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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