Ala-ud-Din Hasan Bahman Shah (born Zafar Khan; ; 1290–1292 – 10 February 1358) was the founder and Sultan of the Bahmani Sultanate from 3 August 1347 until his death in 1358.
Ancestry and early life
The precise origin and early life of Hasan Gangu, later known as Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah, are disputed. Contemporary and later sources provide conflicting accounts of his birthplace, ancestry, and social background.
The contemporary historian Abd-al-Malik Isami states that Hasan was born in Ghazni, in present-day Afghanistan. Other accounts have consequently described him as being of Afghan or Turkic origin. Firishta, however, while stating that Hasan was “by birth an Afghan”, rejected the genealogical traditions connecting him to the ancient Persian king Bahman and stated that his origins were too obscure to be reliably traced.
Another tradition, recorded by Firishta and discussed by R. C. Majumdar, states that Hasan was a native of Delhi and a servant of a Brahmin named Gangu. According to this account, Hasan was cultivating a field when he discovered a copper pot containing gold coins, which he handed over to his master. Impressed by his honesty, Gangu brought him to the attention of the Sultan, who appointed him to the command of one hundred horsemen. Gangu, who was an astrologer, is also said to have predicted Hasan’s future greatness. Majumdar discusses this tradition while describing Hasan’s origins as obscure and emphasizing his humble beginnings.
Some later sources explicitly describe Hasan as a convert to Islam. Anna Suvorova, in Masnavi: A Study of Urdu Romance, describes Hasan Gangu as a “newly converted” Muslim in her discussion of the Bahmani tradition. Jayanta Gaḍakarī’s Hindu-Muslim Communalism: A Panchnama goes further and explicitly describes Hasan Gangu as a Brahmin who converted to Islam.
In 1339, Zafar Khan participated in an uprising against the Tughlaqs. This turned out unsuccessful; he and his allies were exiled to Afghanistan the same year. He managed to return to the Deccan, and in 1346 he participated in a siege of Gulbarga, at the time under Tughlaq control. The siege proved successful.
He was made a governor. Zafar Khan rose to power during the Rebellion of Ismail Mukh and in 1347 he was made commander of an army in Daulatabad. On 3 August 1347, the Afghan noble Nasir-ud-Din Ismail Shah, also known as Ismail Mukh, whom the rebel amirs of the Deccan placed on the throne of Daulatabad in 1345, abdicated in favor of Zafar Khan, resulting in the establishment of the Bahmani Sultanate with its headquarters at Hasanabad (Gulbarga).Mahajan, V.D. (1991). History of Medieval India, Part I, New Delhi:S. Chand, , pp.279–80Bhattacharya. Indian History. p. 928 He was in charge of a three city jagir, with his main rule at Miraj.
Military campaigns Ala-ud-din Bahman Shah aspired to expand his dominion as far as Rameswaram, Ma'abar, or the Coromandel Coast, and subsequently aimed to conquer territories such as Malwa, Gujarat, Gwalior, and Delhi itself. However, his advisor, Malik Saifuddin Ghori, cautioned against this endeavor, citing the dense jungles and challenging terrain in the southern regions as unsuitable for a successful campaign. Instead, Malik advised the king to first pacify the Deccan plateau before advancing towards Malwa and Gujarat. Following this counsel, the king directed his military commanders to subdue various areas in the Deccan still held by those opposing his rule. Husain Gurshasp was tasked with Kotgir and Qandhar (Nanded), Raziud-din Qutb ul-Mulk with the southwest, Malik Maqbul (now Qir Khan) with Kalyani, Sikandar Khan with Telangana, and Ainu’d-din Kwaja-i Jahan led the army from Miraj to Gulbarga.
Capture of Kodgir The initial campaign was led by Gurshasp, who learned en route to Kodgir that the Tughlaq garrison stationed at Qandhar had switched allegiance to a new ruler, prompting the Hindu general Akraj to flee into the forests. Gurshasp then proceeded towards Qandhar, where he personally accepted the garrison's allegiance on behalf of Ala-ud-din Bahman Shah. Subsequently, he advanced towards Kodgir, compelling its garrison to surrender and securing the city without resorting to plunder, opting instead to safeguard both the city and its populace.
Subjugation of Southwest region Qutb ul-Mulk, dispatched to the southwest, successfully seized control of Maram, Mahendri, and Akkalkot, renaming the latter as Sayedabad. He issued a decree granting pardon to all who pledged allegiance. Furthermore, Qutb returned all confiscated possessions to their rightful owners and ensured the safety of local Hindu landlords. He strictly prohibited any plunder by his troops. Despite commanding a relatively small army, Qutb ul-Mulk's efficient leadership brought the entire region under the protection of Daulatabad.
Siege of Kalyan fort Qir Khan embarked on the mission to seize the formidable Kalyan fort, later known as the Basavakalyan fort, but encountered resistance as it was unprepared to yield. Following a grueling five-month siege, the Tughlaq garrison finally capitulated. Qir Khan accepted their surrender, ensuring the safety of all lives and properties within the fort.
Reign
Upon establishing an independent kingdom, Zafar Khan took the title of Abu'l-Muzaffar Ala-ud-din Bahman Shah. 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.
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. During his reign Hasan fought many wars with Vijayanagara. 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.Bhattacharya. Indian History. p. 929
He was succeeded by his son Mohammed Shah I after his death in 1358.
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