accounts mention instances where Rajput women performed jauhar.
• In Chittor Fort, there were multiple recorded instances of jauhar associated with the sieges of Chittorgarh; these are linked to episodes in 1303 (Rani Padmini is associated with narratives of this event) and later events such as the defence associated with Rani Karnavati in 1537.
• The zenana (secluded women's quarters) became more prominent in courts under Muslim rule and was later adopted by some Hindu royal households; seclusion as a norm became more widespread among elites in certain regions.
• Under Mughal rule there was greater emphasis on segregation of elite women; the practice of purdah and veiling had multiple social functions and was not uniform across the subcontinent.
• Despite restrictions, women continued to take part in cultural life: they engaged in literature, patronage, religious activities and at times in public life; some received private education and influence within courts.
• The observance of purdah varied regionally and socially; it was less strict among some Turkic groups and was also a marker of elite status in certain contexts.
• There were notable women rulers and leaders who influenced politics and military affairs, including:
• Razia Sultan (1205-1240), the only woman to rule Delhi as Sultan in her own right during the early Delhi Sultanate period.
• Rani Durgavati (1524-1564), the Gond queen who fought the Mughals and died defending her territory.
• Chand Bibi, who defended Ahmednagar against Mughal forces in the late 16th century.
• Nur Jahan, wife of Emperor Jehangir, who effectively exercised imperial influence and authority at court.
• Mughal princesses such as Jahanara and Zebunnissa were noted for their literary contributions and political influence.
• Abbakka Chowta resisted Portuguese expansion on the west coast in the 16th century.
• Jijabai (mother of Shivaji) acted as regent and administrator, noted for her role in the rise of the Maratha polity.
• Tarabai was an important Maratha leader and regent in the early 18th century.
• Keladi Chennamma resisted the Bijapur Sultanate and later Mughal incursions in the south.
• Onake Obavva is remembered in regional tradition for single-handedly resisting Hyder Ali's forces at Chitradurga with a pestle (onake).
• Mai Sukhan defended Amritsar with a small Sikh force at a critical moment.
• Velu Nachiyar was one of the earliest Indian queens to resist British incursions in the late 18th century.
• Kittur Chennamma led an armed resistance against the British East India Company in 1824 and became a symbol of local resistance despite eventual defeat.
• Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, emerged as a principal figure in the 1857 uprising against the British and is remembered for her military leadership.

Nur Jahan

Summary

Sher Shah Suri reorganised administration, revenue and communications in ways that strengthened state capacity and encouraged trade. His introduction of a standard silver coin (Rupiya), the reconstruction of major roads, establishment of sarais and dak routes, and an emphasis on measured revenue assessment formed an administrative template that influenced later rulers and colonial administrators. His rule was brief but left a durable legacy in the political and fiscal institutions of early modern India.