Adil Shahi dynasty
Bijapur Sultanate
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Bijapur Sultanate Territories under Ibrahim II, 1620 CE |
Capital | Bijapur |
Language(s) | Deccani Urdu |
Religion | Shi'a Islam |
Government | Monarchy |
Shah |
- 1490β1510 | Yusuf Adil Shah |
- 1510β1534 | Ismail Adil Shah |
- 1534 | Mallu Adil Shah |
- 1534β1558 | Ibrahim Adil Shah I |
- 1558β1580 | Ali Adil Shah I |
- 1580β1627 | Ibrahim Adil Shah II |
Historical era | Late Medieval |
- Established | 1527 |
- Disestablished | 1686 |
Part of a series on the |
History of Karnataka |
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Political history of medieval Karnataka |
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Origin of Karnataka's name |
Kadambas and Gangas |
Chalukya Empire |
Rashtrakuta Empire |
Western Chalukya Empire |
Southern Kalachuri |
Hoysala Empire |
Vijayanagara Empire |
Bahmani Sultanate |
Bijapur Sultanate |
Kingdom of Mysore |
Unification of Karnataka |
Societies Economies |
Architectures Forts |
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The Adil Shahi or Adilshahi dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Western area of the Deccan region of Southern India from 1490 to 1686. Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate (1347β1518), before its political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518. The Bijapur Sultanate was absorbed into the Mughal Empire on 12 September 1686, after its conquest by the Emperor Aurangzeb.[1]
The founder of the Adil Shahi dynasty, Yusuf Adil Shah (1490β1510), was appointed Bahmani governor of the province, before creating a de-facto independent Bijapur state. Yusuf and his son, Ismail, generally used the title Adil Khan. 'Khan', meaning 'Chief' in Persian, conferred a lower status than 'Shah', indicating royal rank. Only with the rule of Yusuf's grandson, Ibrahim Adil Shah I (1534β1558), did the title of Adil Shah come into common use.
The Bijapur Sultanate's borders changed considerably throughout its history. Its northern boundary remained relatively stable, straddling contemporary SouthernMaharashtra and Northern Karnataka. The Sultanate expanded southward, first with the conquest of the Raichur Doab following the defeat of the Vijayanagar Empire at the Battle of Talikota in 1565. Later campaigns, notably during the reign ofMohammed Adil Shah (1627β1657), extended Bijapur's formal borders and nominal authority as far south as Bangalore. Bijapur was bounded on the West by the Portuguese state of Goa and on the East by the Sultanate of Golconda, ruled by the Qutb Shahi dynasty.
The former Bahmani provincial capital of Bijapur remained the capital of the Sultanate throughout its existence. After modest earlier developments, Ibrahim Adil Shah I (1534β1558) and Ali Adil Shah I (1558β1580) remodelled Bijapur, providing the citadel and city walls, Friday Mosque, core royal palaces and major water supply infrastructure. Their successors, Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1580β1627),Mohammed Adil Shah (1627β1657) and Ali Adil Shah II (1657β1672), further adorned Bijapur with palaces, mosques, mausolea and other structures, considered to be some of the finest examples of Deccan Sultanate and Indo-Islamic Architecture.
Bijapur was caught up in the instability and conflict resulting from the collapse of the Bahmani Empire. Constant warring, both with the Vijayanagar Empire and the other Deccan Sultanates, curtailed the development of state before the Deccan Sultanates allied to achieve victory over Vijayanagar at Talikota in 1565. Bijapur eventually conquered the neighbouring Sultanate of Bidar in 1619. The Portuguese Empire exerted pressure on the major Adil Shahi port of Goa, until it was conquered during the reign of Ibrahim II. The Sultanate was thereafter relatively stable, although it was damaged by the revolt of Shivaji, his father was Maratha commander in the service of Mohammed Adil Shah. Shivaji founded an independent Maratha Kingdom which went on to become Maratha Empire one of largest empire in present day India. The greatest threat to Bijapur's security was, from the late 16th century, the expansion of the Mughal Empire and into the Deccan. Although it may be the case that the Mughals destroyed the Adilshahi it was Shivaji's revolt which weakened the Adilshahi control. Various agreements and treaties imposed Mughal suzerainty on the Adil Shahs, by stages, until Bijapur's formal recognition of Mughal authority in 1636. The demands of their Mughal over-lords sapped the Adil Shahs of their wealth until the Mughal conquest of Bijapur in 1686.
Historical overview
Genealogy of Yusuf Adil Shah
Ibrahim Adil Shah II
The founder of the dynasty, Yusuf Adil Shah, was likely a Bahmani nobleman, a Persian (Tajik) [2]descent from Badakhshan. According to the historian Mir Rafi-uddin Ibrahim-i Shirazi, or Rafi', Yusuf's full name was Sultan Yusuf 'Adil Shah Sawa or Sawa-i, the son of Mahmud Beg of Sawa in Iran, (Rafi' 36β38, vide Devare 67, fn 2). Rafi's history of the 'Adil Shahi dynasty was written at the request of Ibrahim Adil Shah II, and was completed and presented to the patron in AH 1017. The Indian scholar T.N. Devare mentioned that while Rafi's account of the Bahmani dynasty is filled with anachronisms, his account of the Adilshahi is "fairly accurate, exhaustive, and possesses such rich and valuable information about Ali I and Ibrahim II" (312). Rafi-uddin later became the governor of Bijapur for about 15 years (Devare 316).
Rafi' account is less well known than that of the popular historian Firishta, the author of theTarikh-i Firishta, also known as the Gulshan-i Ibrahim. Rafi's account of the life of Yusuf 'Adil Shah directly contradicts a popular myth penned by Firishta. According to Firishta, Yusuf was the son of the Ottoman Emperor Murad II. After the Sultan Murad II's death, and the crown prince's succeeded to the throne, all of the other sons of the emperor were executed. Firishta fabricated a story that Yusuf's mother secretly replaced Yusuf with a slave boy and sent him to Persia. After many romantic adventures, Yusuf reached the court of the Bidar Sultanate. T.N. Devare found that other historians of the time, Mir Ibrahim Lari-e Asadkhani, and Ibrahim Zubayri, the author of theBasatin as-Salatin, favored Rafi's account and rejected this account provided solely by Firishta (Devare 67, fn 2).
Despite the obvious fabrication of Yusuf's Ottoman origin, Firishta's account continues to be very popular today in Bijapur. Devare observed that the work is "a general history of India from the earliest period up to Firishta's time written at the behest of Ibrahim Adil Shah II and presented to him in 1015 AH/1606 CE. It seems however that it was supplemented by the author himself as it records events up to AH 1033 (1626 CE). This is the most widely quoted history of the Adil Shahi, and it is the source of the story that Yusuf was an Ottoman prince" (Devare 272).
Yusuf's bravery and personality raised him rapidly in Sultan's favor, resulting in his appointment as the Governor of Bijapur. He built theCitadel or Arkilla and the Faroukh Mahal. Yusuf was a man of culture. He invited poets and artisans from Persia, Turkey and Rome to his court. He's well known as a ruler who took advantage of the decline of the Bahmani power to establish himself as an independent sultan at Bijapur in 1498. He did this with a military support which has been given to him by a Bijapuri general Kalidas Madhu Sadhwaniβ brilliat commander and good diplomat, who made quick career by supporting Yusuf Adil Shah and then his son β Ismail Adil Shah. He married Punji, the sister of a Maratha warrior. When Yusuf died in 1510, his son Ismail was still a boy. Punji in male attire valiantly defended him from a coup to grab the throne. Ismail Adil Shah thus became the ruler of Bijapur and succeeded his father's ambition.
Chand Bibi, the regent of Bijapur (1580β90)
Ibrahim Adil Shah I who succeeded his father Ismail, fortified the city and built the old Jamia Masjid. Ali Adil Shah I who next ascended the throne, aligned his forces with other Muslim kings of Golconda, Ahmednagar and Bidar, and together, they brought down the Vijayanagar empire. With the loot gained, he launched ambitious projects. He built the Gagan Mahal, the Ibrahim Rauza (his own tomb), Chand Bawdi (a large well) and the Jami Masjid. Ali I had no son, so his nephew Ibrahim II was set on the throne. Ali I's queen Chand Bibi had to aid him until he came of age. Ibrahim II was noted for his valor, intelligence and leanings towards the Hindu music and philosophy. Under his patronage the Bijapur school of painting reached its zenith. Muhammad Adil Shah succeeded his father Ibrahim II. He is renowned for Bijapur's grandest structure, the Gol Gumbaz, which has the biggest dome in the world with whispering gallery round about slightest sound is reproduced seven times. He also set up the historical Malik-e-Maidan, the massive gun.
Ali Adil Shah II inherited a troubled kingdom. He had to face the onslaught of the Marathaleader Shivaji on one side and Mughal emperor Aurangzeb on another. His mausoleum, Bara Kaman, planned to dwarf all others, was left unfinished due to his death. Sikandar Adil Shah, the last Adil Shahi sultan, ruled next for fourteen stormy years. Finally on 12 September 1686, the Mughal armies under Aurangzeb overpowered the city of Bijapur.
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