DECCAN SULTANATE

DECCAN SULTANATE

Five independent kingdoms rose on the ruins of the Bahmani kingdom, namely Berar, Bidar, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bijapur.

BERAR It was the first province to break loose from the Bahmani kingdom when in 1484. Fathulla, the governor of Gowilgarh, revolted against Mahmud Bahmani. The dynasty he founded was called the Imad Shahi dynasty because he bore the title of Imad-ul-Mulk. His capital was at Elichpur. The dynasty lasted for about ninety years until 1574 when it was annexed by Ahmadnagar.

BIDAR Kasim Barid, a Turkish officer of Mahmud Shah Bahmani, made himself virtually independent about the year 1492 though he did nut assume the royal rank. His
son Amir Barid openly assumed an independent position in 1525. The third Sultan Ali Barid assumed the title of Shah. In about 1609 Bidar was absorbed by Bijapur.

AHMADNAGAR Founded by Malik Ahmad, son of Nizam-ul-Mulk, in the year 1490, the dynasty is known as the Nizam Shahi dynasty (as he assumed the title, Ahmad Nizam Shah). He also founded the city of Ahmadnagar and made it his capital. In 1565 the kingdom joined the con­federacy against Vijayanagar. After conqueririg Berar in 1574, Ahmadnagar was involved in a long drawn out warfare with the Mughals. In 1576, Akbar decided to invade Ahmadnagar but the fort was defended by Chand Bibi who purchased peace by surrendering Berar. Sh~ was later murdered by her own officers and the Mughals annexed Ahmadnagar (1600). The kingdom did not cease to exist but was governed by an Abyssinian minister named Malik Amber. He successfully defied the Mughals and freed Ahmadnagar (1610) Ahmadnagar was finally annexed by Shah Jahan in 1637.

GOLCONDA Founded by Quli Qutb Shah in 1512, the
dynasty is known as the Qutb Shahi dynasty. The kingdom of Golconda led a more or less isolated existence, taking only a minor part in the tangled politics of the Deccan. The first sultan of this dynasty, Qutb Shah transferred his capital from Warangal to Golconda. He was murdered in 1543. Ibrahim Adil Shah, who ascended the throne, was a tolerant monarch. He treated the Hindus well. His successor was Sultan Muhammad Quli. After his death in 1611. Golconda was involved in warfare with the Mughal empire. In 1687 the kingdom was annexed to the Mughal empire by Aurangzeb. .

BIJAPUR Out of the five kingdoms of the Deccan Sultanate, Bijapur was the most important. It was founded by Yusuf Adil Shah, who waged wars against Vijayanagar and his neighbours but his great achievement was the recovery of Goa from the Portuguese commander, Albu­querque, though the Portuguese retook it in 1510. He was succeeded by his minor son, Ismail Shah, who recovered Raichur Doab from Vijayanagar. During the reign of Ibrahim Adil Shah, the kingdoms of Golconda, Bidar and Ahmadnagar attacked Bijapur but it was well defended by its able minister Asad Khan. Ibrahim died in 1557 and was succeeded by his son, AU Adil Shah. Ibrahim Adil Shah n (1579-1626) was perhaps the greatest of the Adil Shahi kings. He was a good administrator and introduced a very efficient system of revenue settlement. He was tolerant of all creeds and faiths. He kept friendly relations with the Portuguese and allowed them to preach Christianity in his dominions.

VIJAYANAGAR
The origin of the kingdom of Vijayanagar is still a matter of controversy. According to tradition, the kingdom was founded by the five sons of Sangama of whom the two most prominent were Harihara and Bukka who reverted to Hinduism after having been converted to Islam. They were encouraged in their enterprise by two scholars, Madhava
Vidyaratmi. and his brother Sayana. Accord­ing to Father Heras, this kingdom was founded by the Hoysala king, Vira Bailala Ill. However, it seems certain that the king­dom owed its origin to a reaction to the devastating Muslim raids which threatened to overwhelm the Hindu civilisation in south­ern India. The capital of the kingdom was Hastinavati (Hampi).