Shamsabad is a town and a nagar panchayat in Farrukhabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Demographics
India census, Shamsabad had a population of 23,584. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Shamsabad has an average literacy rate of 43%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 50%, and female literacy is 36%. In Shamsabad, 18% of the population is under 6 years of age.
History
Geographic description
Shamsabad is situated latitude 27.32 longitude 79.28 at a distance of 22 km to the west of Farrukhabad. Most probably the river Ganges used to flow beside its northern boundary. A mohalla, locality called the Ghatiapur crossing point, is reminiscent of this. The Ganges is about 4 km away now.
Weather
Shamsabad is hot and dusty in peak summer months of May & June and cold in the winter months of December & January. Summer temperatures can rise to early 40 degree Celsius and minimum Winter temperature can reach 0 degree Celsius. The monsoon season starts from end June and ends in September with about 26 inches of rainfall.
Historical background
Shamsabad is a much older settlement than both Farrukhabad and Kaimganj, both of which were founded in the early 18th century A.D. Kampil, a nearby small town situated about 25 km to the west of Shamsabad is also an ancient site. It is associated with the Panchalas of Mahabharat fame. Historians believe that during their eastern migration, Indo-European language speaking people moved towards the middle Gangetic region and settlements like Kampil and Amritpur - a small town about 25 km from Shamsabad across the Ganges - also grew up.
During most of the ninth to twelfth centuries, Shamsabad - then known as 'Khor Nagar' ('Khor' meaning king and 'nagar' meaning city) - was ruled first by the Pratihars, then by the Gaharwars dynasties from Kannauj. It is variously said that one Prajan Pal or Jai Singh Dev or Rai Singh Gaharwar was the ruler at the time of Shams Uddin Iltitmish's invasion circa 1212 and Shamsabad is named after the latter. However, Zia Uddin Barni in his 'Tareekh-e- Firozshahi' (written about 150 years after the death of Shams Uddin Iltitmish) still uses the name of the place as 'Khor Nagar' when describing an unusual incident which occurred in the Ganges here.
During Delhi's Sultanant period (1202-1526), Shamsabad was quite an important place, being the subedari-provincial-capital. A road from the east to Delhi went through it.
Shamsabad, being a strategic town on the fluid boundary between the Lodis of Delhi (1451–1526) and the Sharqi kings of Jaunpur, was a hot spot and exchanged hands between the two. There is still a graveyard in the east of Shamsabad known as 'ganj-e-shaheedan' where a battle was fought between the Lodis and the Sharqis. Both Khizr Khan (1414–1421) and Sikandar Lodi (1489–1517), Delhi Sultanat kings, came to Shamsabad. Sikandar Lodi camped near Shamsabad for six months and a village called Sikandar pur Mahmood to the west of Shamsabad might have been named after this event. Sikandar Lodi had Imad Khan Farmoli and Sulaiman Khan Farmoli as his Subedars in Shamsabad. Another village almost adjacent to Sikandar pur Mahmood is known as Imad pur. This strengthens the view that both of these villages were named after Sikandar Lodi and Imad Khan respectively.
The Moghals who succeeded in establishing their kingdom in 1526 also took interest in Shamsabad. Babar made Vikrama Jeet Sisodia his Subedar -provincial governor- of Shamsabad in 1528.
Humayun, following his defeat by Sher Shah Suri circa 1541 at Chausa (after which village the famous mango variety is named) near Kannauj fled to Delhi through Shamsabad. The Saiyyeds of Shamsabad provided boats for Humayun as the Ganges was in spate. Sher Shah was in hot pursuit and this help by the Saiyyeds made him furious. However, considering the religious sanctity of the Saiyyeds he gave them the lesser punishment of having their ears cut off but dealt with the others who helped Humayun much more severely.
In Akbar's reign (1556–1605) Shamsabad was made a pargane (Tehsil) of Kannauj Sarkar (District). Mirza Tahir and Rai Damodar Das -a Kayastha- were Akbar's chief officers who rebuilt Shamsabad from 1589. A village adjacent to Shamsabad at its northern boundary is known as Akbar pur Damodar. A mohalla called Manjhli Haveli is said to be named after the residence of the middle son of Rai Damodar Das. This mohalla is also in the northern part of Shamsabad. There was a reputed madrasa (school) in Shamsabad during Akbar's reign and even his courtier, the well-known historian Abdul Qadir Badyuni, stayed here for sometime.