Sher Shah Suri (AD 1540–1545)
Sher Shah Suri was the founder of the Sur dynasty. He was an efficient administrator and a brave military general. He was the son of Hasan, an Afghan jagirdar at Sasaram, in Bihar. He was given the title “ Sher ” after he single-handedly killed a tiger. He first strengthened his position by capturing the fort of Chunar in AD 1530. He established his authority over Bengal and Bihar. He occupied the throne of Delhi and took the title of ' Sher Khan'. On an expedition to Kalinjar in AD 1545, Sher Shah died in an explosion of gunpowder. Thus, his rule for a brief period of five years came to an end. Sher Shah built the Sarak-i-Azam or the modern Grand Trunk (G.T.) Road. He built 1700 Sarais (rest houses) at regular intervals with separate quarters for Hindus and Muslims. He even maintained a strong and efficient army in his administration. The army of Sher Shah mainly consisted of cavalry and infantry. The army performed the dual functions of protecting the country from foreign invasions and maintaining internal peace and security. He divided his empire into 47 provinces or Iqtas. He abolished all the old and mixed metal currency. He introduced a large number of new silver coins called the rupia and copper coins called the dam. Sher Shah was also a great builder. He built the fort of Rohtasgarh on the river Jhelum to protect his north west frontiers. His own mausoleum at Sasaram in Bihar is the best example of his architecture.