Krishnadevaraya's Bahmani expedition
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| Krishnadevaraya's Bahamani Expedition | |||||||||
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| Part of Bahmani–Vijayanagar Wars | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
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Bahmani Sultanate Sultanate of Bijapur Bidar Sultanate | Vijayanagara Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Mahmood Shah ii (WIA) Yusuf Adil Shah † Barid-i-Mamalik[1] Malik Ahmed Bahri Nuri Khan Khwaja-i-jahan Adil Khan Qutb-ul-Mulk Dastur-i-Mamalik Mirza Latf-ul-tab[2] | Krishnadevaraya | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| High | Less | ||||||||
The Krishnadevaraya's Bahamani Expedition was a pivotal event in the history of the Bahmani dynasty and the Vijayanagara Empire. It marked a significant escalation in tensions between the two powers.
Background
The primary objective of Krishnadevaraya, the ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, was to repel these invading forces and protect his territory.
In 1509, as per tradition, prominent Bahmani nobles gathered in Bidar and embarked alongside Mahmud Shah II on their routine expedition into the domain of Krishnadevaraya. However, they were met with unexpected resistance from the Vijayanagara forces. This resistance signaled a departure from past engagements, where the Bahmani forces had enjoyed relative freedom to plunder and devastate Vijayanagara territories.[1]
Campaign
Battle of Diwani
The Muslim armies, accustomed to unchecked progress, were halted at the unidentified town of Diwani, where they suffered a significant defeat in the ensuing battle. Mahmud Shah II himself was thrown from his horse and sustained serious injuries,[3] resulting in a slow recovery process.[1] Consequently, his nobles reluctantly agreed to end hostilities and retreated to Bidar.[4]
Battle of Kovilkonda
Krishnadevaraya, seizing the opportunity, relentlessly pursued the withdrawing Bahmani and Bijapuri forces, particularly targeting Yusuf Adil Khan. Their confrontation near Kovilkonda culminated in a decisive battle, resulting in Khan's demise. With the capture of the Kovilkonda city, Krishnadevaraya solidified his victory before returning to his capital city.[5][3]
Political Machinations and Vijayanagara Expansion
Capture of Raichur and Siege of Gulbarga
Taking advantage of the destabilized conditions prevailing in Bijapur, Krishnadevaraya, the ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, launched a series of military campaigns in the Krishna-Tungabhadra region. In A.D. 1512, he successfully captured the strategic stronghold of Raichur after advancing from the Krishna-Tungabhadra area. Following this conquest, Krishnadevaraya proceeded to Gulbarga, where he besieged the fort and inflicted a decisive defeat upon Barid-i-Mamalik and his allies who were defending the city.[1][6]
Siege of Bidar and Restoration of Mahmud Shah
Continuing his military endeavors, Krishnadevaraya marched towards Bidar in pursuit of Barid. Upon engaging in battle once again, he emerged victorious and captured the fort. As a testament to his diplomatic and strategic acumen, Krishnadevaraya restored Sultan Mahmud Shah to power in Bidar, symbolizing his commitment to fostering discord among his Muslim neighbors. In recognition of this significant act, Krishnadevaraya adopted the title of 'Yavana-rajya-sthapana-charya.'[1][7]
Krishnadevaraya's actions were not merely opportunistic but reflected his astute political calculations. By reinstating Sultan Mahmud Shah, Krishnadevaraya aimed to continue instability among the Muslim rulers of the Deccan, understanding that the continued presence of the Bahmani monarchy's shadow would prevent any lasting peace in the region.[1]
Aftermath
Following the initial skirmish with his adversaries, Krishnadevaraya devoted a period to reorganizing his military forces and transforming the disparate feudal levies into a formidable fighting unit within his capital.Although Yusuf Adil Shah had been succeeded by his young son, Ismail Adil Shah, as the nominal ruler of Bijapur, Kamal Khan wielded considerable power and harbored ambitions for the throne.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Majumdar, R.C (1967). History and Culture of the Indian People, Volume 06,The Delhi Sultanate. Public Resource. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. pp. 309–310.
- ^ Sarma, P. Sree Rama (1992), A History of Vijayanagar Empire, Prabhakar Publications, p. 79: "The Bahmani army headed by Mahmood Shah II marched out off Bidar. It was accompanied by Malik Ahmed Bahri, Nuri Khan, Khwaja-i-jahan, the Adil Khan, Qutb-ul-Mulk, Dastur-i-Mamalik, Mirza Latf-ul-tab and others. The progress of Bahmani troops was checked by Vijayanagara troops at Diwani, which place tremains unidentified."
- ^ a b Stoker, Valerie (2016-09-30). Polemics and Patronage in the City of Victory: Vyasatirtha, Hindu Sectarianism, and the Sixteenth-Century Vijayanagara Court. Univ of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-96546-1.
- ^ Sarma, P. Sree Rama (1992), A History of Vijayanagar Empire, Prabhakar Publications, p. 79: "The Bahmani army headed by Mahmood Shah II marched out off Bidar. It was accompanied by Malik Ahmed Bahri, Nuri Khan, Khwaja-i-jahan, the Adil Khan, Qutb-ul-Mulk, Dastur-i-Mamalik, Mirza Latf-ul-tab and others. The progress of Bahmani troops was checked by Vijayanagara troops at Diwani, which place tremains unidentified."
- ^ Eaton, Richard M. (2005), A Social History of the Deccan, 1300-1761: Eight Indian Lives, Cambridge University Press, p. 88, ISBN 978-0-521-25484-7: "The string began in 1509, when at Koilkonda, sixty miles southwest of Hyderabad, Krishna Raya defeated the last remnant of Bahmani power, Sultan Mahmud, along with Yusuf Adil Shah of Bijapur, who was killed in the engagement."
- ^ First Encyclopaedia of Islam: 1913-1936. BRILL. 1993. p. 128. ISBN 978-90-04-09796-4.
- ^ Reddy, Y. Gopala (1990). A Comprehensive History of Andhra. Victory Publishers. p. 80.