HUSAYN SHAH 'ALA' AD-DIN

born , Bengal? [now in India and Bangladesh] died 1519, Bengal founder of the Husayn Shahi dynasty of Bengal. He is often regarded as the most illustrious ruler (14931519) of late medieval Bengal. The details of 'Ala' ad-Din's early life are obscured by myth and legend. His father is said to have been a direct descendant of the prophet Muhammad and an Arab who emigrated to Bengal. After completing his studies, 'Ala' ad-Din joined the court of Muzaffar Shah (reigned 149193), the Abyssinian ruler of Bengal, and had risen to the rank of chief minister when he led a successful rebellion against the shah, after which he was proclaimed king. In order to consolidate his position he moved his capital from Gaur to Ikdala and systematically eliminated all possible rivals: some 12,000 troops were executed; the Payks, the elite Hindu palace guard, disbanded; and the Abyssinians exiled and their places filled with Muslim and Hindu notables. 'Ala' ad-Din, although a devout Muslim, did not discriminate against the Hindu minority, a policy that accounted for a large part of his success in building a sound political structure for the Bengali kingdom. In 1498 he conquered the neighbouring states of Kamrup and Assam. It was not until about 1516, however, that Orissa was finally annexed to Bengal. 'Ala' ad-Din was a wise and benevolent ruler, an active patron of the arts, and a great builder of public works. He was succeeded in 1519 by his eldest son, Nusrat Shah.