History of the Imad Shahi Kings of Berar
The Imad Shahi dynasty ruled Berar from 1490 to 1574. Founded by Fathullah Imad Shah (r: 1490-1504), this dynasty was one of the five Deccan sultanates. Originally a Hindu from Vijayanagar, Fathullah was captured in his youth by the Bahmanis and converted to Islam.
Fathullah's journey began as a bodyguard to Khan Jahan, the governor of Berar at the time. Through his dedication and skill, he earned the respect and trust of his master, eventually succeeding him as commander-in-chief in Berar.
Following Khan Jahan's death, Fathullah was made the Imad-ul-Mulk and the governor of Berar by Khawaja Mahmud Gawan, the prime minister. He actively participated in various campaigns led by Mahmud Gawan against Malwa, Orissa, and the Rayas in the Konkan region.
Shortly after the death of Mahmud Gawan in 1481, Fathullah broke away from the Bahmani kingdom and assumed royal titles alongside Malik Ahmad of Ahmednagar and Yusuf Adil of Bijapur. The capital of the Berar sultanate was Ellichpur (modern Achalpur).
The Deccan Sultanates - the Imad Shahis of Berar, the Adil Shahis of Bijapur (1490-1686), Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar (1490-1636), Barid Shahis of Bidar (1492-1619) and Qutub Shahis of Golconda (1518-1687) - were constantly at war with each other in order to expand their territories. Interestingly, Ahmednagar and Bijapur did not view Berar, Bidar, and Golconda as serious rivals deserving attention. Ahmednagar and Bijapur often formed alliances with one or two of these sultanates, but these alliances were not lasting and frequently changed. For instance, Berar would at times support Ahmednagar against Bijapur, only to later be called upon by Bijapur to aid in a conflict against Ahmednagar.
In 1527, Ala-ud-din married Khadija, the sister of Ismail Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur. Encouraged by Ismail Adil Shah and assisted by Quli Qutub Shah, the Sultan of Golconda, Ala-ud-din led an army to Ahmednagar and recaptured Pathri. However, the city was soon taken back by Burhan Nizam Shah, who had formed an alliance with Amir Barid, the Sultan of Bidar. Burhan then captured Mahur and advanced towards Ellichpur.
Ala-ud-din fled to Burhanpur and sought help from Miran Muhammad Shah, the ruler of Khandesh. Together, they marched against Burhan Nizam Shah but suffered a crushing defeat. Several places in Berar fell into the hands of Burhan and Amir Barid. Ala-ud-din and Miran Muhammad then turned to Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat for assistance.
Bahadur Shah accepted the request and arrived with a large army, with a view to establish his sovereignty over the Deccan. Ahmednagar was soon occupied.
Ala-ud-din and Miran Muhammad soon realized their mistake in inviting an outsider to settle their internal disputes. They deserted sultan Bahadur and aided Ahmednagar in resisting the invasion.
Burhan finally sought peace through Ala-ud-din and Miran Muhammad Shah. The approach of the rainy season made Bahadur Shah reconsider his decision to stay in the Deccan, prompting him to retreat while imposing harsh terms of peace on Burhan.
Ala-ud-din Imad Shah was eventually restored to the throne of Berar. While Burhan did return the elephants to Miran Muhammad Shah, he refused to hand over Pathri and Mahur to Ala-ud-din.
In 1548, when Ali Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur (r: 1557-1580), made alliance with Rama Raya, the ruler of Vijayanagar, against Ahmednagar, Hussein Nizam Shah made overtures to Darya and married his daughter Bibi Daulat. During the siege of Ahmednagar by the allied armies of Rama Raya and Ali Adil Shah, Darya a sent a large force under his brave general Jahangir Khan to join Hussein.
The allies faced intense pressure and ultimately lifted the siege of Ahmednagar. However, Hussein found himself in a difficult situation and ultimately sought peace. Rama Raya granted the request and peace was concluded. Unfortunately, one of the conditions of the peace treaty was the execution of Jahangir Khan, who had fought valiantly for Ahmednagar.
Tufal Khan, who was incensed against Hussein Nizam Shah for the execution of Jahangir Khan, saw an opportunity to join Hussein's enemies. In 1562, when Hussein formed an alliance with Ibrahim Qutub Shah, the Sultan of Golconda, to retake the fort of Kalyani from Bijapur, Tufal Khan sided with Ali Adil Shah. Berar did not participate in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 because they did not want to take part as long as Hussein Nizam Shah, who had murdered Jahangir Khan, was part of the coalition.
In the battle of Rakshasa and Tangadi, popularly known as Talikota, Rama Raya was defeated and beheaded. Historian Rafiuddin Shirazi mentions that Rama Raya's head was sent to Tufal Khan as he had not joined the confederation of the sultanates.
After Hussein Nizam Shah's death in 1565, Khandaza Sultana, the dowager queen, invited Tufal Khan to support her son, Murtaza Nizam Shah (r: 1565-1588). Together with Ibrahim Qutub Shah, they plundered Bijapur.
In 1566, Ali Adil Shah allied with Murtaza Nizam Shah (Khandaza Sultana) to wage war against Tufal Khan. Unable to withstand the combined forces of both kings, Tufal Khan secretly negotiated with Ali Adil Shah by offering valuable gifts. When Murtaza discovered this betrayal, he withdrew to Ahmednagar.
In 1572, Murtaza again marched against Berar, on the pretext of rescuing the imprisoned Burhan and restoring him to the throne. Tufal Khan suffered a crushing defeat and was forced to retreat to the fort of Narnala, while his son Shamshir-ul-Mulk sought refuge at Gavilgarh. The troops of Ahmednagar laid siege to Narnala which forced Tufal Khan to flee. Murtaza captured Narnala and other key forts in Berar.
Tufal Khan was eventually captured, and the fortress of Gavilgarh was also seized, leading to the capture of Shamshir-ul-Mulk, Tufal Khan's son.
Desperate for assistance, Tufal Khan appealed to Emperor Akbar at Delhi for help. Akbar dispatched an envoy to Murtaza Nizam Shah, urging him to cease his invasion of Berar, but Murtaza disregarded the warning.
Instead of restoring Burhan Imad Shah to the throne of Berar, Murtaza confined him, along with Tufal Khan and Shamshir-ul-Mulk, at Ahmednagar, where they met their death. Berar was then annexed to Ahmednagar.
Thus ended the kingdom of Fathullah Imad Shah in 1574. Berar remained under Ahmednagar's control until it was ceded to the Mughals in 1596.
Fathullah's journey began as a bodyguard to Khan Jahan, the governor of Berar at the time. Through his dedication and skill, he earned the respect and trust of his master, eventually succeeding him as commander-in-chief in Berar.
Following Khan Jahan's death, Fathullah was made the Imad-ul-Mulk and the governor of Berar by Khawaja Mahmud Gawan, the prime minister. He actively participated in various campaigns led by Mahmud Gawan against Malwa, Orissa, and the Rayas in the Konkan region.
Shortly after the death of Mahmud Gawan in 1481, Fathullah broke away from the Bahmani kingdom and assumed royal titles alongside Malik Ahmad of Ahmednagar and Yusuf Adil of Bijapur. The capital of the Berar sultanate was Ellichpur (modern Achalpur).
The Deccan Sultanates - the Imad Shahis of Berar, the Adil Shahis of Bijapur (1490-1686), Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar (1490-1636), Barid Shahis of Bidar (1492-1619) and Qutub Shahis of Golconda (1518-1687) - were constantly at war with each other in order to expand their territories. Interestingly, Ahmednagar and Bijapur did not view Berar, Bidar, and Golconda as serious rivals deserving attention. Ahmednagar and Bijapur often formed alliances with one or two of these sultanates, but these alliances were not lasting and frequently changed. For instance, Berar would at times support Ahmednagar against Bijapur, only to later be called upon by Bijapur to aid in a conflict against Ahmednagar.
Ala-ud-din Imad Shah (r: 1504-1530)
Fathullah was succeeded by his son, Ala-ud-din, in 1504. Disputes arose in 1518 between Ala-ud-din and Burhan Nizam Shah, the Sultan of Ahmednagar, over the town of Pathri in Berar. Burhan, whose ancestors hailed from Pathri, requested Ala-ud-din to cede the district in exchange for another district. Since Ala-ud-din refused, Burhan launched a surprise attack on Pathri and seized it.In 1527, Ala-ud-din married Khadija, the sister of Ismail Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur. Encouraged by Ismail Adil Shah and assisted by Quli Qutub Shah, the Sultan of Golconda, Ala-ud-din led an army to Ahmednagar and recaptured Pathri. However, the city was soon taken back by Burhan Nizam Shah, who had formed an alliance with Amir Barid, the Sultan of Bidar. Burhan then captured Mahur and advanced towards Ellichpur.
Ala-ud-din fled to Burhanpur and sought help from Miran Muhammad Shah, the ruler of Khandesh. Together, they marched against Burhan Nizam Shah but suffered a crushing defeat. Several places in Berar fell into the hands of Burhan and Amir Barid. Ala-ud-din and Miran Muhammad then turned to Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat for assistance.
Bahadur Shah accepted the request and arrived with a large army, with a view to establish his sovereignty over the Deccan. Ahmednagar was soon occupied.
Ala-ud-din and Miran Muhammad soon realized their mistake in inviting an outsider to settle their internal disputes. They deserted sultan Bahadur and aided Ahmednagar in resisting the invasion.
Burhan finally sought peace through Ala-ud-din and Miran Muhammad Shah. The approach of the rainy season made Bahadur Shah reconsider his decision to stay in the Deccan, prompting him to retreat while imposing harsh terms of peace on Burhan.
Ala-ud-din Imad Shah was eventually restored to the throne of Berar. While Burhan did return the elephants to Miran Muhammad Shah, he refused to hand over Pathri and Mahur to Ala-ud-din.
Darya Imad Shah (r: 1530-1562)
Darya, the son of Ala-ud-din, married his sister Rubia Sultana to Ibrahim Adil Shah, the ruler of Bijapur, in 1543.In 1548, when Ali Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur (r: 1557-1580), made alliance with Rama Raya, the ruler of Vijayanagar, against Ahmednagar, Hussein Nizam Shah made overtures to Darya and married his daughter Bibi Daulat. During the siege of Ahmednagar by the allied armies of Rama Raya and Ali Adil Shah, Darya a sent a large force under his brave general Jahangir Khan to join Hussein.
The allies faced intense pressure and ultimately lifted the siege of Ahmednagar. However, Hussein found himself in a difficult situation and ultimately sought peace. Rama Raya granted the request and peace was concluded. Unfortunately, one of the conditions of the peace treaty was the execution of Jahangir Khan, who had fought valiantly for Ahmednagar.
Burhan Imad Shah (r: 1562-1574)
Following Darya Imad Shah's reign, his infant son Burhan Imad Shah ascended to the throne in 1562, with Tufal Khan, his minister, acting as regent. When Burhan Imad Shah reached adulthood, Tufal Khan seized power and imprisoned the prince in the fortress of Narnala.Tufal Khan, who was incensed against Hussein Nizam Shah for the execution of Jahangir Khan, saw an opportunity to join Hussein's enemies. In 1562, when Hussein formed an alliance with Ibrahim Qutub Shah, the Sultan of Golconda, to retake the fort of Kalyani from Bijapur, Tufal Khan sided with Ali Adil Shah. Berar did not participate in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 because they did not want to take part as long as Hussein Nizam Shah, who had murdered Jahangir Khan, was part of the coalition.
In the battle of Rakshasa and Tangadi, popularly known as Talikota, Rama Raya was defeated and beheaded. Historian Rafiuddin Shirazi mentions that Rama Raya's head was sent to Tufal Khan as he had not joined the confederation of the sultanates.
After Hussein Nizam Shah's death in 1565, Khandaza Sultana, the dowager queen, invited Tufal Khan to support her son, Murtaza Nizam Shah (r: 1565-1588). Together with Ibrahim Qutub Shah, they plundered Bijapur.
Conquest of Berar by Ahmednagar
In 1566, Ali Adil Shah allied with Murtaza Nizam Shah (Khandaza Sultana) to wage war against Tufal Khan. Unable to withstand the combined forces of both kings, Tufal Khan secretly negotiated with Ali Adil Shah by offering valuable gifts. When Murtaza discovered this betrayal, he withdrew to Ahmednagar.
In 1572, Murtaza again marched against Berar, on the pretext of rescuing the imprisoned Burhan and restoring him to the throne. Tufal Khan suffered a crushing defeat and was forced to retreat to the fort of Narnala, while his son Shamshir-ul-Mulk sought refuge at Gavilgarh. The troops of Ahmednagar laid siege to Narnala which forced Tufal Khan to flee. Murtaza captured Narnala and other key forts in Berar.
Tufal Khan was eventually captured, and the fortress of Gavilgarh was also seized, leading to the capture of Shamshir-ul-Mulk, Tufal Khan's son.
Desperate for assistance, Tufal Khan appealed to Emperor Akbar at Delhi for help. Akbar dispatched an envoy to Murtaza Nizam Shah, urging him to cease his invasion of Berar, but Murtaza disregarded the warning.
Instead of restoring Burhan Imad Shah to the throne of Berar, Murtaza confined him, along with Tufal Khan and Shamshir-ul-Mulk, at Ahmednagar, where they met their death. Berar was then annexed to Ahmednagar.
Thus ended the kingdom of Fathullah Imad Shah in 1574. Berar remained under Ahmednagar's control until it was ceded to the Mughals in 1596.
Thanx sir
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