In
1481, Mohammed III, one of the Bahamani Sultans, appointed
Yusuf Adil Khan as the Governor of Bijapur. One of the
sons of Sultan Mahmud II of Turkey. Yusuf Adil Khan fled
his country on the death of his father, to escape the
massacre of crown prince in the battle for succession
to the throne. He was purchased as a slave by Mahmud Gavan,
the Prime Minister of Mohammed III.
With the decline of the Bahamani power at Bidar, Yusuf
declared his independence in 1489 and thus became the
founder of the Adil Shahi dynasty which survived as
a kingdom till its annexation by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb
in 1686.
Bijapur experienced a great burst of architectural
activity under the Adil Shahi dynasty. The Adil Shahis
encouraged building activity to such an extent that
Bijapur itself has over 50 mosques, more than 20 tombs
and a number of palaces.
An interesting feature was the employment of large
numbers of Indian craftsmen . Earlier Muslim rulers
of the Deccan deployed Persian craftsmen and architects.
|
