History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c29.7

v2.c29.7

The first of those dynasties that successfully established its independence was that called the Bahmanî, from its founder. Hasan Gângû, being the servant of a Brâhman in Mahmûd Tughlaq's court, and owing his rise to his master, he adopted his name as a title in gratitude. He established himself at Kulbarga or Gulbarga,¹ an ancient Hindû city of the Dekhan in 1347, and with his immediate successors the kingdom extended from Berâr to the Krishnâ river, and from the Worangal kingdom on the east to the Arabian sea on the west, and not only held in check the Hindû sovereigns of Worangal and Vijayanagar, but actually forced them to pay him tribute. This prosperous state of affairs lasted for nearly a century, when Ahmad Shâh I. (A.D. 1422 - 1435), for some reason not explained, in 1428 transferred the seat of power to Bîdar. Under 'Alâu-d-Dîn Ahmad II. fresh conquests extended the kingdom over all the western Dekhan from Mysore to Gujarât. After Muhammad II., they lingered on for about another century, latterly known as the Barîd Shâhis, till they were absorbed in the great Mughal empire in A.D. 1609.² Long before that, however, their place in the Dekhan had been taken by the Bijâpûr 'Adil Shâhîs, who established themselves there A.D. 1490.