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E t e r n a l I n d i a
encyclopedia
LURE - THRU THE AGES
BAHMANI DYNASTY
1347-1518 A.D.
Overview
*
The Bahmani kingdom was founded
during the reign of Muhammad Bin
Tughlaq. The nobles of the Deccan re-
belled against the eccentric policies of
the Sultan, seized the fort of Daulata-
bad and proclaimed Hasan Kangu, en-
titled
Zafar Khan
as their king in 1347
under the title of
Abul-Muzajfar, Ala-
ud-din Bahman Shah.
Ala-ud-din Hasan
1347-58
-
He made Gulbarga in north Karnataka
his capital and renamed it Ahsanabad. He
embarked on a career of conquest against
the Hindu rulers of the south. When he died
in 1358 he left behind a kingdom extending
from the Wainganga river in the north to the
Krishna river in the south and from
Daulatabad in the west to Bhongir in the
east. He divided his kingdom into four prov-
inces : Gulbarga, Daulatabad, Berar and Bidar,
each under a governor.
Mohammad Shah
I
1358-75
During his reign he was engaged in
waging wars against the rulers of Waran-
gal and Vijayanagar. Finally he had to sue
for peace after both sides suffered terrible
losses.
Mujahid Shah
1375-78
His reign was marked by war with
Vijayanagara empire. He was defeated and
had to sue for peace. He was a victim of a
conspiracy hatched by one of his near rela-
tives, Daud Khan who usurped the throne.
Daud Khan was killed subsequently.
Mohammad Shah
II
1378-97
He was a lover of peace. He was en-
gaged in literary pursuits. He built mosques
and free schools for orphans. Many learned
men came to his court from all parts of Asia.
There was a famine during his time.
Firoz
Shah
1397-1422
He was the grandson of Alauddin Hasan
Bahmani. He took the title
Taj-ud-din Firuz
Shah.
He liked the company of Sheikhs and
hermits. In 1398
and 1406
he defeated the
Vijayanagar king. In 1420
there was another
war with Vijayanagar where he was defeated.
The Vijayanagar troops occupied the southern
and eastern districts of his kingdom. In his old
age he was forced to abdicate the throne in
favour of his brothers.
Ahmad Shah
1422-36
To avenge his brother's defeat he carried
on a terrible war against Vijayanagar. The
Raja of Vijayanagar had to conclude peace by
paying a heavy indemnity. In 1425 he defeated
the Raja of Warangal. He shifted his capital
from Gulbarga to Bidar. He also won a victory
against Malwa, but could not conquer Gujarat.
Ala-ud-din
II
1436-58
He suppressed a rebellion headed by
his brother Muhammad who was pardoned
and given the governorship of Raichur doab.
The Raja of Sangameshwar gave his
daughter in marriage to Ala-ud-din II. In
1443 he compelled the Vijayanagar king to
pay him tribute.
Humayun
1458-61
He was a cruel tyrant. He appointed as
Prime Minister an Iranian immigrant,
Khwaja Mahamud Gilana (Gawan)
Nizam Shah
1461-63
Since he was a minor, the administra-
tion was carried on by his mother with the
assistance of Khwaja Jahan and Khwaja
Mahmud Gawan. In 1461-62 Mahmud
Khalji of Malwa invaded the Bahmani
kingdom but retreated on the arrival of the
Sultan of Gujarat with 20,000 soldiers.
Mohammad
Shah
III
1463-82
At the time of his accession he was only
9 years old. The administration was carried
on by Mahmud Gawan, his minister. By
successful military operations Gawan ex-
tended the empire. The Bahmani army seized
Kherla in Malwa in 1467. Mahmud Gawan
later returned Kherla to Malwa in return for
Berar. The campaign against the Konkan was
a great success. Making Kolhapur his head-
quarters, he seized several forts. The recapture
of Goa in 1472 was a major victory.
In 1474 there was a great famine in the
Deccan.
In 1478 Mohammad Shah III invaded
and devastated Orissa.
In 1481 Mahmud Gawan was falsely
accused of treason and sentenced to death
by the Sultan on the basis of a forged letter
he had sent to the Sultan's enemy, the Raja
of Vijayanagar. This was the work of the
nobles, who were.jealous of Mahmud Ga-
wan. Gawan was executed in 1481.
Mohammad Shah III later realised his
mistake and died of guilt.
Mahmud Shah
1482-1518
He was a minor when he became king. He
was an incompetent ruler since he had no able
ministers to guide him. He and his four succes-
sors were mere puppets in the hands of Qasim-
Barid-ul-Mamalik, the new Prime Minister.
The kingdom disintegrated during his rule.
Five separate Muslim Sultanates came into
existence, the most important of which was
Bijapur.
QutbShahis 1512-1611 A.D.
Quli Shah - a Turkish officer of the Bah-
mani kingdom during the reign of Mahmud
Gawan founded the Qutb Shahi dynasty in
1512 A.D.; he had a prosperous and long
reign and was murdered in 1543 by his son
Jamshid.
Jamshid ruled for seven years and was
succeeded by his brother Ibrahim, he fought
against Vijayanagara in 1565; he died in
1611; later Golkonda was annexed to the
Mughal empire by Aurangzeb irf 1687.
Chronology
*
Quli Shah (1512-1543)
*
Jamshid (1543-1550)
*
Ibrahim (1550-1611)