32 Facts About Khwaja Usman

Khawaja Uthman Khan Lohani, popularly known as Khwaja Usman, was a Pashtun chieftain and warrior based in northeastern Bengal.

Khwaja Usman was a formidable opponent to Man Singh I and the Mughal Empire, and was the last of the Afghan chieftains and rulers in Bengal.

Khwaja Usman's defeat led to the surrender of all the remaining Pashtuns as well as the incorporation of the Sylhet region into the Bengal Subah.

Khwaja Usman is described as the most romantic figure in the history of Bengal.

Khwaja Usman gave Usman and Khwaja Sulaiman jagirs in Fatehabad in Bengal thinking it would get them out of Orissa.

Khwaja Usman established two other forts in Hasanpur and Yarasindur and took advantage of the Brahmaputra River to separate himself from the Mughal territory in the west.

Khwaja Usman employed the Om brothers, a Hindu family from Khaliajuri, who assisted him in his missions.

Khwaja Usman crossed the Brahmaputra in winter 1607 where he defeated the Mughal thanadars of Alapsingh, Sajawal Khan and Baz Bahadur Qalmaq.

At the eighteenth fort, Khwaja Usman appeared with a small army to attack them once more.

The Mughals attained a victory by making use of the cannons at their fort and Khwaja Usman's forces were heavily defeated; fleeing back to Bokainagar for safety.

Khwaja Usman was informed that his allies, Dariya Khan Pani and Nasir Khan of Tajpur, had surrendered and joined the Mughal forces.

The Sylhet region had the strongest Afghan insurgency in Bengal and Khwaja Usman built alliances with the many Afghan chiefs there such as Anwar Khan of Baniachong, Bayazid Karrani II of Sylhet and Mahmud Khan.

Khwaja Usman Wali was stationed at a hill fort called Putia on the foot of the Giripal in Bahubal.

Khwaja Usman then continued and reached the Ita Kingdom ruled by Raja Subid Narayan who he defeated in a battle.

Khwaja Usman then established his new capital in Uhar and managed to gain control of South Sylhet.

The Mughals sent a messenger to Khwaja Usman advising him to surrender and be loyal to the Mughal Empire.

Khwaja Usman replied to this message saying that he would like to make peace as long as he can tranquilly rule in Uhar, a place not yet conquered by the Mughal Empire.

Khwaja Usman readied 500 of his own cavalry, 4,000 musketeers and large numbers of war horses and war elephants.

Khwaja Usman readied 2000 of his own cavalry, 5,000 infantry, and 40 war elephants.

Iftikhar Khan Turkmen approached Shajaat and pleaded him to once more send a peace message to Khwaja Usman, who was a fellow Muslim.

Khwaja Usman was offered a chance to become a mansabdar of 5000 and be completely pardoned, if he personally submits himself to Emperor Jahangir, sends them all his tuskers and one of his sons or brothers as hostage in addition to paying them rent.

Khwaja Usman was infuriated by the message and Shihab returned to Shajaat.

Khwaja Usman made all his flags and elephant banners a similar colour to the Mughals as tactic to confuse them in battle.

The Mughals were close to securing an swift victory but Mirza Bey Aymaq had mistakenly exclaimed that Khwaja Usman's army were on the right side.

Some of Khwaja Usman's infantry crossed to the Mughal side of the marsh and they were met by Shaykh Achha, Sabit Khan and Mustafa.

Khwaja Usman intercepted the affray, saving Wali from Iftikhar and was said to have rebuked Wali and called him a child.

Khwaja Usman, sitting on the howdah of an elephant, then proceeded with some of his infantry with Bakhta at the front.

An arrow hit Khwaja Usman's left eye, striking through his brain as Khwaja Usman shot Abdul Jalil's chest.

Khwaja Usman tried to pull the arrow out of his eye, causing his right eye to come out too.

Khwaja Usman gestured his elephant driver, Umar, to find and attack Shajaat.

Khwaja Usman sent his minister Wali Mandu Khel and Usman's youngest son Khwaja Yaqub to notify Shajaat of Usman's death and to offer surrender.

In 2017, Khwaja Usman's tomb was finally marked and identified with official recognition at 10pm on 17 May 2017 in the village of Usmangarh in Patanushar.