Bahmani Kingdom

Quick Facts: Who was Bahmani Kingdom?

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Bahmani Kingdom

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A powerful late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan Plateau in India (1347–1527).

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Origins & Early Life

The Bahmani Kingdom, or the Bahmani Sultanate, was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan Plateau in India. The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellion of Ismail Mukh against Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the Sultan of Delhi. Ismail Mukh then abdicated in favour of Zafar Khan, who established the Bahmani Sultanate. The Bahmani Kingdom was perpetually at war with its neighbours, including its rival to the south, the Vijayanagara Empire, which outlasted the sultanate. The Mahmud Gawan Madrasa was created by Mahmud Gawan, the vizier regent of the sultanate from 1466 until his execution in 1481, during a conflict between the foreign (Afaqis) and local (Deccanis) nobility.

Career & Major Achievements

Bidar Fort was built by Ahmad Shah I (r. 1422–1436), who relocated the capital to the city of Bidar. Ahmad Shah led campaigns against Vijayanagara and the sultanates of Malwa and Gujarat. His campaign against Vijayanagara in 1423 included a siege of the capital, ending in the expansion of the Sultanate. Mahmud Gawan would later lead campaigns against Malwa, Vijayanagara, and the Gajapatis, and extended the sultanate to its maximum extent.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The sultanate began to decline under Mahmood Shah. Through a combination of factional strife and the revolt of five provincial governors (tarafdars), the Bahmani Sultanate split up into five states, known as the Deccan Sultanates. The initial revolts of Yusuf Adil Shah, Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah I, and Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk in 1490, and Qasim Barid I in 1492 saw the end of any real Bahmani power, and the last independent sultanate, Golkonda, in 1518, ended the Bahmanis' 180-year rule over the Deccan. The last four Bahmani rulers were puppet monarchs under Amir Barid I of the Bidar Sultanate, and the kingdom formally dissolved in 1527. Abd-al-Malek Esami, a contemporary historian, states that Bahman Shah was born in Ghazni, Afghanistan.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1347: 1347 Milestone — The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellion of Ismail Mukh against Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the Sultan of Delhi.
2. 1422: 1422 Milestone — 1422–1436), who relocated the capital to the city of Bidar.
3. 1423: 1423 Milestone — His campaign against Vijayanagara in 1423 included a siege of the capital, ending in the expansion of the Sultanate.
4. 1466: 1466 Milestone — The Mahmud Gawan Madrasa was created by Mahmud Gawan, the vizier regent of the sultanate from 1466 until his execution in 1481, during a conflict between the foreign (Afaqis) and local (Deccanis) nobility.
5. 1490: 1490 Milestone — The initial revolts of Yusuf Adil Shah, Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah I, and Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk in 1490, and Qasim Barid I in 1492 saw the end of any real Bahmani power, and the last independent sultanate, Golkonda, in 1518, ended the Bahmanis' 180-year rule over the Deccan.
6. 1527: 1527 Milestone — The last four Bahmani rulers were puppet monarchs under Amir Barid I of the Bidar Sultanate, and the kingdom formally dissolved in 1527.

Notable Quotes by Bahmani Kingdom

“The population of the Carnatic was so reduced that it did not recover for several ages.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Bahmani Kingdom

True or False: “Did the Bahmani Kingdom's initial establishment occur during a period of relative peace and stability in the Deccan?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The kingdom was established amidst rebellion when Ismail Mukh abdicated in favor of Zafar Khan due to unrest following Muhammad bin Tughlaq's rule.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Bahmani Kingdom