Munim Khan Khan-i-Khanan

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Munim Khan Khan-i-Khanan a Turkish noble and a Mughal general under humayun and akbar. He hailed from Andijan and was the son of Miran beg Andijani. Humayun appointed Munim Khan, a foster brother of Mirza Askari, to a high post. After the dismissal of Bairam Khan, Akbar promoted him to the post of Vakil (Prime Minister) with the title of Khan-i-Khanan. He held this post till 1564 when he was made the subahdar of Jaunpur after the suppression of Uzbek rebellion. The adjoining eastern districts were put under his disposal. In 1574-75 Akbar introduced the mansabdari system and gave Munim Khan the rank of 5000, till then the highest rank in the realm.

When daud khan karrani, the sultan of Bengal, refused to acknowledge the suzerainty of Akbar, the latter resolved to advance against him. Munim Khan was given the charge of leading the imperial army against Daud. As Munim Khan failed to suppress Daud, Akbar took the field in person. The emperor expelled Daud from Hajipur and Patna and returned to the capital entrusting Munim Khan with the responsibility of bringing Daud under Mughal control. Raja Todar Mall was left behind to assist him.

Munim Khan advanced against Bengal at the head of an army 20,000 strong. He took Surajgarh, Mungair, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon almost unopposed and reached as far as teliagarhi where Daud had stationed a strong force to oppose the Mughals. Munim Khan, with the assistance of local chiefs, advanced through the rajmahal hills and captured tandah, the capital of Bengal, on 25 September 1574.

Munim Khan defeated Daud Karrani in a well-contested battle at Tukaroi lying close to the Subarnarekha on 3 March 1575. Daud fled and being doggedly pursued by Todar Mall took shelter at the fort of Katak.

Daud had no other alternative but to sue for peace when Todar Mall laid seize to the fort. He surrendered to Munim Khan on 12 April 1575 and a treaty was concluded between the two sides.

Munim Khan stationed himself at gaur to keep an eye on the Afghans. But the ancient city had been kept abandoned for a long time. Soon a terrible plague in an epidemic form broke out there causing heavy loss of life. Munim Khan came back to Tanda but succumbed to death on 23 October 1575. He sowed the seeds of future Mughal conquest' of Bengal. [AKM Yaqub Husain]