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Contribution of Qutubshahis to Andhra History and Culture-Regional Literature- Praja Kavi -Vemana and others
The history of India from the conquest of North India by Mohammed of Ghur in 1192 AD to the beginning of Mughal Empire in 1526 AD is usually considered the history of Delhi Sultanate. However, this sultanate was only a North Indian state for most of the time. Many Hindu states continued to exist throughout this period. Many more Hindu and Muslim states rose and declared independence from the Delhi sultanate after Mohammed Tughlak returned to Delhi from Doulatabad. The most important states in the Indian Continent besides Delhi sultanate at this time were Gajapati kingdom of Orissa, Bahmani sultanate of Central India, and the Vijayanagar Empire in the South India. Bahmani sultanate of Central India included the state of Telangana. This sultanate was established by Zafar Khan in 1345 AD after conquering Doulatabad. Zafar Khan, also known as Bahman Shaw, was a Turkish or Afghan officer of unknown descent. Bahmani sultans were as cruel as Delhi sultans. Bahman Shaw’s successor, Mohammed Shaw (1358-73) killed about half a million people in his incessant campaigns. Despite their many wars Mohammed Shaw and his successors could not expand their sultanate very much. Afnasiy Niktin, a Russian merchant, spent four years (1470-1474) in the sultanate and noted in his writings the great contrast between the enormous wealth of the nobility and the grinding POVERTY of the rural Population.
Bahmani kingdom disintegrated slowly and resulted in five new sultanates by 1526 AD. One of those sultanates was Golconda (Hyderabad), ruled by Qutub Shahi dynasty (1512-1687). The remaining were Imad Shahi Dynasty of Berar, Nizam Shahi Dynasty of Ahmad Nagar, Barid Shahi Dynasty of Bidar. In the north, notable dynasties were sultanates of Bengal, Malwa, Gujarat, and Kashmir. Qutub Shahis were Shia Muslims and belonged to a Turkman tribe from the Turkmanistan-Armenia region. Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk migrated to Delhi with some of his relatives and friends in the beginning of the 16th century. Later he migrated to Deccan (south) and served Bahmani sultan Mohammed Shaw. He conquered Golconda and became the Governor of Telangana State. Soon after, he declared independence from Bahmani sultanate took title Qutub Shah and established Qutub Shahi dynasty of Golconda. He was a contemporary of Srikrishnadevaraya and Achyutaraya ofVijayanagara dynasty. Qutubshahi dynasty was the first Muslim dynasty to rule Telugus. This effectively divided the Telugu nation into two countries, one Muslim ruled country (Telanagana State) and the other a Hindu ruled country. The Muslim rule of Telangana State continued until the Hyderabad State joined the Indian Union in 1948 with the military intervention (the police action) of New Delhi.
Qutub Shahi dynasty included the rule of Quli Qutub Shah (1512-1543), Jamshed Qutub Shah (1543-1550), Ibrahim Qutub Shah (1550-1580), Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah (1580-1611), Abdulla Hussain Qutub Shah (1611-1658), Abul Hasan Qutub Shah (1658-1687). Quli Qutub Shah extended his rule by capturing forts at Warnagal, Kondapalli, Eluru, and Rajamundry, while Krishnadevaraya was busy fighting the ruler of Orissa. He defeated Sitapati Raju alias Shitab Khan, the ruler of Khammam Mettu (Khammam) and captured the fort. He also forced Orissa ruler to surrender all the territories between the mouths of Krishna and Godavari rivers. He was able to occupy Eluru, Rajamundry and Machilipatnam extending his rule to coastal Andhra. Quli’s campaign against Krishnadevaraya continued until Timmarusu, the Prime Minister of Krishnadevaraya, defeated the Golconda army.
The main part of Golconda State was Telangana. Though, Telugu was not their mother tongue, Golconda rulers learned Telugu language. Quli didn’t discriminate against Hindus. He employed eligible Hindus in his court as governors (subedars) and officers. Quli’s son Jamshed was very cruel. He murdered his father, blinded his brother Kutbuddeen, the heir to the throne, and took over the throne. His younger brother Ibrahim ran away to Vijayanagara Empire. Emperor Aliya Ramamrayalu gave him shelter. During this period Ibrahim acquainted himself with Telugu literature and learned from the Ashtadiggajas like Bhattumurti. After the death of Jamshed, Ibrahim took over the Golconda throne. He respected Telugu poets in his court along with Arabic and Persian poets. Notable poets of Ibrahim Qutub Shah period were Singanacharyudu, Addanki Gangadharudu, and Kandukuru Rudrakavi. Singanacharyudu wrote Niroshthyaramayanamu, which described the story of Rama, son of King Dasaradha. Addanki Gangadharudu wrote Tapateesamvaropakhyanamu and dedicated it to Ibrahim Qutub Shah. Kandukuri Rudrakavi wrote a Prabandhamu called Nirankusopakhyanamu. He also wrote a yakshaganamu entitled Sugreeva Vijayamu. Yakshaganamu is a form of poetry in which an event or a series of events are narrated, intended to be chanted with action (on stage.) Ibrahim Qutub Shah gifted Rudrakavi with an entire village of Chintalapalem. Ibrahim Qutub Shah was praised by poets as “Malkibha-rama.” Gangadharudu described Ibrahim Qutub Shah as being drowned and absorbed in the “Bharataksheeramaya sindhu bandhu madhyalalita punyakatha sudhaalahari ( Join Our Telegram Channel