Sultanate of Jaunpur (Avadh Region)
Medieval History › Regional Kingdoms · Topic 3.3
The Jaunpur or Sharqi Sultanate ruled parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from Jaunpur from about 1394 to the 1480s and 1490s. Founded by Malik Sarwar, it was a centre of learning and of a distinct mosque style with lofty gateways, and it was finally annexed by Bahlul Lodi.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Regional Kingdoms
At a Glance
- Founder Malik Sarwar, titled Malik-us-Sharq
- Capital Jaunpur, called the Shiraz of the East
- Extent Aligarh to Darbhanga
- Mosques Atala, Jhanjhari, Lal Darwaza, Jama
- End Annexed by Bahlul Lodi
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: Regional Kingdoms
Where Does It Fit?
This is the third topic of the category on regional kingdoms. The previous topic covered the Bengal Sultanate, which Jaunpur helped to check, and this topic covers the kingdom between Delhi and Bengal. The next topic covers the Sikh kingdom, which belongs to the end of the period. Previous topic: Bengal Sultanate.
How Did Jaunpur Become Independent?
In short: the Jaunpur Sultanate was founded after Timur’s invasion by Malik Sarwar, a noble of Firoz Tughlaq’s time, who became the first of the Sharqi rulers.
After Timur’s invasion, Sultan Mahmud Tughlaq fled Delhi and the prestige of the throne was shattered. Nobles and zamindars asserted independence near Delhi. Among the first to do so in the Ganga valley was Malik Sarwar, a prominent noble who had been wazir and was then sent to the east with the title Malik-us-Sharq, meaning Lord of the East. His successors were called Sharqis after that title. They fixed their capital at Jaunpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Which Rulers and Events Mattered?
| Ruler | Period | Main fact |
|---|---|---|
| Malik Sarwar | From about 1394 | Founder; Malik-us-Sharq |
| Ibrahim Shah | 1402 to 1440 | Most powerful; promoted Islamic learning and the Sharqi style of building |
| Mahmud Shah | 1440 to 1457 | Took Chunar; campaigned against Bengal and Orissa; besieged Delhi in 1452 and was defeated by Bahlul Lodi |
| Muhammad Shah | 1457 to 1458 | Made peace with Bahlul; killed by his brother |
| Husain Shah | 1458 to about 1479 | Last ruler; lost land to Bahlul; fled to Bihar and later lived on a grant from Bengal |
At its height the sultanate stretched from Aligarh in western Uttar Pradesh to Darbhanga in north Bihar, and from the border of Nepal to Bundelkhand. The Sharqis wanted to take Delhi but never succeeded. After the Lodis came to power in Delhi about the middle of the fifteenth century, the Sharqis went on the defensive, lost most of western Uttar Pradesh and exhausted themselves in futile assaults on Delhi. In about 1484, according to the usual account, Bahlul Lodi occupied Jaunpur and annexed the kingdom, though the end is dated differently between 1479 and 1494 in various works. The last Sharqi king lived as an exile at Chunar and died broken-hearted.
What Were the Sharqi Cultural Contributions?
The Sharqi sultans were great patrons of learning and culture. Poets, scholars and saints gathered at Jaunpur, and the town came to be called the Shiraz of the East. Malik Muhammad Jaisi, the author of the Hindi work Padmavat, lived there, and the Sufis of Jaunpur wrote in Hindi and spread Persian forms such as the masnavi. Husain Shah Sharqi was a great patron of music, and he is credited with helping develop the khyal. After the conquest, Sikandar Lodi followed Jaunpur’s tradition of lavish patronage of music.
The Sharqi sultans did not copy the Delhi style in architecture. They created a style of their own, with lofty gates and huge arches. Only a few of their mosques and tombs survive, among them the Atala Masjid, the Jhanjhari Masjid, the Lal Darwaza Mosque and the Jama Masjid. The Atala Masjid is the best known.
Why Was Jaunpur Important Politically?
Following the collapse of government in Delhi, the Sharqi rulers kept law and order over a large tract of the Ganga valley. They also stopped the sultans of Bengal from extending their control over eastern Uttar Pradesh, which was a check on Bengal. As an analytical point, Jaunpur’s long fight with the Lodis for the Ganga-Yamuna valley shows that the real contest in the fifteenth century was for the plains between Delhi and Bengal, and its absorption by the Lodis let them look towards Rajasthan and Malwa.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Eastern buffer Checked both Bengal and Delhi for decades
- Architecture Distinct Sharqi mosque style is a standard topic
- Literature Padmavat and Hindi Sufi poetry link to Bhakti and Sufi movements
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Sikh kingdom under Ranjit Singh, which belongs to the late period of regional states. Next topic: The Sikh Kingdom and Rise of Sikh Political Power Under Ranjit Singh.
Key People and Terms
- Malik Sarwar Founder
- Malik-us-Sharq Lord of the East
- Atala Masjid Famous Jaunpur mosque
- Padmavat Hindi poem by Jaisi
- Shiraz of the East Name for Jaunpur
- Sharqi Dynasty name from Sharq, the East
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Founder Malik Sarwar; title Malik-us-Sharq.
- Capital Jaunpur, Shiraz of the East.
- Extent: Aligarh to Darbhanga.
- Bahlul Lodi annexed it, about 1484.
- Padmavat was written at Jaunpur.
Do Not Confuse With
- Sharqi and Lodi Eastern dynasty of Jaunpur versus Delhi’s Afghan line
- Jaunpur and Awadh Capital in eastern Uttar Pradesh, within the broader Awadh region
- Atala Masjid and Alai Darwaza Jaunpur mosque versus Delhi gateway
Memory Hook
Sarwar rules the East, Ibrahim builds Atala, Husain loses to Bahlul, Jaisi writes Padmavat.
Mains Angle
Questions on Jaunpur ask about its cultural role and political position. These points add depth.
- Politics Buffer between Delhi and Bengal
- Culture Learning, mosques and Hindi poetry
- End Lodi expansion
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Describe the political position and cultural achievements of the Jaunpur Sultanate.”
How to Answer
- Origin Malik Sarwar after Timur.
- Politics Contest with Lodis and check on Bengal.
- Culture Mosques, Padmavat, music.
- End Bahlul Lodi.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded the Jaunpur Sultanate?
Malik Sarwar, a noble of Firoz Tughlaq's time who had served as wazir, founded the Jaunpur Sultanate after Timur's invasion. He was given the title Malik-us-Sharq, Lord of the East, and his successors were called the Sharqis.
Why is Jaunpur called the Shiraz of the East?
Jaunpur was called the Shiraz of the East because poets, scholars and saints gathered at the Sharqi court and made it a famous centre of culture. Malik Muhammad Jaisi, author of the Padmavat, lived there.
What was special about Sharqi architecture?
Sharqi architecture was a style of its own and did not copy Delhi. It used lofty gateways and huge arches, and survivals include the Atala Masjid, the Jhanjhari Masjid, the Lal Darwaza Mosque and the Jama Masjid.
How did the Jaunpur Sultanate end?
Bahlul Lodi gradually put the Sharqis on the defensive, took most of western Uttar Pradesh and occupied Jaunpur in about 1484. The last Sharqi king lived as an exile at Chunar for some time and died broken-hearted after his failures.
What role did Jaunpur play in the regional balance?
Jaunpur kept order over a large part of the Ganga valley after Delhi's collapse and prevented the sultans of Bengal from extending their power over eastern Uttar Pradesh. Its fight with the Lodis decided mastery of the Ganga-Yamuna valley.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Malik Sarwar founded the Jaunpur Sultanate.
He held the title Malik-us-Sharq.
2 The Atala Masjid is a Sharqi mosque at Jaunpur.
The Sharqi style had lofty gates and huge arches.
3 Jaunpur was annexed by Sher Shah.
Bahlul Lodi annexed it.
4 Malik Muhammad Jaisi wrote the Padmavat at Jaunpur.
It is a Hindi work.
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