This is a list of rulers of Bengal. For much of its history, Bengal was split up into several independent kingdoms, completely unifying only several times. In ancient times, Bengal consisted of the kingdoms of Pundra, Suhma, Vanga, Samatata and Harikela. In the 4th century BCE, during the reign of the Nanda Empire, the powerful rulers of Gangaridai sent their forces with the war elephants which led the withdrawal of Alexander the Great from the Indian subcontinent. With the rise of Gopala in 750 AD, Bengal was united once more under the Buddhist and Shaivite Pala Empire. The Pala period is considered as one of golden eras of Bengali history as it brought stability and prosperity to Bengal after centuries of Civil War, created outstanding works of art and architecture, proto-Bengali language develop under them including its first literary work, the Charyapada and so on. Until the 12th century than being succeeded by the Buddhist and Hindu Chandra dynasty, Sena dynasty and Deva dynasty. The rule of deva dynasty was a period of peace, prosperity and creative excellence and may be designed as "golden age" After them, Bengal was ruled by the Hindu Maharajas of kingdoms such as Chandradwip and Cooch Behar. In the early 13th century, Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji conquered Western and part of Northern Bengal, and established the first Muslim kingdom in Bengal. The Islamic Mamluk Sultanate, the Khalji dynasty, the Turko-Indian Tughlaq dynasty, the Sayyid dynasty and the Lodi dynasty ruled Bengal for over 320 years. Notable was Malik Altunia's reign with his wife Razia Sultana, the only female sovereign ruler. Following Delhi Sultanate's reign, the Bengal Sultanate, a major trading nation in the world, was founded by Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah, and ruled by the Ilyas Shahi dynasty, succeeded by the Hussain Shahi dynasty founded by Alauddin Husain Shah, which saw the extension of the sultanate to the port of Chittagong, witnessing the arrival of the earliest Portuguese merchants.

Ancient Bengal

Ancient geopolitical divisions

The founders of Angas, Vangas, Kalingas, Pundras, Odras and Suhmas shared a common ancestry. They were all adopted sons of a king named Bali, born by a sage named Gautama Dirghatamas, who lived in Magadha close to the city of Girivraja.

Anga kingdom (c. 1100–530 BCE)

The earliest mention occurs in the Atharvaveda (V.22.14) where they are listed alongside the Magadhas, Gandharis and the Mujavatas. Anga was annexed by Magadha in the time of Bimbisara. This was the one and only conquest of Bimbisara. Known Anga rulers include:

Vanga kingdom (c. 1100–340 BCE)

Vanga was an ancient kingdom and geopolitical division on the Ganges delta. It was located in southern Bengal, with the core region including present-day southwestern Bangladesh and southern West Bengal (India). Known Vanga rulers are:

Pundra kingdom (c. 1100–340 BCE)

Pundravardhana or Pundra Kingdom, was an ancient kingdom, that included parts of present-day Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions of Bangladesh as well as the West Dinajpur district of West Bengal in India. Known Pundra rulers are:

Suhma kingdom (c. 1100–340 BCE)

Suhma kingdom was an ancient state during the Vedic period on the eastern part of the Bengal.This kingdom was mentioned in the epic Mahabharata along with its neighbouring kingdom Prasuhma.

Videha dynasty of Mithila (Tirabhukti) (c. 1100–700 BCE)

Tirabhukti or Mithila region is bounded by the Mahananda River in the east, the Ganges in the south, the Gandaki River in the west and by the foothills of the Himalayas in the north. Mithila region firstly ruled by Videha dynasty. There were 52 Janaka (kings) ruled Videha dynasty of Mithila- During this period of fall of Videha dynasty, the famous republic of Licchavi was rising in Vaishali and Mithila region came under control of Licchavi clan of Vajji confederacy in around eighth century BCE.

Gangaridai kingdom (c. 350–100 BCE)

Gangaridae is a term used by the ancient Greco-Roman writers to describe a people or a geographical region of the ancient Indian subcontinent. Some of these writers state that Alexander the Great withdrew from the Indian subcontinent because of the strong war elephant force of the Gangaridai. However, the geographical region was annexed and governed by the Nanda Empire at the time. A number of modern scholars locate Gangaridai in the Ganges Delta of the Bengal region, although alternative theories also exist. Gange or Ganges, the capital of the Gangaridai (according to Ptolemy), has been identified with several sites in the region, including Chandraketugarh and Wari-Bateshwar.

Magadha dynasties of Bengal

Brihadratha dynasty (c. 1700–682 BCE)

(Ripunjaya was the last ruler of dynasty, dethorned by Pradyota in 682 BCE)

Pradyota dynasty (c. 682–544 BCE)

(Varttivarddhana was last ruler of dynasty dethroned by Bimbisara in 544 BCE)

Haryanka dynasty (c. 544–413 BCE)

(Nāgadāsaka was last ruler of dynasty overthrowed by Shishunaga in 413 BCE)

Shishunaga dynasty (c. 413–345 BCE)

(Mahanandin lost his empire by his illegitimate son Mahapadma Nanda in 345 BCE)

Nanda Empire (c. 345–322 BCE)

(Dhana Nanda lost his empire to Chandragupta Maurya after being defeated by him in 322 BCE)

Maurya Empire (c. 322–184 BCE)

(Brihadratha was the last ruler of dynasty, dethroned by Pushyamitra Shunga in 185 BCE)

Shunga Empire (c. 185–73 BCE)

(Devabhuti was the last ruler of dynasty dethroned by, dethroned Vasudeva Kanva in 73 BCE)

Kanva dynasty (c. 73–28 BCE)

(Susarman was the last ruler of dynasty, dethroned by Simuka of Satavahana Empire)

Classical Era

Chandra dynasty (c. 202–1050 CE)

The Chandra Kingdom was a Kayastha kingdom, which ruled the Samatata region of Bengal, as well as northern Arakan. Later it was a neighbor to the Pala Empire to the north. Rulers of Chandra kingdom were followers of Hinduism.

Gupta Empire (c. 240–550 CE)

Jaintia kingdom (c. 525–1835 CE)

Old dynasty rulers

Partitioned Jaintia rulers

Brahmin dynasty rulers

New dynasty rulers

Gauda kingdom (c. 550–626 CE)

Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Empire (c. 606–647 CE)

Khadga dynasty (c. 625–730 CE)

Bhadra dynasty (6th to 7th century)

The Bhadra dynasty was a Bengali Hindu royal house of Brahmin origin, their rule flourished during the first half of the 7th century, though little is known about their history. The kings of the dynasty bore names with the suffix "Bhadra".

Mallabhum kingdom (c. 694–1147 CE)

Post-Classical era

Pala Empire (c. 750–1161 CE)

Most of the Pala inscriptions mention only the regnal year as the date of issue, without any well-known calendar era. Because of this, the chronology of the Pala kings is hard to determine. Based on their different interpretations of the various epigraphs and historical records, different historians estimate the Pala chronology as follows:

Sena dynasty (c. 1070–1230 CE)

Sena dynasty ruled southwestern Bengal from 1070 and ruled East Bengal until 1230. Vijaya Sena conquered entire Bengal by 1154 CE.

Deva dynasty (c. 1150–1294 CE)

Delhi Sultanate period

Khalji dynasty

The Khalji dynasty of Bengal (c.1204–27) were initially representatives of the Ghurid Empire, later becoming independent, although at times being subordinate to the Delhi Sultanate.

Governors of Bengal under Mamluk dynasty (1227–1287)

Governors of Bengal under the Mamluk dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate.

House of Balban

The House of Balban (c.1287–1324) came about as a result of Mamluk governor Nasiruddin Bughra Khan declaring independence.

Governors of Bengal under Tughlaq dynasty (1324–1338)

Bengal Sultanate era

Independent Sultans of Bengal during Tughlaq dynasty (1338–1352)

Ilyas Shahi dynasty (1352–1414)

House of Raja Ganesha (1414–1435)

Restored Ilyas Shahi dynasty (1435–1487)

Habshi rule (1487–1494)

Hussain Shahi dynasty (1494–1538)

Governors of Bengal under Sur Empire (1532–1556)

Muhammad Shah dynasty (1554–1564)

Karrani dynasty (1564–1576)

Baro Bhuyan • Isa Khan • Masum khan • Musa khan • Fazal Ghazi • Bahadur Ghazi • Khwaja Usman Khan Lohani • Bayezid Karrani • 'Pratapaditya' • Bir Hambir • Kedar Roy • Chad Ray • Mukundaram Roy

Mughal Subahdars of Bengal Subah (1574–1717)

During the reign of Akbar

During the reign of Jahangir

During the reign of Shah Jahan

During the reign of Aurangzeb

Medieval Hindu dynasties of Bengal

Koch dynasty (c. 1515–1949 CE)

Rulers of undivided Koch dynasty (c. 1515–1586 CE)

Rulers of Koch Bihar (c. 1586 – 1949)

Kingdom of Bhurshut (c. 16th–18th century)

Kingdom of Chandradweep or Basu Dynasty

Chandradweep ruled by

Maharajas of Jessore region

Maharaja of Lower Bengal region

Maharaja of Bhawal region

Rulers of Gazipur and Madhupur forest are in central Bangladesh.

Nawabs of Bengal

Independent Nawabs of Bengal (1717–1757 CE)

Nawabs of Bengal under East India Company (1757–1881 CE)

Nawabs of Murshidabad

East India Company governors in Bengal

Governors of British East India Company in Bengal (1757–1773)

As per the treaty of Allahabad in 1765, the British East India Company (BEIC) was given the right to collect revenue (Diwani right). From 1769, the company collected revenue from Bengal.

Governors-General of British East India Company in Bengal – Dual government (1773–1793)

Following the Regulating Act of 1773, the Governor of Bengal was officially called Governor-General of Fort William.

Governors-General of British East India Company in Bengal (1793–1833)

In 1793, the British East India Company abolished Nizamat, i.e. local rule by Mughal emperor- appointed Nawabs and annexed Bengal.

Governor-Generals of British East India Company (1833–1858)

As per Charter Act of 1833, the Governor-General of Bengal would be called Governor-General of India

British Raj era

With the establishment of the Empire of India in 1858, the position of Governor-General was replaced with Governor-General and Viceroy of India. Calcutta, the capital of Bengal also became the capital of India. As a result, the position of Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal was established to look after provincial matters.

Lieutenant-Governors (1858–1912)

Governors (1912–1947)

In late 1911, the Indian Government decided to move the capital to New Delhi. As a result, the Governorship of Bengal Presidency was now necessary.

Prime Minister of Bengal (1937–1947)

The Government of India Act 1935 introduced provincial autonomy in India and the position of Chief Minister or Premier of Bengal became very prominent.

Office holders

Subsequently, all three Bengali chief ministers moved to East Pakistan, where they continued to be influential statesmen. Nazimuddin and Suhrawardy became Prime Ministers of Pakistan, while Huq served as the chief minister and governor of East Pakistan.

After Independence of India and Pakistan

British colonial period ended when India and Pakistan became independent nations in 1947. Bengal fell into two parts – one in India, named West Bengal and the other part in Pakistan as East Bengal, later renamed to East Pakistan in 1955.

East Bengal (1947–1955)

Governors of East Bengal (1947–1955)

Chief ministers of East Bengal (1947–1955)

East Pakistan (1955–1971)

Governors of East Pakistan (1955–1971)

In late 1955, the prime minister Muhammad Ali Bogra initiated the One Unit policy which resulted in East Bengal province being renamed to East Pakistan.

Chief ministers of East Pakistan (1955–1971)

On 7 October 1958, the post of Chief Minister of East Pakistan was abolished. And after the independence of Bangladesh on 16 December 1971, the province of East Pakistan was dissolved.

West Bengal (1947–present)

Governors of West Bengal

Prime ministers of West Bengal

Chief ministers of West Bengal

After independence of Bangladesh

East Pakistan seceded from West Pakistan on 16 December 1971 after the end of Bangladesh Liberation War and was named Bangladesh as an independent nation. The President was the executive Head of state of Bangladesh during Presidential system of government from 1975 to 1991. Thereafter, the Prime Minister is the executive head of government of this parliamentary republic while the President is the ceremonial Head of state, elected by the parliament.

Presidents of Bangladesh

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Vice presidents of Bangladesh (1975–1991)

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Prime Ministers of Bangladesh

Note that numbering for Prime Minister is given either bracketless, or with brackets. Numbering for Chief Adviser is given in [ ] brackets. Acting Prime Ministers or Chief Advisers are not numbered and instead denoted as "—". There are 10 Prime Ministers, 1 Acting Prime Minister, 5 Chief Advisers, and 1 Acting Chief Adviser of Bangladesh so far. {{legend||Awami League (AL)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend||Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BaKSAL)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend||Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend||Janadal / Jatiya Party (JP(E))|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend|#E6E6AA|Denotes an interim or caretaker government|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} Died in office

Sources