Bahmani Kingdom and the Deccan Sultanates

Foundation of the Bahmani Kingdom (1347)

The Bahmani Sultanate was the first Islamic kingdom of the Deccan, founded during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq.

Aspect	Details
Founder	Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah (Hasan Gangu)
Year	1347
Capital	Gulbarga (Ahsanabad) — later shifted to Bidar
Origin story	Claimed descent from Persian king Bahman; originally an Afghan or Turk officer in Tughlaq service

Hasan Gangu’s Rise

• Served as a commander under Muhammad bin Tughlaq
• Exploited the rebellions in the Deccan to establish independence
• Defeated the Tughlaq governor of Daulatabad
• Assumed the title Ala-ud-din Bahman Shah

The 18 Rulers of the Bahmani Sultanate

The dynasty lasted about 180 years with 18 Sultans, many of whom were figureheads. The kingdom was marked by constant warfare with Vijayanagara and internal strife between two factions.

Important Rulers

Sultan	Period	Achievements
Ala-ud-din Hasan	1347–1358	Founder; established the kingdom
Muhammad Shah I	1358–1375	Organized administration; war with Vijayanagara over Raichur Doab
Firuz Shah Bahmani	1397–1422	Most remarkable; married Devaraya I’s daughter; promoted learning
Ahmad Shah I	1422–1436	Shifted capital to Bidar; patronized Sufi saint Gesu Daraz
Mahmud Gawan	1463–1481 (Wazir)	Greatest administrator; golden age of the Bahmani kingdom
Later Sultans	1482–1527	Puppets under noble factions; kingdom fragmented

Firuz Shah Bahmani (1397–1422)

• Most cultured and learned of Bahmani Sultans
• Knew Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi
• Interested in astronomy; built an observatory near Daulatabad
• Married the daughter of Devaraya I of Vijayanagara — dowry included Bankapur
• Nicolo Conti: Italian traveler visited his court
• Abdur Razzaq (Persian ambassador): Described his love of learning
• Abdicated in favor of his brother Ahmad Shah after military defeats

Mahmud Gawan (1463–1481)

Mahmud Gawan was a Persian merchant who rose to become the Vizier (Prime Minister) and the real power behind the throne during the reign of three Sultans (Muhammad Shah III and others).

Administrative Reforms

Reform	Description
Taraf system	Divided kingdom into 8 provinces (tarafs) under governors; reduced their autonomy
Khalsa land	Placed large territories directly under Sultan’s administration
Salary payment	Paid soldiers and officials in cash (not jagirs)
Fort garrisons	Reduced governor’s control over forts; each fort had commander reporting directly to Sultan
Revenue	Standardized land revenue; improved assessment and collection
Agriculture	Encouraged cultivation; increased state income

Achievements

• Extended Bahmani power over much of the Deccan
• Conquered Goa and Dabhol from Vijayanagara (1472)
• Maintained diplomatic relations with Persia and Turkey
• Built a magnificent madrasa (college) at Bidar — one of the finest in the Islamic world
• Trade: Welcomed Persian and Arab merchants; horse trade flourished

Downfall

• His reforms angered the Deccani nobles
• The nobles forged a letter implicating him in a conspiracy with the Raja of Orissa
• The Sultan (Muhammad Shah III), drunk, ordered his execution (1481)
• Later, realizing the mistake, the Sultan reportedly died of remorse

Decline

After Mahmud Gawan’s death, the Bahmani kingdom rapidly declined:

• Deccani vs. Afaqi (foreigner) factional strife intensified
• Provincial governors asserted independence
• By 1527, the kingdom fragmented into five successor states

The Five Deccan Sultanates

Sultanate	Founder	Capital	Period	Key Features
Ahmadnagar (Nizam Shahi)	Malik Ahmad	Ahmadnagar	1490–1636	Ruled by Nizam Shahis; ultimately annexed by Mughals under Shah Jahan
Bijapur (Adil Shahi)	Yusuf Adil Khan	Bijapur	1490–1686	Most powerful and long-lasting; Gol Gumbaz; annexed by Aurangzeb
Golkonda (Qutb Shahi)	Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk	Golkonda	1518–1687	Famous for diamond trade (Koh-i-Noor, Hope Diamond); annexed by Aurangzeb
Bidar (Barid Shahi)	Amir Ali Barid	Bidar	1528–1619	Smallest; absorbed by Bijapur
Berar (Imad Shahi)	Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk	Ellichpur	1490–1574	Shortest-lived; annexed by Ahmadnagar

Bijapur (Adil Shahi) — The Greatest

Ruler	Period	Achievements
Yusuf Adil Shah	1490–1510	Founder; built citadel at Bijapur; defeated by Portuguese (Goa, 1510)
Ibrahim Adil Shah I	1534–1558	Shi’a but tolerant; employed Hindus
Ibrahim Adil Shah II	1580–1627	Greatest Adil Shahi ruler; author of Kitab-i-Nauras; patron of arts
Muhammad Adil Shah	1627–1656	Built Gol Gumbaz; tomb with the largest dome in India (second largest in world)

Gol Gumbaz: The tomb of Muhammad Adil Shah has the world’s second-largest unsupported dome; its “whispering gallery” (echoes 7-11 times) is acoustically remarkable.

Golkonda (Qutb Shahi)

Ruler	Period	Achievements
Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk	1518–1543	Founder; built Golkonda Fort
Ibrahim Qutb Shah	1550–1580	Patron of Telugu literature
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah	1580–1612	Founded Hyderabad (1591); built Charminar (1591); wrote Diwan in Dakhni Urdu
Muhammad Qutb Shah	1612–1626	Patron of the arts
Abdullah Qutb Shah	1626–1672	Built Mecca Masjid; last effective ruler
Abul Hasan Tana Shah	1672–1687	Last ruler; annexed by Aurangzeb

Golkonda Fort: Massive hill fort; famously where the Koh-i-Noor diamond was reportedly mined.

Ahmadnagar (Nizam Shahi)

Ruler	Period	Achievements
Malik Ahmad	1490–1510	Founder; built Ahmadnagar city
Burhan Nizam Shah I	1510–1553	Converted to Shi’ism; alliance with Safavid Persia
Chand Bibi (regent)	1595–1600	Brave queen-regent; defended Ahmadnagar against Akbar’s Mughal army
End	1636	Annexed by Mughals (Shah Jahan)

Chand Bibi: The heroic regent who defended Ahmadnagar against the Mughals under Prince Murad (Akbar’s son). Dressed in armor, she led the defense. Later murdered by her own faction. A symbol of female valor in Deccan history.

Administration

Feature	Deccan Sultanates
Language of admin	Persian initially; gradually replaced by Urdu (Dakhni)
Revenue	Land revenue; generally more moderate than North Indian Sultanates
Nobility	Two factions: Deccanis (old settlers) and Afaqis (foreigners — Persians, Turks)
Marathas	Maratha chiefs employed as military officers; Deshmukhs and Deshpandes in revenue
Hindus	Generally more tolerant than northern Sultanates; many Hindus in high positions

Culture and Architecture

Architecture — Deccani Style

The Deccan Sultanates developed a distinctive architectural style blending Persian, Turkish, and local Indian elements:

Building	Location	Features
Gol Gumbaz	Bijapur	World’s 2nd largest dome; whispering gallery
Ibrahim Rauza	Bijapur	Most beautiful building in Bijapur; Taj Mahal’s precursor
Charminar	Hyderabad	4 minarets; 56m high; triumphal arch
Golkonda Fort	Hyderabad	Massive fortifications; advanced acoustic signaling system
Mecca Masjid	Hyderabad	Largest mosque in South India; bricks from Mecca
Bidar Fort	Bidar	Massive fort; tile work (Persian influence)
Mahmud Gawan’s Madrasa	Bidar	Persian-style college; now in ruins

Literature

• Dakhni Urdu: Developed as a literary language at the Deccan courts
• Ibrahim Adil Shah II (Bijapur): Wrote Kitab-i-Nauras (Book of Nine Rasas) in Dakhni; described himself as “son of Saraswati” and “son of Ganesha”
• Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah (Golkonda): First Diwan (collection of poems) in Dakhni; described Hyderabad as “a replica of heaven on earth”
• Telugu, Marathi, Kannada literature also patronized
• Persian literature flourished; many poets migrated from Safavid Persia

Religious Syncretism

The Deccan Sultanates, despite being Islamic, developed a syncretic culture:

• Hindu festivals celebrated at courts
• Marathi/Kannada/Telugu used alongside Persian
• Ibrahim Adil Shah II called himself “Jagat Guru” and was devoted to the goddess Saraswati
• Sufism flourished; Dattatreya shrine at Bijapur patronized
• Temples continued to function with endowments (unlike some northern Sultanates)

End of the Deccan Sultanates

• Ahmadnagar annexed by Shah Jahan (1636)
• Bijapur annexed by Aurangzeb (1686)
• Golkonda annexed by Aurangzeb (1687)
• The absorption into the Mughal Empire was a long and costly process that contributed to the Mughal decline
• Shivaji’s Maratha Empire drew heavily on the legacy of Deccani military and administrative traditions