English: The flag of the Bengal Sultanate according to the Catalan atlas
日期
来源
Bengal in correspondence to the rest of the subcontinent in the Catalan AtlasBengal in the Catalan AtlasThe city labelled as Bangala in the Catalan AtlasFlags of the Bengal Sultanate in the Catalan AtlasThe Catalan Atlas depicts the Sultanate of Bengal east of the Delhi Sultanate and west of China and south of Chagatai. It is visibly located at the mouth of the Bengal river Delta and the main city of the region is depicted as "Bangala". The flag consists of a red lion on a white field. The lion was a prominent icon in the Bengal Sultanate and has been found in an inscription and many coins.[1] Moreover the Portuguese envoy Gaspar da Cruz (1521) recorded the use of shields painted with golden lions (with black claws) by the guards.[2]
The lion symbol features on many Bengali coins from the Sultanate era. Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah's coins are the most noteworthy as his minting of these coins sparked a rebellion by the Deva/Sena dynasty from 1416-1418. The lion symbol was regarded as a symbol of the sultan.[3][4] The lion can also be seen on coins of Sultan Nasir Al-Din Mahmud Shah of the later Ilyas Shahi dynasty.[5][6]
Silver Coin of Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah depicting the lion
WARNING: This image is somewhat speculative. It is drawn after the Catalan Atlas, a primary source of the late 14th century. This means that the flag is indeed attested in a (Western) source dated to the Bengal Sultanate period, but it does not follow that this flag was indeed in use, let alone that it is "the" Bengal Sultanate flag. This image should not be added to articles without clearly attributing its primary source origin, and secondary sources are additionally desired if available.
↑"Heraldry of Early Bengal" in 《 Bengal – West Bengal》、Hubert de Vries, Hubert-Herald.nl. Archived from the original on 2025年8月28日. Retrieved on 2025年8月28日. ""This medal shows a lion passant… In that case, the lion is the symbol of the Sultan of Bengal.""