(Contributed by Dr. K.S.S. Seshan of the University of Hyderabad)
Source: Revenue Department (Gazetteers), Government of Andhra Pradesh The disastrous fall of Warangal in A.D.1323 brought the Andhras,
for the first time in their history, under the yoke of an alien ruler,
the Muslims. In A.D.1347 an independent Muslim State, the Bahmani
kingdom was established in south India by Alla-ud-din Hasan Gangu by
revolting against the Delhi Sultanate. To stabilise his position, Hasan
waged wars to annexe the two neighbouring Hindu kingdoms, Warangal,
under the Musunuri Nayakas, and Vijayanagar, which was under the Rayas.
He occupied the area up to the river Tungabhadra in A.D.1358, and
shifted his capital from Daulatabad to Gulbarga. The Hindu rulers,
however, reoccupied their lost territory during the period between
A.D.1358--75. Harihara Raya II of Vijayanagar conquered many areas
which were under the Bahmanis during the period of Muhammad Shah II
(A.D.1378-1397). The successors of Muhammad Shah II, who were also
hostile to Rayas of Vijayanagar, waged wars against them. But they were
defeated by the Vijayanagar armies. During the reign of Muhammad III
(A.D.1463--82), the Bahmanis, for the first time, extended their empire
from sea to sea and thereby got into their possession a large part of
the Telugu area, namely, the area north of the Krishna up to the coast
and the present Guntur district. By the end of the 15th century the
Bahmani rule was plagued with faction fights and there came into
existence the five Shahi kingdoms, the Nizamshahis of Ahmadnagar, the
Adilshahis of Bijapur, the Imadshahis of Berar, the Qutbshahis of
Golconda and the Baridshahis of Bidar. Thereafter, the rule of the
Bahmani dynasty came to an end in A.D.1527. Of the five Shahi
dynasties, it was the Qutbshahi dynasty that played a significant and
notable role in the history of Andhras. |