Tag Archives: Bidar

The Marathas Part 16 Raghunath Rao: Ambition Knows no Bounds

Canberra, 11 June 2022 As mentioned in the previous chapter, in June 1770 Madhav Rao was forced to hand over the Carnatic expedition to Trimbak Rao and return to Pune on account of his illness. He had inherited the tendency to be afflicted with consumption that had affected his father and grandfather and gradually the […]

Continue reading

The Marathas Part 11 Beginning of the Maratha Confederacy

Canberra, 30 October 2021 Aurangzeb’s death initiated the inevitable succession struggle. Shah Alam, the eldest surviving son based in Peshawar, reached Delhi first and claimed the throne after taking over the treasury. Azam Shah from Ahmednagar opposed him and started the march north, without concluding any formal agreement with the marauding Marathas. On the advice […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 75 The Tuluva Dynasty Section VIII: Rama Raya-Establishing Aravidu Rule

Canberra, 9 November 2019 The regency of Rama Raya can be divided into three distinct phases. The first phase is the time during which Rama Raya carried out the duties of the Regent diligently, ruling on behalf of the infant/boy-king. The inscriptions and chronicles of this period scrupulously maintain the authority of Sadasiva Deva as […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 75 Te Tuluva Dynasty Section VI: Diminishing Stature

Sydney, 7 October 2019 Krishna Deva Raya personally endorsed the appointment of Achyuta, his step brother, as the heir apparent. Krishna Deva had incarcerated Achyuta in Chandragiri when he ascended the throne to ensure that there would be no contest for the throne. Even though Achyuta was his step-brother, later events proved his selection to […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 73 The Sangama Dynasty Section V: Dynastic Greatness

Canberra, 19 May 2019 The order of succession on the demise of Deva Raya I is a bit confused. Different inscriptions provide perplexing evidence of two sons of Deva Raya I—Ramachandra and Vijaya—as well as a grandson Deva Raya II as ruling at the same time. Although this conflicting information has been gathered from inscriptions […]

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 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 67 The Nizam Shahis of Ahmadnagar Section II: Consolidation: Burhan Nizam Shahi II

Canberra, 4 August 2018 Burhan Nizam Shah was only seven years old when his father, Ahmad Nizam Shah the founder of the dynasty, died. Ahmad had elicited an oath of allegiance towards the young prince from his nobles. They were true to the oath and the business of governance was undertaken by nobles loyal to […]

Continue reading

Indian History Part 67 The Nizam Shahis of Ahmadnagar Section I: The Founding of a Kingdom

Canberra, 29 July 2018 During one of his frequent wars, Ahmad Shah Bahmani took a Brahmin boy captive and converted him to Islam, renaming him Malik Hussein. The boy proved to be extremely intelligent and endowed with considerable all-round ability. The Sultan had him educated along with his eldest son and heir apparent, Muhammad. Hussein […]

Continue reading