Bahmani kingdom [1347-1527] – GK Notes

The Bahmani Sultanate, or Bahmani Empire, was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India. It was a major medieval Indian kingdom. During the medieval period, the Bahmani Sultanate was regarded as the first independent Islamic power in south India.

This article discussed the key points and GK of the Bahmani kingdom. These important points can be used as NCERT notes, and useful for UPSC prelims and other competitive government job examinations.

Historical Background

Some historical accounts claim that Zafar Khan (either Afghan or Turk origin) was formerly a slave of Gangu who was a Brahmin ruler. Therefore he got the name Hasan Gangu. He served as Sultan Tughlaq’s commander. According to a different myth, Hassan was acquainted with the ancient Persian king Bahaman Shah. But there’s no proof to back up the claims.

During the latter part of Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s reign, most of the Deogir or Daulatabad elites became rebellious. Jaffna Khan Hasan was the leader of these rebel elites. He ascended the throne of Daulatabad with the name ‘Alauddin Bahman Shah’. He was a Bahmani noble of Gulbarga. The independent Bahmani Empire arose in the Deccan region of South India. This empire lasted from 1347-1526 AD.

Rulers of the Bahmani Empire

The 14 sultans who ruled the Bahmani kingdom for more than two centuries. They had contributed to the rich historical record of the Bahmani sultanate. Important points of these sultans are discussed below.

Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah [1347-1358 AD]

• His real name was Hasan Gangu.
• He was also well-known as Zafar Khan.
• 1339: He served for Muhammad bin Tughluq as a noble.
• 1347: He established the Bahmani kingdom.
• He was an efficient, kind, and benevolent ruler.
• 1347: He shifted his capital from Daulatabad to Gulbarga.
• 1347: He divided the entire empire into four Tarafs or provinces.
• These were Gulbarga, Daulatabad, Berar and Bidar.
• 1350: He captured the fortress of Kaulas of Kakatiya kingdom (Warangal).
• 1358: He died in 1358 AD.

Muhammad Shah-I [1358-1375 AD]

• 1358: Muhammad Shah-I ascended to the throne after his father, Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah’s death.
• 1360-1363: He was engaged in a long struggle with the Hindu kingdoms of Warangal and Vijayanagara.
• 1360: He successfully captured the city of Warangal.
• 1363: He sieged the Vijayanagara Empire, but failed to conquer the capital city.
• He successfully suppressed internal rebellions.
• 1375: Muhammad Shah-I died.

Alauddin Mujahid [1377-1378 AD]

• 1377: Alauddin Mujahid ascended to the throne.
• 1377-1378: He was defeated in two battles with Vijayanagara.
• Because he gave more importance and status to the foreign Turkish and Persian emirs (male monarchs), he clashed with the southern emirs Umrahs.
• 1378: He was killed by the next ruler Daud Khan.
• His reign was short.

Muhammad Shah II [1378-1397 AD]

• 1358: Muhammad Shah-ll ascended the throne.
• 1380: He sieged the Vijayanagara Empire, but failed to conquer the capital city.
• 1389: He shifted the capital from Gulbarga to Bidar.
• He was very fond of art and literature.
• He maintained friendly relationships with his neighbors.
• He was kind and a peace lover.
• He built several Maktabs, Mosques, and Khankas within the state.
• 1397: Sultan died.

Ghiyasuddin and Samsuddin [1397 AD]

• After Muhammad Shah’s death, his two sons Ghiyasuddin and Samsuddin occupied the throne of the Bahmani Empire for a few months.
• They agreed to a joint rule. Ghiyasuddin was the primary ruler and Samsuddin served as his deputy.

Firoz Shah Bahmani [1397-1422 AD]

1. 1397: Firoz Shah Bahmani ascended to the throne.
2. 1398: Started Military Campaign against Warangal.
3. 1398 & 1406: He defeated Vijaynagar twice.
4. 1406: He defeated Deva Raya I and married Deva Raya-I’s daughter.
5. 1419: But he was defeated by Deva Raya I at Pangal.
6. 1417: Feroz Shah conquered Telangana.
7. He was the greatest Sultan of the Bahmani Empire.
8. He renovated two ports called Chaul and Dabhol.
9. After losing this battle, the Deva Raya I occupied Raichur and Doab.
10. Feroze Shah appointed Hindus and Brahmins in the administrative department.
11. Built an observatory at Daulatabad for the practice of astronomy.
12. According to historian Ferista, he was proficient in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Marathi languages besides Persian, Arabic, and Turkish.
13. He was a great poet and calligrapher.
14. He had a profound knowledge of theology, botany, medicine, economics and metaphysics.

Ahmad Shah [1422-1436 AD]

1. 1422: Ahamd Shah Bahman ascended to the throne on 22nd September.
2. 1424-1425: He attacked Warangal, conquered its fortress, captured immense treasures and killed its ruler.
3. 1425: He shifted the capital from Gulbarga to Bidar.
4. Ahmad Shah was the brother of Feroz Shah Bahmani.
5. He conquered Vijayanagara and Warangal.
6. He also defeated the rulers of Malab and Konkan.
7. At this time sectarian conflict started among the Muslims.
8. His royal court was decorated by Khorasan poets Hazari and Maulana Sharafuddin.
9. 1436: He died.

Alauddin Shah II [1436-1457 AD]

• 1436: Ascended to the throne on 17 April.
• After that he suppressed the revolts of Khandesh and Konkan.
• 1443: Vijayanagara ruler Deva Raya II attacked the Raichur Doab at this time. Alauddin Shah II defeated him. Deva Raya II promised to give regular tax in the future.
• During this time the conflict between southern and foreign Amirs became intense.
• 1457: He died.

Humayun Shah [1457-1461 AD]

• He was an inefficient and tyrannical ruler.
• He was one of the most cruel rulers.
• People call him ‘Zalim‘.

Nizam Shah [1461-1463 AD]

• He ascended the throne as a child.
• During his time the kings of Orissa and Telangana invaded the Bahmani kingdom.

Muhammad Shah III [1463-1482 AD]

• 1463: He became the king at the age of nine.
• Muhammad Shah III was a characterless, tempered, alcoholic, and incompetent ruler.
• During his reign, Prime Minister Mahmud Gawan became the head of the state.
• Mahmud Gawan made his kingdom powerful.
• Mahmud held the post of vizier of the Bahmani Empire for life.

Info: Nargis Begum’s voluntary retirement from politics made Mahmud Gawan the ruler of the Bahmani empire.

The author of Burhan-i- Ma’asir wrote. ” …. Mahmud’s attacked on Konkan seized many forts and towns and captured booty, precious jewels and pearls, horses, elephants, maidens and female slaves ,etc… ..”.

Conquest of Shah III

1. 1469: Mahmud Gawan attacked the Hindu Raja of the Konkan. Successfully captured several forts.
2. 1469: Captured Goa, the topmost Port of Vijaynagar empire.
3. 1478: Muhammad Shah III invaded Orissa and got some valuable gifts from there.
4. 1481: He advanced to Kanchi in Vijayanagara, attacked Kanchi, and plundered and captured precious jewels from the old temples.
5. He conquered Malab with the help of Gujarat state.
6. occupied large areas including Dabhol and Kondavi on the west coast and Rajahmundry on the east coast.
7. Bahmani kingdom’s trade increased with Iraq and Iran.
8. He also won against the kingdoms of Konkan and Orissa.

Administrative Reforms:

• He took special measures to prevent administrative corruption and anarchy.
• He divided the entire Bahmani kingdom into eight (previously four) factions.
• He prepared the list of usufructuary by surveying the land of the entire region of the state.
• He tried to maintain a balance between southern and foreign Muslims in the state.
• Russian traveler Athanasius Nikitin stayed at Bidar from 1470-1478 AD and wrote about the city.
• As a result of the conspiracy of the southern emirs, Muhammad III ordered the execution of Shah Gawan in 1481 AD.
• With Gawan’s death, the fall of the Bahmani Empire began.
• He built a huge madrasah in Bidar region.
• Muhammad Shah III died in 1482 AD.

Mamud Gawan [1482-1518 AD]

• Mahmud Gawan was a prime minister of Muhammad Shah III.
• He was an Iranian by birth
• During Mahmud Gawan’s reign, the conflict between southern and foreign Muslims took a terrible shape.
• Provincial rulers rejected the Sultan’s authority.
• 5 separate kingdoms were created after breaking away from the Bahmani empire.
• These are Bijapur, Ahmednagar, Bera, Golconda and Bidar

Kalimullah Shah [1525-1527 AD]

• He is the last Sultan of Bahmani kingdom.
• With his death in 1527 AD, Bidar declared independence and the independent Bahmani kingdom came to an end.

Educational Contribution of Bahmani Kingdom

1. The Bahmani rulers promoted education by establishing schools, madrasas, and libraries.
2. The rulers were Patronage of Scholars to made contributions to a variety of academic fields, including science, philosophy, and literature.
3. They were also enthusiastic in the fields of astronomy, medicine, and mathematics.
4. A multilingual environment that promotes a multicultural and multilingual atmosphere.
5. They also promoted the Persian and Arabic languages.
6. In the Deccan, the Urdu language witnessed an upsurge.

Art and Architecture

1. Bahmani sultans were attracted to art and architecture.
2. Juma Masjid at Gulbarga, Golconda Fort, Golgumbaz at Bijapur, Madrasas of Muhammad Gawan, Bidar Fort, Bahmani Tombs etc were built by the Bahmani Sultans in the region.
3. Hasan Gangu built the Chand Minar in Daulatabad.
4. They also founded Firozabad city.

Conclusion