Muhammad Adil Shah

Muhammad Adil Shah (Muhammad Mubariz Khan; died 1557) was Sultan of the Sur Empire from December 1554 until his defeat in January 1555. He was the last Suri ruler of the united empire, after which the empire fell into civil war.

Early life He was the son of Nizam Khan, the younger brother of the Sultan Sher Shah Suri. Adil's sister, Bibi Bai, was married to Islam Shah Suri. His real name was Muhammad Mubariz Khan. He was responsible for the assassination of Firuz Shah Suri, the twelve-year-old son of Islam Shah Suri, in 1554. Then he ascended the throne as the last sultan of the united empire. He appointed Hemu as his Wazir.

Biography Dil Shah (also known as Adil Shah) tried to win over the nobles and the army by giving them large sums of money and titles. However, his act of killing the rightful ruler led to serious consequences and marked the beginning of the end for the Sur dynasty. Although he was weak and ineffective as a ruler, he appointed a very capable minister named Hemu—a Hindu from a modest background who had risen through important positions under the previous ruler, Islam Shah. Despite Hemu's abilities, Dil Shah's weak leadership allowed different parts of the empire to break apart. Ibrahim Khan Sur, who was in charge of Agra, rebelled by defeating the army sent against him and took over Delhi for himself. At the same time, Ahmad Khan Sur, the governor of Lahore, declared independence under the title Sikandar Shah, and Muhammad Khan Sur in Bengal also revolted, calling himself Shams-ud-din Muhammad Shah Ghazi. The once-unified empire split into four main regions, Sikandar lost his resolve and surrendered. He was given a post in Bihar but was soon expelled by Akbar and died in Bengal about two years later. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Shah Suri fled to Orissa, where he was defeated around 1567–1568. With these rival leaders gone, the turmoil in northern India ended, clearing the way for Akbar to re-establish firm Mughal rule.