Object Number: VRM729

Dimensions: 141.0 x 30.5 cm

Material: Bronze

Find Location: Shershahi, Malda District, West Bengal, India

Date: 1541 CE

Sher Shah Suri was a Mughal governor and administrator, and an extremely ambitious individual. In 1540 CE he usurped Babur’s son, Humayun, to proclaim himself emperor of his own Sur dynasty, only for Humayun to reassert Mughal rule again by 1555 CE. Controlling most of the land between the Indus River and the Bengal Basin, Sher Shah extended his power through conquests of neighbouring regions. Although he had a relatively short reign, Sher Shah Suri’s influence was significant and can be credited with administrative and economic reforms, including the first recognised postal system in South Asia.

Sher Shah Suri also championed the use of light cannon, commissioning over 4,000. These new designs improved the quality of the casting and were economical in the use of copper. Designed for smaller projectiles, they mark the transition from stone cannonballs to lead shot, which were more efficient in the amount of gunpowder used.

Sher Shah’s cannons are all inscribed in Persian and include his name. The inscriptions on the barrel of this particular cannon states that it was manufactured by Saiyad Ahmad Rumi and built under the command of Khwaja Basharat Sultani, who was Governor of Jannatabad (Gaur). The muzzles are shaped to resemble the mouth of a tiger. ‘Sher’ means tiger in Indo-Persian and this name was given to him when as a young man he killed a tiger that had leapt onto the Governor of Bihar.

Sher Shah Suri’s demise occurred during his siege of Kalinjar Fort in India. He was mortally injured by an explosion during a battle where this type of cannon was in use.