Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah

Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah (r. 3 August 1347 - 1358), whose original name was Hasan Gangu or Hansan Kanku, and also bore the title of Zafar Khan, was the founder of the Bahmani sultanate.[1][2]

Ancestry and early life

Ala-ud-Din's origin is too obscure to admit or being traced. He is believed to be Turkic, who was a servant of an Brahmin astrologer named Gangu (Gangadhar Shastri Wabale) of Delhi[1][2]<ref name=https://books.google.se/books?id=1h9zzSH-NmwC&pg=PA437&lpg=PA437&dq=bahmani+dynasty+turkic&source=bl&ots=SK2igRaJp6&sig=b_Xe14OE6AXyBDaIecqCXkx2KeQ&hl=sv&sa=X&ei=OYSJVcHKOsaeywOUx6zIAQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=bahmani%20dynasty%20turkic&f=false>Cathal J. Nolan (2006). The Age of Wars of Religion, 1000-1650: An Encyclopedia of Global ..., Volym 1. p. 437. </ref> or Ala-ud-Din was a Brahmin convert; and form that source the dynasty got the name Bahmani.[3] Gangu began his career as a general serving under the Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq. He received the title of Zafar Khan after becoming a governor. In 1347 he was made commander of an army in Daulatabad. On 3 August 1347 Nasir-ud-Din Ismail Shah (Ismail Mukh, whom the rebel amirs of the Deccan placed on the throne of Daulatabad in 1345) abdicated in his favour and he set up the Bahmani Kingdom with its headquarters at Ahsanabad (Gulbarga).[4][5]

A coin of Ala ud din Bahman Shah

The reign

On establishing an independent kingdom Gangu took the title of Abu'l-Muzaffar Ala-ud-din Bahman Shah.[5][6] He gave Ismail Mukh a jagir near Jamkhandi and later conferred to him the highest title of his kingdom, Amir-ul-Umara. But Narayana, a local Hindu chieftain still succeeded in turning Ismail against Bahman Shah for a short period before he poisoned Ismail.[7]

Bahman Shah led his first campaign against Warangal in 1350 and forced its ruler Kapaya Nayaka to cede to him the fortress of Kaulas. His kingdom was divided into four provinces and he appointed a governor for each province.[7] During his reign Hasan fought many wars with Vijayanagar. By the time of his death the kingdom stretched from north to south from the Wainganga River to Krishna and east to west from Bhongir to Daulatabad.[8]

He was succeeded by his son Muhammad Shah I after his death in 1358.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2006). The Delhi Sultanate, Mumbai:Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, p.248
  2. 1 2 Bhattacharya, Sachchidananada. A Dictionary of Indian History (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1972) p. 100
  3. ↑ The Discovery of India, J.L.Nehru
  4. ↑ Mahajan, V.D. (1991). History of Medieval India, Part I, New Delhi:S. Chand, ISBN 81-219-0364-5, pp.279-80
  5. 1 2 Bhattacharya. Indian History. p. 928
  6. ↑ Bhattacharya. Indian History. p. 100
  7. 1 2 Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2006). The Delhi Sultanate, Mumbai:Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, pp.249-50
  8. 1 2 Bhattacharya. Indian History. p. 929
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