Sirat-i-Firuzshahi

Sirat-i-Firuzshahi is an anonymous work written in the reign of Sultan firuz shah tughlaq in 772 AH/ 1370 AD. According to some scholars the book was written at the instance of Firuz Shah Tughlaq, while others say that the sultan wrote the book himself.

The Sirat-i-Firuzshahi gives a trustworthy account of the first twenty years of the reign of Firuz Shah Tughlaq. It gives an account of the two invasions of Bengal by the sultan and therefore supplements the accounts found in the histories of Barani and Afif. The narratives in the Sirat-i-Firuzshahi give an impression that the author was present on the spot during the siege of the fort of ekdala by the army of Delhi. The personal feelings expressed by the author also give an idea of the climatic and environmental condition of Bengal.

Apart from historical narratives the Sirat throws flashes of light on almost all aspects of government, administration and the learning and culture of the age. It also gives an account of the sultan's removal of the two Ashokan pillars from Tobra and Mirat to his capital Firuzabad.

There is a manuscript of the Sirat-i-Firuzshahi preserved at the Oriental Public Library at Bankipore. [Abdul Karim]