The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c23.s2.t3: The five kingdoms of the Dakhin
The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c23.s2.t3
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The five kingdoms of the Dakhin
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*Bijapur.* The most important of the States which arose on the ruins of the Bahamani kingdom was Bijapur. It was founded by Yusuf Adil Shah and is, therefore, known as the Adilshahi kingdom of Bijapur. In his early days, he was known as a Georgian slave who was purchased by Mahmud Gawan. But, according to Farishta, he was the second son of Sultan Murad II of Turkey from where he had fled to save himself from his elder brother. Be that as it may, Yusuf Adil Khan was possessed of great ability and strength of character and rose to prominence in the service of Mahmud Gawan.
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When he set himself up as an independent king of Bijapur in 1489-90, he proved to be a just and vigorous ruler. Though he had some preference for the Shia sect, he granted toleration to all his subjects and employing Hindus in government service. His administration was marked by justice and humanity, and his court was thronged by scholars from Persia, Turkistan and other Central Asian countries. His four immediate successors were not as able as he, and their reigns were marked by intrigues and war. The sixth ruler, Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1579-1626), was a tolerant and wise king. According to Meadows Taylor, "He was the greatest of all the kings of the Adilshahi dynasty and, in most respects, except its founder, the most able and popular." He annexed the kingdom of Bidar to Bijapur in 1618-19. Bijapur now came into contact with the Mughul Emperor Shah Jahan in the time of his successor, Mahmud Adil Shah. It was annexed by Aurangzeb in 1686.
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*Golkunda.* Golkunda comprised the old Hindu kingdom of Warangal. Its founder was Qutub Shah, a Turki officer of the Bahamani kingdom. During the reign of Mahmud Shah Bahamani he was the governor of Telingana. He declared his independence in 1512 or 1513. He ruled upto 1543 and was succeeded by his son, Jamshid. During the reign of its third king, Ibrahim, Golkunda came into conflict with Vijayanagar. After Ibrahim's death the administration of Golkunda fell into decay owing to the weakness of its later rulers. It was annexed by Aurangzeb in 1687.
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*Ahmadnagar.* The kingdom of Ahmadnagar was founded by Malik Ahmad whose father, Nizam-ul-mulk Bahri, was a converted Hindu and prime minister of the Bahamani kingdom. In 1490 Malik Ahmad, who was governor of Junar, declared himself independent. He founded the city of Ahmadnagar and transferred his capital to that place. He captured Daultabad in 1499. He died in 1508 and was succeeded by his son, Burhan-i-Nizam Shah. The third ruler of the dynasty, Husain Shah, joined the Muslim confederacy against Vijayanagar in 1565. The later rulers of this kingdom were weak. The kingdom was over-run and its ruler defeated by Akbar in 1600 and compelled to become a vassal. It was finally annexed to the Mughul empire in 1636.
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*Bidar.* After the governors of the Bahamani kingdom had become independent, a small portion of it survived It was held by the Barids. In 1526 or 1527 Amir Ali Barid removed the puppet Bahamani Sultan and set himself up as an independent ruler of Bidar. His dynasty became known as the Baridshahi dynasty of Bidar. In 1618-19 it was annexed by Bijapur.
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*Barar.* The founder of this kingdom was Fateh-ullah Imad Shah who asserted his independence in 1490. The kingdom became known from his title as the Imadshahi kingdom of Barar. It was conquered and annexed by Ahmadnagar in 1574.
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Of the above five kingdoms, two, namely Bijapur and Golkunda, produced some good rulers. All the five states had a long quarrel with the Hindu empire of Vijayanagar. Ultimately, they combined together and defeated the ruler of Vijayanagar at Talikota in 1565. They quarrelled among themselves also and hampered peace and prosperity in the Dakhin.