Madurai Sultanate

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The Madurai Sultanate (or the Ma'bar Sultanate) was a short lived kingdom based in the city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India during the 14th century CE. It lasted from 1333 until 1378.

The Madurai Sultanate was established by the invading armies of the Delhi Sultanate. Malik Kafur led an army against the Pandya kingdom in 1311 CE and sacked Madurai. Following this there were two other expeditions from the Delhi Sultanate in 1314 CE led by Khusrav Khan and in 1323 CE by Ulugh Khan. The armies were stationed in Madurai and the town and the its surrounds were ruled under the Madurai Sultanate in the name of Ulugh Khan, who had crowned himself as the Delhi Sultan under the name Muhammad bin Tughluq. The founder of the sultanate, Sayyid Jalal-ud-Din Ahsan was appointed governor of the newly created southern-most Ma'bar province of the Delhi sultanate by Muhammad bin Tughluq. In 1333 CE, he declared his independence. Ibn Battuta married one of his daughters.

Jalal-ud-Din Ahsan Shah was killed by one of his officers in 1339 CE. Ala-ud-Din Udauji Shah took power in 1339 CE, but met with the same fate shortly with a stray arrow which penetrated his head. Qutb-ud-Din Firuz Shah, son-in-law of Udauji Shah took over in 1340 CE and was killed in about forty days. Ghiyas-ud-Din Muhammad Damghan Shah, a trooper in the service of Muhammad-bin-Tughluq ascended the throne in 1340 CE and later married a daughter of Ahsan Shah. Ibn Battuta visited Madurai during his reign and he testifies to his atrocious behaviour. He was defeated by the Hoysala king Veera Ballala III at first, but later managed to capture and kill Veera Ballala III in 1343 CE. He died in 1344 CE and succeeded by his nephew Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Damghan Shah. He slew all the officers likely to disturb his possession of the throne. Shams-ud-Din Adil Shah, Fakhr-ud-Din Mubarak Shah and Ala-ud-Din Sikandar Shah followed him in succession.

Sikandar Shah was defeated by the army of Vijayanagara emperor Bukka led by his general Kumara Kampana Udaiyar and the sultanate became a part of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1378 CE. Soon Madurai was placed under the rule of the Nayaks.