Category Kindoms of India

           The roots of the Bahmani kingdom can be traced back to a revolt led by Zafar Khan. Zafar Khan revolted against Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq of the Delhi Sultanate to establish South India’s first independent Islamic kingdom.

           The Bahmani capital was shifted from Hasanabad (Gulbarga) to Muhammadabad (Bidar). The former served as the capital from 1347 to 1425. The kingdom reached the peak of its power and glory during the rule of Mahmud Gawan. However, the Bahmani kingdom collapsed after it was attacked by Emperor Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire.

          The Bahmanis put great emphasis on education. Urdu flourished during their reign; learning of Persian and Arabic were also encouraged. It was in 1518 that the Bahmani power split into five states – Nizamshahi of Ahmednagar, Qutb Shahi of Golconda (Hyderabad), Baridshahi of Bidar, lmadshahi of Berar and Adilshahi of Bijapur. These five states are collectively known as the “Deccan Sultanates” today.

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           In the 14th century AD, while Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq’s rule terrified north India, two independent kingdoms emerged in the Deccan- the Vijayanagara and the Bahmani.

          The Bahmani kingdom located to the north covered parts of present Maharashtra, north Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, while the Vijayanagara Empire covered Andhra and Karnataka in the south.

           The regions between the rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra, and the Krishna-Godavari delta were abundant sources of fertile land suited for agriculture. The newly emerged kingdoms fought many wars to gain control over these regions. Wars were waged to control the Konkan coastline that had some major ports necessary for trade. The Bahmani kingdom controlled Golconda. It had diamond mines because of which, the kings of Vijayanagara were eager to conquer Golconda.

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           Art, architecture, and religion flourished in South India during the reign of the Hoysalas. Hundreds of temples scattered across Karnataka, noted for their attention to exquisite detail and skilled craftsmanship are the living examples of the architectural excellence of the Hoysala period.

           Many temples including the Chennakeshava Temple, Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple, Halebidu, and the Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura exhibit an amazing display of sculptural exuberance. In fact, the temple of Halebidu has been described as an important milestone in Indian architecture. It is a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site.

          The Hoysalas patronized Kannada scholars at a time when Sanskrit literature was popular. The Hoysala rulers used Kannada to state the terms of grants including information on the land, its boundaries, the participation of local authorities, rights and obligations of the grantee, taxes and dues, and witnesses.

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           Regions now known as Karnataka were under the Hoysala Empire for almost four centuries, starting from the 10th century. The Hoysala rulers belonged to Malenadu, an elevated region in the Western Ghats. The Western Chalukya Empire and Kalachuris of Kalyani were constantly at war with each other. The Hoysalas made the best out of this situation by annexing the areas of present-day Karnataka and the fertile areas north of the Kaveri delta in present-day Tamil Nadu. By the 13th century, most of Karnataka, small parts of Tamil Nadu, and parts of western Andhra Pradesh and Telangana came under Hoysala rule.

           Vishnuvardhana was one of the prominent Hoysala kings. It was Vishnuvardhana who extended the Hoysala territory by fighting against the Cholas, Pandyas and other kingdoms. He also shifted his capital from Velapura to Dvarasamudra in Karnataka. The Hoysala territories were taken over by Vijayanagara after Alauddin Khalji’s general Malik Kafur destroyed Dvarasamudra.

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           Warangal’s history is entwined with the Kakatiyas, a South Indian dynasty that made Warangal its capital. The ancestry of the Kakatiyas can be traced back to a legendary chief named Durjaya. Though many other dynasties of Andhra Pradesh claim to be the descendants of Durjaya, nothing much is known about him. The Kakatiyas worshipped goddess “Kakati” and hence the name Kakatiya.

           Ganapati Deva, who assumed the title of ‘Rayagajekesari’ is the most famous Kakatiya king. He ruled for over 62 years, starting from 1199. He fought battles against the Yadavas, Cholas, Kalingas and the rulers of Karnataka and Gujarat. The famous Tikkana Somayaji was his court poet. He also patronized trade and commerce.

           The famous Rudrama devi who ruled as a queen for thirty years was Ganapati Deva’s daughter. The Kakatiyas declined after they were defeated by Malik Kafur, Alauddin Khalji’s general. This happened during the reign of Prataparudradeva following which, it merged with the Bahmani kingdom.

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           Before the Seunas or Yadavas came to power, they were feudatories either of the Chalukyas or of the Rashtrakutas. Around the mid-12th century, the power enjoyed by the Chalukyas waned. The Yadava king Bhillama V utilized this opportunity to declare independence.

           The Yadava kingdom was at its utmost splendour under Singhana II. With its capital at Devagiri, it was almost as large as that of the western Chalukyas, covering present-day west Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh.

           Singhana’s court had members from different areas of expertise including writers and scientists. The Yadava territory was annexed by the Sultan of Delhi around 1317.

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