The Sultanate of Bidar was an early modern Indian polity that ruled a territory in the central Deccan centred at Bidar.[4] As one of the Deccan sultanates, the sultanate's initial territory corresponded to that of one of the five provinces of the Bahmani Sultanate, and under the rule of Qasim Barid I in 1492 assumed de facto control of state affairs of the Bahmani Sultanate. Leadership passed to his sons; Amir Barid I in 1504 and Ali Barid Shah I in 1542. Starting from the 1580s as a result of Ali's death, a wave of successions occurred in the rulership of the dynasty which ended in 1609 under the last sultan, Amir Barid III. He was eventually defeated in 1619 by Ibrahim Adil Shah II of the Sultanate of Bijapur, who annexed the territory of the Bidar Sultanate into his realm.

Sultanate of Bidar
1492–1619
Bidar Sultanate in the 1525, with neighbouring polities.[1]
CapitalBidar
Common languagesPersian (official)[2]
Deccani Urdu, Kannada
Religion
Sunni Islam[3]
GovernmentMonarchy
Sultan 
• 1489 – 1504
Qasim Barid I
• 1609 – 1619
Amir Barid Shah III (last)
History 
• Established
1492
• Disestablished
1619
CurrencyMohur
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Bahmani Sultanate
Bijapur Sultanate
Today part ofIndia

History

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Tombs of the Bidar Shahi sultans at Barid Shahi Park in Bidar

Qasim Barid and Amir Barid

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The sultanate was founded in 1492 by Qasim Barid I,[5] who was a Turk[6][7][8][9] or Georgian and enslaved by Turks.[10] He joined the service of the Bahmani Sultan Muhammad Shah III. He started his career as a sar-naubat, and was made kotwal of Bidar by Nizam-ul-Mulk Bahri for helping the Deccanis in the massacre of the foreign population at Bidar.[11] However, he later became the mir-jumla (prime minister) of the Bahmani sultanate. During the reign of Mahmood Shah Bahmani II (r. 1482 – 1518), he became the de facto ruler of the Bahmani Sultanate.[12]

After the death of Mahmud Shah Bahmani in 1518, he was succeeded by four sultans, one after another, but they were mere puppets in the hands of Amir Barid.[13][14]

When the last Bahmani ruler Kalimullah fled to Bidar in 1527, Amir Barid I became practically independent, as his de jure suzerain's state ceased to exist.[12] However, he never assumed any royal title.[15]

Ali Barid Shah

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In 1542, Amir was succeeded by his son Ali Barid Shah I, who was the first to assume the royal title of Shah.[16] Ali Barid joined the other Deccan sultans in the Battle of Talikota against the Vijayanagar Empire in January 1565.[17]

Later rulers

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After his death in 1580, Ali Barid was succeeded by his son Ibrahim Barid, who ruled for seven years until his death in 1587.[18] He was succeeded by his younger brother Qasim Barid II.[19] After his death in 1591, he was succeeded by his infant son Ali Barid II, who was soon dethroned by one of his relative, Amir Barid II. In 1601, he was also overthrown by one of his relative, Mirza Ali Barid.

In 1609, he was succeeded by the last ruler, Amir Barid III,[19] who fought against the Mughals in 1616 under the leadership of Malik Ambar. In 1619, he was defeated by the Bijapur sultan Ibrahim Adil Shah II. Bidar was annexed to Bijapur sultanate. Amir Barid III and his sons were brought to Bijapur and kept "under surveillance".[20]

Culture

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The rulers patronized Persianate culture. Persian poetry is inscribed on their tombs.

Architecture

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The Bidar Sultanate made considerable additions to the Bidar Fort. Their tombs, the Barid Shahi tombs, were their main architectural pursuits, and are also located at Bidar.[21][22][23] The rulers employed Hindu architects and engineers for the construction of these buildings, which resulted in amalgamation of some Hindu features within the architecture of this period.[24]

Rulers

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Name Reign
Qasim Barid I 1489 – 1504
Amir Barid I 1504 – 1542[25]
Ali Barid Shah I 1542 – 1580[26]
Ibrahim Barid Shah 1580 – 1587
Qasim Barid Shah II 1587 – 1591
Ali Barid Shah II 1591
Amir Barid Shah II 1591 – 1601
Mirza Ali Barid Shah III 1601 – 1609
Amir Barid Shah III 1609 – 1619
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See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ For a map of their territory see: Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 39, 147. ISBN 0226742210.
  2. ^ Spooner & Hanaway 2012, p. 317.
  3. ^ Philon, Helen (2019). "Barīd Shāhīs". In Fleet, Kate; Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John; Rowson, Everett (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam (3rd ed.). Brill Online. doi:10.1163/1573-3912_ei3_COM_25225. ISSN 1873-9830.
  4. ^ "Barīd Shāhī dynasty | Muslim dynasty". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  5. ^ Sen 2013, p. 118.
  6. ^ Khan, Iqtidar Alam. Historical dictionary of medieval India. No. 20. Scarecrow Press, 2008."The founder of the Barid Shahi dynasty of Bidar was the son of a Bahmani noble of Turkish origin, Qasim Barid"
  7. ^ Bolar, Varija R. "Turks in Karnataka." International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies 4, no. 1 (2012): 419-428.“The Barid Shahi kingdom was established by a Turk named Qasim Barid who had come to Bidar in 1463 AD”
  8. ^ Ali, Shanti Sadiq. The African Dispersal in the Deccan: From Medieval to Modern Times. Orient Blackswan, 1996.“It may be noted here that Qasim Barid, the Kotwal of Bidar, though of Turkish origin succeeded in imposing his influence on Sultan Shihabu'd-din Mahmad”
  9. ^ Syed, Muzaffar H. History of Indian Nation: Medieval India. Vol. 2. KK Publications, 2022. p.37. “that he left the administration in the hands of one Turk noble, Qasim Barid.”
  10. ^ Bosworth 1996, p. 324.
  11. ^ J. Sarkar (1972). Maharashtra State Gazetteers. History: Mediaeval period, by B.G. Kunte.- pt. 3. Maratha period, by J. Sarkar and others. Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Department. p. 214.
  12. ^ a b Majumdar 1974, p. 466.
  13. ^ "India - Bahmanī consolidation of the Deccan". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  14. ^ Haig 1928, pp. 431.
  15. ^ Yazdani, 1947, pp. 25.
  16. ^ Yazdani, 1947, pp. 13.
  17. ^ Majumdar 1974, p. 467.
  18. ^ Yazdani, 1947, pp. 160.
  19. ^ a b Yazdani, 1947, pp. 14.
  20. ^ Majumdar 1974, pp. 466–468.
  21. ^ Law, John. Modern Hyderabad (Deccan). pp. 15–17.
  22. ^ "Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  23. ^ Mitchell & Zebrowski 1999, p. 14.
  24. ^ Yazdani, 1947, pp. 26.
  25. ^ Haig 1928, pp. 429.
  26. ^ Haig 1928, pp. 681 & 683.

Bibliography

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