Archive | Volume VI RSS feed for this section

Indian History Part 69 The Deccan Shahis – Other Aspects Section II: The Cultural Front

Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand 6 January 2019 The Deccan Shahi kings were generally great patrons of art and literature and some of the kings were poets and litterateurs of some repute. This patronage was particularly demonstrated in Golconda under the Qutb Shahis who assiduously cultivated the arts. Languages Medieval Deccan saw the development of a […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 69 Deccan Shahis – Other Aspects Sect I: Administration, Military and Foreign Affairs

Singapore, 29 December 2019 The Deccan was ruled for more than three centuries by Muslim kings, starting with the Bahmanis in early to mid-1300s during their highly centralised independent rule and continuing even after the splintering of the Bahmani kingdom into the five successor states—of these, Bijapur, Ahmadnagar and Golconda were the more prominent. Even […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 68 The Qutb Shahis of Golconda-Hyderabad Section VI: The Obliteration of a Dynasty

Singapore, 27 December 2018 Abdullah Qutb Shah left no male heirs to succeed him. He had three daughters—the eldest was married to the Mughal prince Muhammad Sultan, who was imprisoned for life by his father during the succession struggle for the Mughal throne. The second was married to Mirza Nizam ud-Din Ahmed of Mecca who […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 68 The Qutb Shahis of Golconda-Hyderabad Section V: Plateauing and Decline

Canberra, 08 December 2018 Muhammad Quli was succeeded to the throne by Muhammad Qutb Shah, the son of his brother Muhammad Amin who had pre-deceased him. The nephew Muhammad was also Muhammad Quli’s son-in-law, having married his daughter Hayat Bakshi Begum in 1607. There was some fear amongst the nobles that other contenders to the […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 68 The Qutb Shahis of Golconda-Hyderabad Section IV Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah

Canberra, 1 December 2018 FOCUS ON CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Ibrahim left behind six surviving sons and was succeeded by his third son, Muhammad Quli. Obviously some palace intrigue took place, as the eldest did not automatically ascend the throne. It is highly likely that Muhammad was elevated to the throne by ambitious nobles since he was […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 68 The Qutb Shahis of Golconda-Hyderabad Section III Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah

Canberra, 18 November 2018 INCREASING POWER AND STATURE Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah was the first of the dynasty to assume royal regalia and the title ‘Shah’, the accepted title for a king. He was also the first to be accepted by other contemporary kings as the ruler of the newly established kingdom with Golconda as […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 68 The Qutb Shahis of Golconda Section II: Containing Instability

Canberra, 3 November 2018 Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk was succeeded on the throne by his son Jamshid, who was not the appointed heir apparent. Jamshid had come to the throne by force after capturing and blinding his elder brother Qutb ud-Din. In combination with the rumours of his involvement in the murder of his father Qutb-ul-Mulk, […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 68 The Qutb Shahis of Golconda Section I: A Kingdom is established

Canberra, 3 November 2018 In medieval times, the tribe of Qara Quyunla held sway over some territory that was spread between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Timur defeated the tribe during his devastating conquest of Central Asia and the Quyunla were forced to flee to Egypt. On Timur’s death and the subsequent disintegration of his empire, the […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 67 The Nizam Shahis of Ahmadnagar Section VII: The End – Chand Bibi’s Finest Hour

Singapore, 6 October 2018 Akbar had offered military assistance to Burhan Nizam Shah in 1590-91 to claim what Burhan perceived as his right to the throne by deposing his minor son who had been placed on the throne. In return, Burhan had made a vague promise that once he was ensconced on the throne, the […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 67 The Nizam Shahis of Ahmadnagar Section VI: The Beginning of the End

Singapore, 1 October 2018 Husain Nizam Shah II was enthroned on the death or murder of his father. Whether the old king was murdered is not clear and would therefore depend on the narrative that one believes in. On becoming king, Husain bestowed favours and rewards on anyone who approached him, irrespective of the services […]

Continue reading