Qutb Shahi dynasty
Encyclopedia
The Qutb Shahi dynasty was a Turko-Persian
dynasty ; its members were collectively called the Qutub Shahis. They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golkonda
in modern-day Andra Pradesh, India
. They were Shia Muslim
s and belonged to Kara Koyunlu
. As the kingdom was not heavily militarized, Golkonda
tried to stay neutral and avoided any war scenario.
The dynasty's founder, Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk, migrated to Delhi
with some of his relatives and friends in the beginning of the 16th century. Later he migrated south, to Deccan and served Bahmani sultan
, Mohammad Shah. He conquered Golconda, after the disintegration of the Bahmani Kingdom into the five Deccan sultanates
. Soon after, he declared independence from the Bahmani Sultanate, took the title Qutub Shah, and thus established Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda. Though the state was islamic, some Hindus did rise to prominence in the Qutb Shahi state, the most important example being the ministers Madanna and Akkanna
. The dynasty ruled Golconda for 171 years, until the Mughal
emperor Aurangzeb
conquered the Deccan in 1687.
s were great builders and patron
s of learning
. They not only patronized the Persian culture
but also the regional culture of the Deccan, symbolized by the Telugu language
and the newly developed Deccani idiom of Urdu
. The main part of Golconda State was Telangana. Although Telugu was not their mother tongue, the Golconda rulers learned Telugu. Golconda and later Hyderabad served as capitals of the sultanate, and both cities were embellished by the Qutb Shahi sultans. The seven sultan
s in the dynasty
were:
The tombs of the Qutb Shahi sultans lie about one kilometer north of Golkonda's outer wall. These structures are made of beautifully carved stonework, and surrounded by landscaped gardens. They are open to the public and receive many visitors.
Turko-Persian tradition
The composite Turko-Persian tradition was a variant of Islamic culture. It was Persianate in that it was centered on a lettered tradition of Iranian origin; it was Turkic insofar as it was for many generations patronized by rulers of Turkic background; it was Islamic in that Islamic notions of...
dynasty ; its members were collectively called the Qutub Shahis. They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golkonda
Golkonda
Golkonda or Golla konda a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda , is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.The most important builder of Golkonda was a Hindu Kakatiya King...
in modern-day Andra Pradesh, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They were Shia Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s and belonged to Kara Koyunlu
Kara Koyunlu
The Kara Koyunlu or Qara Qoyunlu, also called the Black Sheep Turkomans , were a Shi'ite Oghuz Turkic tribal federation that ruled over the territory comprising the present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, north-western Iran, eastern Turkey and Iraq from about 1375 to 1468.The Kara Koyunlu Turkomans at one...
. As the kingdom was not heavily militarized, Golkonda
Golkonda
Golkonda or Golla konda a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda , is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.The most important builder of Golkonda was a Hindu Kakatiya King...
tried to stay neutral and avoided any war scenario.
History
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
with some of his relatives and friends in the beginning of the 16th century. Later he migrated south, to Deccan and served Bahmani sultan
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
, Mohammad Shah. He conquered Golconda, after the disintegration of the Bahmani Kingdom into the five Deccan sultanates
Deccan sultanates
The Deccan sultanates were five Muslim-ruled late medieval kingdoms—Bijapur, Golkonda, Ahmadnagar, Bidar, and Berar—of south-central India. The Deccan sultanates were located on the Deccan Plateau, between the Krishna River and the Vindhya Range. These kingdoms became independent during the breakup...
. Soon after, he declared independence from the Bahmani Sultanate, took the title Qutub Shah, and thus established Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda. Though the state was islamic, some Hindus did rise to prominence in the Qutb Shahi state, the most important example being the ministers Madanna and Akkanna
Madanna and Akkanna
Madanna and Akkanna were two brothers who rose to prominence in the sultanate of Golkonda between 1674 and 1685. Towards the end of their lives in October 1685 they came to dominate state affairs in Golkonda...
. The dynasty ruled Golconda for 171 years, until the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
conquered the Deccan in 1687.
Rulers
The Qutub Shahi rulerRuler
A ruler, sometimes called a rule or line gauge, is an instrument used in geometry, technical drawing, printing and engineering/building to measure distances and/or to rule straight lines...
s were great builders and patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
s of learning
Learning
Learning is acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves.Human learning...
. They not only patronized the Persian culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
but also the regional culture of the Deccan, symbolized by the Telugu language
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
and the newly developed Deccani idiom of Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. The main part of Golconda State was Telangana. Although Telugu was not their mother tongue, the Golconda rulers learned Telugu. Golconda and later Hyderabad served as capitals of the sultanate, and both cities were embellished by the Qutb Shahi sultans. The seven sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
s in the dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
were:
- Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk (1518–1543)
- Jamsheed Quli Qutb ShahJamsheed Quli Qutb ShahJamsheed Quli Qutb Shah was the second ruler of the Sultanate of Golkonda under the Qutb Shahi dynasty. He ruled from 1543 to 1550....
(1543–1550) - Subhan Quli Qutb ShahSubhan Quli Qutb ShahSubhan Quli Qutb Shah was 7 years old, when he became Sultan of Golconda, after the death of his father Jamsheed Quli Qutb Shah, in 1550. Saif Khan, also known as Ainul Mulk, was sent from Ahmednagar for the performance of duties of regent during the boy's development...
(1550) - Ibrahim Quli Qutb ShahIbrahim Quli Qutb Shah WaliIbrahim Qutb Shah Wali was the third ruler of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India under the Qutb Shahi dynasty. He ruled from 1550 to 1580....
(1550–1580) - Muhammad Quli Qutb ShahMuhammad Quli Qutb ShahMuhammad Quli Qutb Shah was the fifth sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golkonda in south India. He founded the city of Bhagyanagar i.e. Hyderabad - Hyderabad, India and built its architectural centerpiece, the Charminar...
(1580–1611) - Sultan Muhammad Qutb ShahSultan Muhammad Qutb ShahSultan Muhammad Qutb Shah was the sixth ruler of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India under the Qutb Shahi dynasty. He ruled from 1611 to 1625. He was the nephew and son-in-law of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah having married Muhammad's daughter Hayat Bakshi Begum in 1607...
(1611–1625) - Abdullah Qutb ShahAbdullah Qutb ShahAbdullah Qutb Shah was the seventh ruler of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India under the Qutb Shahi dynasty. He ruled from 1625 to 1672....
(1625–1672) - Abul Hasan Qutb ShahAbul Hasan Qutb ShahAbul Hasan Qutb Shah was the eighth and last ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Golconda in south India...
(1672–1687)
Tombs