THE ARAKANESE GOVERNORS OF CHITTAGONG AND THEIR COINS

By Vasant Choudhury (J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Hum. Vol. 42. No. 2. December 1997.)

This paper deals with the coins of the Arakanese rulers at the time of their occupation of Chittagong port during the 16th and 17th century and a humble attempt is made to produce a chronological list of the Arakanese Governors operating in Chittagong then. The coins discussed are from the coin cabinet of the British Museum, University Museum, Chittagong, and from the collection of the private collectors of Dhaka, Chittagong in Bangladesh and Agartala, Calcutta in India. Most of the coins described here have been around for a long time, but even the recent assessments made by Robinson & Rhoder1 leave much to be desired. It appears that the readings of the coin legends have not always been beyond doubt and the interpretations and attributions have suffered as a result. This is an effort to redress the situation and intends to clear some ambiguities. To understand the context of these coins a brief historical note is necessary. During the middle of the 16th Century, attempts to take control of Chittagong port led to tussles between a large number of contenders. They included Nogazil, the Pathan Commander: Amrita Khan, the governor of Chittagong: Suleiman Basia, the ruler of Bhati; Mong Ba, the Arakanese King: Bijoy Manikya, the Raja of Tripura; and the Portuguese of Chittagong. There were successive attacks, encounters, even some short-term gains by one or the other party but no clear-cut victory or a stable administration by any political power is recorded in history. A large number of trade coins were struck in Chittagong during this period of political uncertainty, as recorded by John S. Deyell in his paper "The Trade Coins of Chittagong in 16th Century".2 Taking advantage of this fluid political situation, the Arakanese rulers gradually annexed southern Chittagong and around 1580 A.D., Mong Phalaung (Sikander Shah) got full control of Chittagong after defeating Jamal Khan Panny. Mong Phalaung's arch rival in the area was Amar Manikya, the Raja of Tripura, whom he subjugated in the following years. The following is a description of some of the Arakanese coins which I would like to discuss later. Coin No. 1: SIKANDAR SHAH: AR Tanka (13.3 gms) AE. 933. In a circle divided by two horizontal lines, above in Arabic: "Sahib allil at (a) Ikathir at malik (b) Alkabir Sikander Shah", part of the date Obv. in Hijri, below in Bengali: "Dhabala bahu gajeshvara dharmarajabara Sri Sri Sikandar Shah", (Lord of the many White elephants, the just ruler Sikandar Shah). Rev. Son Phru Maa Shon Gri Chi Thi Kong Dra Shah 933, in Arakanese. Coin No. 2 ANAKAPHARA: AR Tanka (10.3 gms) AE. 953. Obv. No margin and Kalima on the top and "Sri Sri Ana/ka pha ra" in Bengali below. Rev. "Man ta ra kri sa to a nok phu rong" in Arakanese (Son of the Great King of 1

Coin No. 3 Obv. Rev. Coin No. 4 Obv. Rev.

Law the Lord of the West) 953. : SELIM SHAH: AR Tanka (10.5 gms) AE 955. "Al malik al adil Salim Shah Sultan" in Arabic above and "Sri Sri Chelim Shah" in Bengali at the bottom. "Naradibati Swaleim Shah 955" in Arakanese. : ISLAM SHAH: AR tanka (9.8 gms) AE. 959. Arabic Kalima on the top and "lehala/ma Sha(h)" in Bengali at the bottom. "Na Ra Di Baa/Ti Thad Daw/ah Naout Ba Wa Shin" 959

(Naradhipati's son of Royal Family) Majesty of the West) Coin No.5 : HILAL SHAH: AR tanka (10.5 gms) AE. 960. In Arabic- "Sultan Hilal Shah" on the top and below in Bengali "Sri Hila/La OBV. Saba". "Na Ra Di Pa/Ti U Ri Daw/ Ma Ha Siha Sura." in Arakanese (The King's uncleRev. the great courageous Lion) 960. 5A Half issue of coin no. (Not illustrated) 5B Quarter issue of coin no. Obv. "Sultan Hilal Shah" in Arabic. Rev. "Sula Maha Raja" in Arakanese. Coin No. SELIM SHAH: AR tanka (10.17 gms) AE. 963. "Sahib (a) 1. -Fil alabyad al malik al adil Salim Shah Sultan" in Arabic and Obv. below in Bengali "Dhavala Gajeshwara Sri Sri Chelim Shah". Date 963 at the top and "Hson bru Naradhibati Sawleim Shah". in Arakanese Rev. (Lord of the White elephant, lord of men & land Selim Shah). Coin No.7 SULEMAN SHAH: AR tanka (10.4 gms) AE. 973 Obv. Kalima in Arabic above and "Sri Sri Chele(m) an Shah" below in Bengali. Date 973 and "Chan Phru Rha/n sa to/su le(m) Sya" in Arakanese. (Lord of the Rev. White elephants royal son Suleman Shah). Coin No. HUSSAIN SHAH: AR tanka (10 gms) AE. 974 "Sahib al-fil alabyad al malik al adil Husayan Shah Sultan" in Arabic and Obv. "Dhabala Gajeshwara Sri Sri Dharmaraja Huchana Shah" in Bengali. Coin No.9 MONE RE or MONGAT RAI: AR Quarter Tanka. (2.5 gms) Obv. "Sultan Chatgaon". at the top date 1038 (AH) in Arabic. Rev. "Cac/ta Ko/n man" in Arakanese. (Chittagong King/ruler). MUZAFFAR SHAH: AR tanka (10.1 gms) AE. This is a trilingual coin in Coin No. 10 Arabic, Bengali and in Arakanese languages. Obv. in Arabic Muzaffar wasf (?) Amir and Sri Sri Muz(affar) in Bengali. Rev. Citakong Mong Re Kyaw Htan in Arakanese. Coin No. 11 FIROZ SHAH: AR tanka (10.3 gms) AE. 1000 This is also a trilingual coin in Arabic, Bengali and Arakanese languages. Obv. In Arabic "Feroz Shah" and "Sri Chatigram Raj Piroj Shah" in Bengali. 1000 (at the top) "Sri Ta Kaugn Mong Sri Jaya NAWRAHTA" in Arakanese Rev. (Chittagong King Jaya Naw Ra Hta). 2

Coin No.11A AR Quarter Tanka of No. 10 (2.52 gms) Obv. "Piroj Shah" in Bengali. Rev. "Chatgaon Mong" in Arakanese script. Coin No.12 Nizam Shah (2.5 gms). Obv. "Nizam/Shah" in Bengali. Rev. "Mong Re thi ha thu" in Arakanese. Coin No.13 SULTAN DILWAR (SHAH?): AR Quarter Tanka (2.4 gms) Obv. In Arabic "Sultan Dilwar (S)". Rev. In Arakanese Script "Mong Re Kyaw Htan". Coin No.14 MUBARAZ SHAH: AR Quarter Tanka (2.42 gms) Obv. "Shah- 1062/Sultan/Chittagong/Mubaraz Shah" In Arabic and Rev. In Arakanese script "Mong Ray than Khaya" Coin No.15 DHARMA MANIKYA: AR Tanka (10.5 gms) of Tripura King. Obv. "Sri Sri Dha/mma Manikya De/va Sri Dhamma Ba/ti Mahadebya" in Bengali. Rev. "Sri Sri Chilim Shah". in Bengali, with Tripura Lion, Saka. 1523 (1601 AD.).
In the recent past, a fair number of coins of Mooing Phalaung have surfaced. These coins are struck from three or four different dies. The overall appearance of these coins is much superior in quality to that of trilingual coins known of the succeeding rulers. But one wonders when the prevalent Chittagong trade money. Tripura's currency and Arakan's coins, were of tanka weight standard, why such an overweight coin was issued! Could this be an attempt to make "Rupya"- a higher weight standard coin which was prevalent in Bengali then? Are these coins posthumous commemorative issues? If not then the presence of the "White Elephant" in the coin legend totally negates the accepted theory of Raja Naradhipati (Selim Shah, Mong Razagri) as the first user of this legend on his coins. In the initial years of his occupation of Chittagong Mong Phalaung appointed two Hjirs (administrators) for the south. At the time of Tripura King Amar Manikya's attack on Chittagong, both the Ujirs connived with the aggressor. Mong Phalaung, in retaliation, punished the Ujirs and ransacked Amar Manikya's capital Udaipur in 1586 AD. Subsequently, Mong Phalaung decided to appoint a governor for the whole of Chittagong and ensured that the governor was either a son or a close relation of the King of Arakan.The isssue of coin no.2 dated 953 A.E. is "the son of the great king of law"- the "great king of law" being undoubtedly the powerful Arakanese King Mong Phalaung. The date of the coin 953 (1591 AD.) is during the reign of Mong Phalaung and not too long after his decision to replace the two Ujirs with a single governor for all Chitagong. Accordingly, Mong Phalaung had appointed his second son Thado Mong Sawhla as the governor of Chittagong.3 The contemporary chronicler, Shihabuddhin Talish, and Arthur Phayre4 have both mentioned the issuing of coins by governors in their own names. With this evidence the coin No.2 can easily be assigned to Prince Mong Sawhla. This could be taken as the first Governor's issue from Chittagong and is without the name of the issuer. The Arakanese title of " governor" is inscribed on the coin in the Arakanese and Bengali scripts. After the death of Mong Phalaung (Sikander Shah), his son Mong Razagri (who had the title Selim Shah, also known as Naradhipati) succeeded and struck coins similar to coin No. But instead of Kalima, inscribed his name and title in Arabic as "Sultan" in the year 955 A.E. (1593 AD.). Mong Sawhla, the governor of Chittagong with the support of the Chakma King had revolted in the year 957 A.E. but subjugated and was removed from his post by the king.5 The historical records mention one Mahapinnyagyaw as governor of Chittagong during Selim Shah's early years of reign who is also mentioned as having served Selim Shah's predecessors in some capacity. He is said to have been wise minister, a great scholar and warrior who was given overall command during the Arakanese fleet's invasion of Pegu in 1598. After the victory, Mahapinnyagyaw died on Negris Island at the time of his return from Pegu in 961 AE. But Mahapinnyagyaw is not a name, only a title meaning "great scholar". Contemporary historians and chroniclers often used titles and positions instead of individuals' names. No coin of Mahapinnyagyaw is known so far. The next coin no. was struck by "the son of Naradhipati with the name Islam Shah" and the date 959(i.e. 1598 AD.). Mahapinnyagyaw was still alive then. Considering

that his coins have not yet surfaced, and that he was no blood relation of the ruling house (a condition stipulated by King Mong Phalaung) it would be fair to assume that his Governorship was of a stopgap nature, which is surrendered in favor of "the son of Naradhipati" in 959 AE. and joined the king in the Pegu campaign. But this new governor did not rule for long. The very next year, a coin with the date 960 AE. was issued by another governor which indicated a very brief rule by the "son of Naradhipati"Islam Shah. It is rather difficult to pinpoint who this prince was because of the conflicting in different historical accounts. However, it is stated that during the early reign of Naradhipati, the governor who was his son Mong Nyo, was expelled after a brief reign due to his disagreements with the king 6, and I attribute this coin to him. The next issue (coin no.) with dates 960 AE. is inscribed with the name Hilal Shah, 'the great lion hero' and "uncle of the king". No Arakanese name is mentioned either on the coin or in the historical records. Historical accounts refer to one "Senabadi" (a corrupt form of "Senapati") who had a long rule as governor and died fighting the Portuguese around 1607. I would like to identify Hilal Shah with the "Senabadi" of historical record. On this coin, for the first time the title "Sultan" is inscribed instead of the usual Kalima. This possibly indicates some additional privileges and powers conferred by the king on the governor Hilal Shah who was his uncle. Of the coins of the Arakanese Chittagong series those of Hilal Shah have been the largest in number. So far, as we know he

Pioneered the half and quarter tanka in this series. One Anaporan said to be the brother of Naradhipati succeeded Senabadi as governor of Chittagong around 1608 AD. By then the Portuguese turned into a fairly formidable power and Anaporan had developed rather undue alliance with them. In course of time when the governor revolted, the Crown Prince Hussain Shah was entrusted to deal with the rebellion. Anaporan was defeated by the royal force and fled with his family to Sandwip (the Portuguese island) where he died.7 Incidentally, "Anaporan" is not a name but the corruption of the Arakanese word "Anuk Phuran" which means "the lord of the West"8. The Chittagong governors were entitled to this title and often used it as prefix to their name. No coin of this governor is known so far. Chakrabade, also known as Alaman, was the son of Naradhipati and the last governor during his father's reign.9 It is stated that his installation as governor took place not much before his father's death. The dated coin of Suleman Shah (coin No.) falls within the specific period. I, therefore, attribute the identity of Suleman Shah to Chakrabade. When Mong Khamoung, the crown prince, became king with the name Husain Shah in the year 974 AE. (1612 AD.), he interesting to note that this coin (No.) is distinct from all other coins struck by the governors and bears the epithet "Son of the Lord of the White Elephant". Mong Radzagya (Naradhipati/Selim Shah) after his return from Pegu had issued a trilingual coin with dotted border and date 963 (coin No.). Before this he had issued a coin in 955 (coin no.) and in 959, 960 and 973 (coin Nos. 4,5 and 7) his successive governors had issued coins, in all, on five occasions issued during Selim Shah's reign. Thus the statement by San Tha Aung that "some authorities say that Mong Raza Gree issued coins on four occasions" needs to be revised. But the list of coins of Selim Shah's time remains incomplete without the mention of another very important coin (Coin No. 15) which seemed to have been struck in the adjoining state of Tripura by the turn of the century. Rajdhar Manikya, the ruler of Tripura, died around 1599 AD. and there was a period of unrest about the succession. Though the Crown Prince Yasho Manikya became the ruler, his position was challenged by 3 pretenders during the first three years of his reign, which is evident from their dated coins. One of them is Dharma Manikya (1601 AD.) who has incorporated Selim Shah's name with his own in the coin.10 This is not just an expression of gratitude of Dharma Manikya for the support received as an acceptance of the overlordship of Selim Shah by the pretender.

In the year 1614, Husain Shah (Coin No. 8) appointed his step maternal Uncle Mong Shoy Phry (brother of Princess Shon Donong of Pegu who later became Queen Htwe Naugng), the captive prince from Pegu, as governor of Chittagong. Mong Shoy Phru was successful in keeping the Portuguese away from the Chittagong Sea area. Numismatically, for the period that followed, there are only quarter tankas and with the exception of two, all are essentially bilingual and are issued by the governors. This may point to the restructuring of the governor's administrative power. The governor of Chittagong died around 1625 AD. and his son Mong Re succeeded him.11 There is a bilingual Quarter coin in Arabic and Arakanese which mentions one (Coin No.) Sultan Chadaon in Arabic with the date 1038 in Hijri which is 991 AE. This date coincides with the installation of Mong Re i.e. 1629 AD. It is worth noting that Coin No. is the first coin in the governor series where Hijri era appears on the coin. This can be accounted as the probable influence of Mughal coinage of the adjoining kingdom on the Arakanese coinage. The 1000 AE. (I.e. 1638 AD.) is a crucial year in the history of Arakan as also for Chittagong. The Arakan ruler "Thiri Thudhamma (defender of the faith) was assassinated by his MinisterNarabadigri, who was the lover of his queen Nat Shon May. The child Crown Prince, Mong Tsani, was installed under the regentship of the Queen Mother. On the 20th day, the child king was killed and Narabadigri became the king. Mong Re, the governor of Chittagong and uncle of the assassinated king, refused to acknowledge the usurper and declared himself an independent king of Chittagong.12 Mong Re is also referred to as Mangat Rai or Manik Rai or Makat Rai. The word "Mangat Rai" is apparently corruption of "Mong Re" signifies "Bold Chief" a title held by the later Arakanese governors of Chittagong. Coin No.10 is a full tanka which depicts this political scenario whereby Mong Re declared himself "Shri Shri Muzaffar Shah". The coin is a rebel issue where Mong Re or Mangat Rai declares himself king of Chittagong and incorporates his Muslim name, Muzaffar Shah, in the full coin which is trilingual. This also confirms Mong Re's identity as Muzaffar Shah. The king of Arakanese Narabadigri sent a naval fleet to subdue Mong Re's revolt in Chittagong. Mong Re or Mangat Rai was defeated and fled to Jugdia in Noakhali with fourteen elephants, nearly 9,000 men including his leading partisans and took shelter at the Mughal post there.13 He was taken from there to Dhaka where he settled. Thereafter in the same year (1000 AE.) a new governor of Chittagong by name Firoz Shah was installed. It is likely that to counteract the rebel full rupee of Muzaffar Shah, the new governor Firoz Shah, other than the Quarter issue (Coin No.-A) had struck trilingual full rupee where his name is inscribed as "Chattagram Raj". (Coin No.11) It is significant that Coin No.12 of Nizam Shah is quarter issue and is bilingual- Arakanese and Bengali. There seems to be no historical record of Nizam Shah. However, a reference to Nizam Shah is found in the writing of the 17th Century poet, Bairam Khan Daulat Ujir,14 who writes:

"Chatigram Adhipati hailento mahamati Nripati Nizam Shah Sur Ekshoto Chattradhari Shabhaner adhikari Dhabala Aruna Gajeshwar". Translation: "(When) the great Nizam became ruler of Chittagong, There were hundred umbrellas over his head in the court, and there were white and red elephants". This proves the existence of governor of Chittagong called Nizam Shah, although unfortunately no specific dates can be assigned to his rule on the basis of this excerpt. The uncanny similarity information on Arakan rule in Chittagong is very scanty. It is stated that Mong Re Phru was succeeded by his son Mong Hari Phru but it is unlikely that Mong Re or Mangat Rai during his flight to the Mughal territory had left his son behind. The time span between Mangat Rai's flight in 1638 AD. and the Mughal occupation of Chittagong port is about 27 years. It is noticed earlier that the change of governor was usually practiced whenever a new ruler was installed in Arakan. With this presumptive logic we may assume that there were at least three governors appointed during this period. The first of this appointment took place after the rebellious governor Mangat Re's flight, when the king Narabatigri had appointed Firoz Shah as the new governor of Chittagong in 1638 AD. The other two appointments may have taken place after king Thado (in 1645 AD.) and king Sanda Thudhamma's (in 1652 AD.) coronation as king of Arakan. Accordingly, I would like to suggest that Nizam Shah (Coin No.12) was taken in as governor of Chittagong during king Thado's time around 1645 AD. Interestingly the Coin No.14 is the coin type (till then undated) that had eluded the historians over a century. Arther Phayre had identified it as a coin of Mong Ba of the 16 th Century. This specimen with a date Hijri 1062, and inscribed with "Sultan Chatgaon, Mubariz Shah" may be updated to 1652 AD. which corroborates with the date of the Arakanese king Sanda Thudhamma's coronation year. With the evidence of a fairly large number of coins of Mubariz Shah and with no apparent reason in record for the further change of the governor, it is very likely that he governed Chittagong till it was conquered by the Mughal in 1666 AD. Thus, it would be fair to identify Mubariz Shah as the last Arakanese governor of Chittagong, who was the cousin of the king of Arakan.15 The only coin yet to be identified is Coin No.13 the undated coin of Dilwar (Shah). Even though very akin to Chittagong Arakanese series, this issue is likely to be the coin of the governor of Sandwip. This governor also known as Dilar Raja 16, was a runaway Captain of the Mughal navy and a close ally of the Arakanese King. Before the invasion of Chittagong, the Bengal Subedar Shaista Khan, for strategic reasons, wanted to occupy Sandwip which was

halfway to the Port City. The battle took place between the Mughal and Dilwar, though the later had the help and assistance from the Arakanese fleet, he was defeated and taken to Dhaka as prisoner in 1665 AD. The coin in question is ascribed with an additional floral motif (a common mark on Mughal coins) necessitates its separation from the "Chittagong Arakanese" coin type and attributed to the crestfallen governor of Sandwip. Displaced from the port area of Chittagong, the Arakanese governors moved towards the south across the river Sankha and over the years respective governors moved further south due to the Mughal onslaught. After deserting their territories in Ramu and Idgarah the last Arakanese Governor Bomang King La Phru had to move away from Lama, his last post in Chittagong, in 1756 AD., when he lost to Zamal Khan of Dohazari Fort. It seems unlikely that after their displacement from the Chittagong port area the Arakanese governors have issued any coins. Notes & References - M. Robinson C. N.G. Rhodes, "New discoveries of Chittagong coins of the early 17th Century". O.N.S. Indian Coin Study Day, London, June 1995. th - John Deyell, "The Trade Coins of Chittagong in 16 Century", Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, December 1995. - Rev. Sandamala Lankara, "Rakhein Razawntheit Kyam" (New History of Arakan), U Barin (re.): Mandalay, BE. 1293. (AD. 1831). Vol. V. p. 143. S.B.Qanungo, A History of Chittagong. Vol.1: Chittagong, P.278. Rev. Sandamala Lankara, New history of Arakan, Vol.V, P.165. Ibid, P.166. - J.J.A. Campos, History of the Portuguese in Bengal. (Calcutta. 1919), pp. 84-85. - Mirza Nathan, Baharistan-I-Ghaibi-1970, p. 79, states that one Anik Farank, nephew of Arakan King Selim Shah, had sent an envoy to Mughal Subahdar Islam Khan, asking for help to drive away the Portuguese from Sandwip Island. The Christian-like name had created some confusion amongst the historians who mistook him to be the convert son of Anaporan. Incidentally, this person is not Anaporan's son but Anaporan himself- a name which is corruption of Anauk Pharan. Sandamala Lankara, op. cit.. p.166. - Jahar Acharjee. "Dharmamanickya, An Unknown King of Tripura", JNSI. Vol. L II. p.24. - Maurice Collis, "The Land of Great Image", (London, 1942). p.140. - Sir J.N. Sarkar (rd.). The History of Bengal. Vol.II. (2nd impression, Dacca. 1972). pp.33132. Ibid. p.332 - Daulat Ujir Bahram Khan, Laila Majnu, Ahmad Sharif (rd.). (Dacca. 1966). S.B.Qanungo. op.cit., pp.274-175. - Ibid. p.362-63. ARAKANESE KINGS: INSTALLATION YEARS 1. MONE PHALAUNG, (Sikandar Shah) 933 AE. -1571 AD. 2. MONE RAZAGRI, (Selim Shah) 995 AE. -1593 AD.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

MONG KHAMAUNG, (Husain Shah) 974 AE. -1612 AD. THIRI THUDHAMMA, 984 AE. -1622 AD. MONGSANI, 1000 AE. -1638 AD. NARAPADIGRI, 1000 AE. -1638 AD. THADO MONGTAR, 1007 AE. -1645 AD. TSANDA THUDHAMMA, 1014 AE. -1652 AD. THIRITHURIYA, 1046 AE. -1684 AD. (Note: A.E. date+638 is AD. date)

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