SSC
The Imad Shahi dynasty of Berar, one of the five Deccan Sultanates, was established in 1490 by:
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Answer: Option C — Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk
Detailed Solution
The Imad Shahi dynasty of Berar, one of the five Deccan Sultanates, was established in 1490 by Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk.
About Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk:
- He was originally a Hindu (a Kanarese Brahmana, according to some accounts) who was captured as a boy in a Bahmani campaign against Vijayanagara and converted to Islam.
- He was brought up by the Bahmani nobility and rose in the service of the kingdom.
- He served under the famous minister Mahmud Gawan.
- He was appointed governor of Berar.
- When the Bahmani kingdom weakened, he declared his independence in 1490.
About the Berar Sultanate:
- Berar is the region of present-day Vidarbha (north-eastern Maharashtra), around Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal.
- Its capital was Ellichpur (Achalpur), and the fortress of Gawilgarh was an important stronghold.
- It was the smallest of the five Deccan Sultanates.
- It was annexed by the Nizam Shahi Sultanate of Ahmadnagar in 1574.
- It did not take part in the alliance against Vijayanagara at Talikota (1565).
The five Deccan Sultanates and their founders:
- Bijapur (Adil Shahi): founded 1489-90.
- Ahmadnagar (Nizam Shahi): founded 1490.
- Berar (Imad Shahi): founded 1490 by Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk.
- Golconda (Qutb Shahi): founded 1518.
- Bidar (Barid Shahi): established by Qasim Barid and his son Amir Barid, around 1492-1527.
The fate of the Sultanates:
- They fought against Vijayanagara and among themselves.
- The Mughals annexed them one after another in the 17th century.
Berar after 1574:
- After the Mughals took Berar from Ahmadnagar (1596), it became a Mughal province, and later part of the Nizam's dominions.
- In 1853, the Nizam assigned Berar to the British to pay for troops.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Yusuf Adil Shah ruled another Sultanate.
- ✗Qasim Barid founded the Barid Shahi line of Bidar.
- ✗Sultan Quli founded Golconda.
Quick tip
Remember: Berar (Imad Shahi) founded by Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk (1490; capital Ellichpur; smallest Sultanate; annexed by Ahmadnagar in 1574).
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Vijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Vijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the Vijayanagara Empire, founded by Harihara and Bukka in 1336, and the Bahmani Sultanate, founded by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah in 1347, along with the Deccan sultanates that followed. It includes their rulers, administration, architecture and the accounts of foreign travellers. The most tested ruler is Krishnadevaraya of the Tuluva dynasty, a patron of Telugu literature and author of Amuktamalyada. Other common questions cover the Battle of Talikota (1565), the Vijayanagara capital Hampi, and the foreign travellers who visited, such as Nicolo Conti, Abdur Razzaq and Domingo Paes. Practise the Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.