Bahmani Kingdom – Its Growth and Age of Mahmud Gawan

Bahmani kingdom was founded by an Afghan noble Alauddin Hasan whose family was in the service of Sultan Alauddin Khilji. The kingdom was founded on the remains of capital city of Daultabad of Sultan Muhammad Bin Tughlaq. Hasan consolidated his power and established the kingdom in c. 1347. Vijayanagara Kingdom and Bahamanid were contemporaries and were in conflict with each other for the control of Tungabhadra doab in Krishna-Godavari delta.

Also Read : Vijayanagara Empire – Foreign Accounts and Nature of State

Vijayanagara Empire – Origin, Nature of State and Conflicts with Bahamanid

Historiography – the way of History-Writing

Growth of Bahmani Kingdom

Alauddin Hasan raised the prestige of family. He called himself as the descendent of Iranian Heroes, Isfandar and Bahman, hence adopted the name of Bahmani and came to known as Alauddin Bahmani Shah. Hence, the kingdom came to known as Bahmani kingdom. The most remarkable figure of Bahmani dynasty was Firoz Shah Bahmani who ruled from c. 1397 to c. 1422. He was well-acquainted with religious science i.e., commentaries on the Quran, jurisprudence etc.

He was very fond of logic and of natural science. He was a good calligraphist and a poet of Telegu, Kannada and Marathi. He welcomed learned men form the Delhi sultanate and Iran and Iraq as well. He was also very fond of drinking wine and listening to music. He took number of steps on large scale for including Hindus in his administration system. Bahmani sultans were tolerant in the religious matters as Jizyah was imposed on the Hindus.

Firoz also built observatory near Daultabad. He started expansion towards Berar but he was defeated by Deva Raya of Vijayanagara. Late, Firoz was succeeded by Ahmad Shah and the struggle between Bahamanid and Vijayanagara continued.

The Age of Mahmud Gawan (c. 1463 – c. 1482)

The second half of the 15^th century saw a gradual rise on the power of Bahmani kingdom as Ahmad Shah conquered Warangal. They spread power to Berar and Khandesh, towards Konkan that brought them in conflict with Malwa and Gujarat. An Iranian, Mahmud Gawan appointed as a member of council of regency, that set up to look after offices of state. In c. 1463, new prince seated on throne who appointed Gawan as wakil-i-sultanate (prime minister) with the title of Khwaja-i-Juhan and Malik-ut-Tajjar.

Gawan dominated the affairs of the state for twenty years and tried to expand and came into conflict with the Gajapati ruler of Odisha and Vijayanagara kingdom to oust him. He captured Babhal and Goa from Vijayanagara Empire. He tries to settle northern frontier. He carried out number of reforms from which some were aimed to limit the power of nobles. The old provinces (tarafs) further sub-divided into eight and governed directly elected officials by Sultan.

The salaries of each noble were fixed. He patronised art and culture. He built Madarsa in Bidar with 1000 teachers ad students with free facilities. Nobles were divided into old comers and new commers or Deccanis and Afaqis. By c. 1482, Gawan dies and Bahmani kingdom was divided into five principalities; Golconda, Berar, Bidar, Ahmednagar and Bijapur.

Thus, Bahmani Kingdom acts as cultural bridge between north and south, established relation with west Asia, Iran and Turkey.