HISTORY

MEDIAEVAL PERIOD

The Muslims first appeared in the Deccan in the reign of Jalal-ud-din-Khilji, whose nephew Ala-ud-din invaded the kingdom of Devagirl and subjugated it. This invasion was followed by another three invasions once by Ala-ud-din when he usurped the Delhi throne and twice by his general Malik Kafur because the king of Devagiri though defeated never fully yielded to the Muslim power in the north. The Tughluqs were more domineering than their predecessors. Muhammad Tughuq made Devagiri his capital and changed its name to Daulatabad in 1327. The Deccan passed under the over-lordship of the Delhi emperors. The Tughluq domination was however short-lived and soon the officers appointed by the Delhi emperors showed signs of revolt. The early attempts to throw the Tughluq yoke were suppressed ruthlessly. However, the revolt of the Deccan nobles in 1347, first under the leadership of Abul Fath Nasir-ud-din Ismail Sah and then under the leadership of Zafar Khan succeeded in overthrowing the Tughluq domination. A new dynasty was established by Zafar Khan alias Hasan Garngu Bahaman Sah.

Bahamanis.

Bahaman Sah, to begin with, had in his possession the jagir territory which centred round Mubarakabad, Miraj, Hukkeri and Belgahv along with certain other towns. Bahaman Sah was an ambitious ruler and he desired the conquest not only of those parts of the Deccan which were under some rebellious chief's but also of Delhi itself. His minister Ghori dissuaded him from such an ambitious venture and advised him to consolidate his gains in the Deccan and to suppress the rebellious chiefs. With this objective Bahaman Sah sent his nobles in different directions. The army of Miraj was ordered to proceed to Gulbarga under Ain-ud-din Khvaja Jahan. The campaigns were crowned with success. Bahaman Sah himself left Miraj to quell rebellion at Sagar, and returned to Miraj where he stayed for a few months and from thence he returned to his capital at Gulbarga. In the last years of his reign the Sultan undertook expeditions to the Konkan, camping at Miraj and on his way back captured Dabhol, Karhad and Kolhapur. Bahaman sah died on 11th February 1358. [Some are of the view that he died on 31st January 1359 (S. A. Q. Husaini: Bahaman Shah, p. 125).] At the time of his death his territory extended from Mandu in the north to Raicur in the south and from Bhorigir in the east to Dabhol and Goa in the west. Bahaman sah had divided his kingdom into four large divisions each with a governor as its executive head. Sangli district formed part of the Ahasanabad Gulbarga division with Malik Saif-ud-din Ghori as its administrator. Bahaman Sah took precautions against the revolts and therefore gave the Governorships to his very close relatives, or those who commanded his confidence. Thus Malik Saif-ud-din whose daughter was the wife of the heir apparent was made the Governor of the province of Gulbarga and Malik Saif-ud-din's son, Azam-i-Humayun that of Bidar. [Ibid., p. 1470.]

Muhammad Sah succeeded Ala-ud-din Hasan Bahaman Sah in 1358. Muhammad on the advice of his chief minister Malik Saif-ud-din Ghori undertook the task of reorganising the kingdom. He continued the administrative divisions of the territory ushered in by his father. The Gulbarga division which included the district of Sangli was regarded as an important charge. In was given to one who commanded the king's confidence. The provincial governor was called the Malik Naib or viceroy. During this period the use of gunpowder and cannon, revolutionised the mode of war and methods of defence. It appears that most of the forts in the district and round about were probably built to suit the new technique of war. Barring the wars of the Bahamanis with Vijayanagar and Telangana, the reign of Muhammad Sah was peaceful. The Sultan used to tour round the provinces every year. Ferista says that towards the end of his reign every one in the kingdom was happy and prosperous. Mahummad Sah died in 1375.

The reigns of the two Sultans who succeeded Muhammad Sah, namely, Mujahid and Daud I were short-lived and inconsequential. Mujahid ascended the throne in 1375 but was murdered in 1378. Daud's accession took place on 16-4-1378 and he died on 21-5-1378. [ H. K. SherWani, The Bahamanis of the Deccan, p. ] 24.] Daud was succeeded by Bahaman Sah's grandson Muhammad on 21-5-1378. The reign of Muhammad II was more or less peaceful. The kingdom was ravaged by the famous Durga Devi famine during 1387 and 1395. A succession of years without rains gave the country a desolate appearance and whole districts were deserted by the people. Muhammad Sah died on 20-4-1397 and was succeeded by Ghiyas-ud-din Tahamatan (20-4-1397—14-6-1397) and Sams-ud-din Daud II (14-6-1397—16-11-1397) in that order. These twenty years of the Bahamani rule from the accession of Mujahid Sah in 1375 till the death of Daud Sah II in 1397 though marked by turmoil, unrest and regicides was noted for the progressive and cultured reign of Muhammad II. Complete peace prevailed on all the frontiers of the kingdom.

The death of Daud Sah ushered in another long reign of Taj-ud-din Firoz Sah who ascended the throne on 16-11-1397. The reign of Firoz was taken up by wars with Vijayanagar and Telangana. The Sultan, it is said, knew many languages. The reign of Firoz Sah was noted for the influence of the Hindu culture in art and architecture in the Deccan. Firoz Sah died on 22-9-1422 and was succeeded by his brother Sihab-ud-din Ahmad I. Ahmad, on accession, ordained that each provincial governor was to hold the rank of a commander of 2000. Miraj known as Mubarakiibad was a separate pargana of the kingdom and was now placed in charge of Malik Imad-ul-mulk, a nobleman of the court. The kingdom was ravaged by famine again due to failure of rains for two successive years (1421 and 1422). Ahmad Sah in 1426 decided to shift his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar. The task was carried out by Prince Muhammad. Bidar was hence forward called Muhammadabad. Like his predecessor, Ahmad Sah soon engaged himself in wars with Vijayanagar and Telangana. He also deputed Malik-ut-tujjar, the governor of Daulatabad. to restore order in the territory adjoining the western coast where people had revolted due to miseries resulting from the preceding famines. Order was restored, banditti punished and several forts which had fallen to the rebels were retaken. The country was so deserted and desolate that old villages had disappeared and fresh villages had to be formed. Lands were given to all who could till them, free of rent for the first year and for a horse bag of grain for the second year. Ahmad Sah died in 1436 and was succeeded by his son Ala-ud-din Ahmad Sah II in the same year. A fine description of the kingdom is available from the writings of an Italian traveller Nicolo Conti who says that pestilence was unknown and the people were "not exposed to the diseases which carry off the population in our own country". Ala-ud-din Ahmad had to fight not only against the Hindu chiefs of Vijayanagar and Telangana but also against the Muslim chiefs of Gujarat. Malva, and Khandcs. He maintained himself successfully in his wars with these formidable opponents.

In 1447, the Sultan ordered the governor of Daulatabad, Malik-ut-tujjar, to undertake a campaign in the western parts of Bahamani kingdom to punish the recalcitrant chiefs and also reduce the coastal districts including Sahgamesvar. He succeeded in the former, but miserably failed in the latter. Malik-ut-tujjar along with his army was led to a dense forest by Raja Sankar Rav Sirke of Khelna or Visalgad. and was killed in a surprise attack. The entire Muslim army was massacred. The Bahamanis took a long time to recover from this shock and re-establish their power in that region. Ahmad had begun his rule well by diligent attention to government. Later, however, he gave himself up to a life of ease and luxury. He died on 3-4-1458. He was succeeded by Humayun who had a short reign of 3 years. He is described by Ferista and Sayyad All as cruel for the punitive methods he used in maintaining law and order. His subjects heaved a sigh of relief on his death on 1-9-1461. He was succeeded by his son Ahmad who assumed the title of Nizam-ud-din Ahmad III. After an inconsequential reign of two years he died on 30-7-1463 and was succeeded by his younger brother Sams-tid-din Muhammad III. Mahmud Gavan who was the governor of Bijapur was appointed the prime minister with the title of Amifr-ul-umra. Mahmud Gavan in his expedition against the Hindu Rajas of the western coast established the lost prestige of the Bahamanis and subjugated the Des and the Kohkan, which were never under the effective control of the Bahamanis. He made Kolhapur his headquarters and summoned forces from Dabhol, Karhad, Caul, Wai and Man parganas for help in the Kohkan campaign. During the premiership of Gavan the Bahamani kingdom extended from sea to sea for the first time. Gavan introduced a new scheme of administrative reforms for the effective governance of such a vast territory. He divided the kingdom into eight provinces of moderate size. They were Gavil, Mahur, Daulatabad, Junnar, Bijapur, Ahsanabad, Gulbarga, Raj Mahendn and Warangal. Sangli formed part of Bijapur. He retained the province of Bijapur to himself. In every province was aopointed a governor. However, the powers of the governors were much curtailed. Several areas in each of the eight divisions were reserved specially to meet the king's expenses.

In addition Gavan revolutionised the military administration. Only one fort of the province was kept under the provincial governor whereas in the case of others the commandants were appointed by the central government and were responsible to it. In, addition to civil and military reforms, Gavan introduced land reforms including measurement of land, fixing the boundaries of villages and towns and making a thorough enquiry into the assessment of revenue. Mahmud Gavan, however, did not live long to see the benefits of his reforms accruing to the kingdom. His attempt to control the powers of provincial governors brought on him the hatred of the nobility who poisoned the king's mind against him. The king ordered the execution of Gavan. This was carried out on 5-4-1481. The Bahamani kingdom never recovered from the shock it received in the death of Gavan.

After the death of Mahmud Gavan, Yusuf Adil, the governor of Daulatabad, took over the fiefs formerly held by Gavan, namely, Belganv and Bijapur and naturally the district of Sangli passed under his control. The Sultan tried to conciliate Yusuf Adil by personally going to Belganv. However, he could not stem the tide of disintegration that had seized the Bahamani empire after the death of Gavan and died in humiliation on 27th March, 1482.

Muhammad Sah was succeeded by his son Mahmud. Yusuf Adil on receiving the news of the death of the king hurried to the capital. The court was divided into two factions, one headed by Malik Hasan and the other by Yusuf Adil. The visit of Yusuf Adil passed off peacefully and he retired to Bijapur leaving Nizam-ul-mulk alias Malik Hasan in full control. The Sultan, however, could not tolerate the overbearing influence of Malik Sasan and he encompassed his death in 1468. This was the beginning of the disintegration of the Bahamani empire as Malik Ahmad, the son of Malik Hasan, declared his independence. Soon after he was followed by Yusuf Adil Khan. The king sent orders to Yusuf Adil to check the progress of Malik Ahmad but Yusuf Adil paid no heed. At the capital Kasim Barid had become all powerful. He sent a strong army against Yusuf Adil. Yusuf advanced against Kasim. The battle ended in the complete defeat of Barid. It is probable that a part of the district of Sahgli was in possession of Bahadur GilanI, as we find Kasim Barid offering Goa, Konkan, Panhala and Karhad to Malik Ahmad to secure his help. Later in 1491 after the death of Nizam-ud-din Gilani, the deputy of Gavan, Bahadur GilanT actually took possession of the whole coast-line right up to Dabhol and occupied Kolhapur, -Karhad, Panhala. Belgahv, Miraj and other forts in the Southern Maratha Country. It thus appears that due to the weakness in the central administration, the control of these territories must have been in a fluid state and they must have been constantly changing hands. The Sultan requisitioned assistance from Yusuf Adil and other nobles. Yusuf Adil captured Belgahv. Bahadur Gilani was defeated. The Sultan was at that time camping at Miraj where Khvaja Nimat Ulla Tabrizi arrived on 7-5-1493. On this day was born a son to the Sultan at Miraj by the queen who was accompanying her royal escort. The Sultan offered favourable terms to Bahadur GilanI, which GilanI thought to he the weakness of the Sultan and, therefore, rejected them. The Sultan therefore marched from Miraj and captured Karhad and thence proceeded to Kolhapur. Again talks between Gilani and Sultan ensued. Gilani demanding the retreat of the Sultan to Miraj which the Sultan refused. Forces were sent against GilanI under the command of Qutub-ul-mulk and the former was defeated on 5-11-1494. Condition of strife and turmoil continued in the Bahamani kingdom. These gave an opportunity to the principal nobles to be more and more independent. In 1510 Yusuf Adil died. The Sultan gave the title of Adil Khan to Yusuf's son Ismail. Mahtnud Sah died on 7-12-1518. With his death the Bahamani State, for all practical purposes, came to an end.

Adilsahi.

There is a controversy regarding the year in which Yusuf Adil Khan became independent and hence as to when the Bijapur prant including the district of Sangli came to be known as the Adil Sahi kingdom. The contemporary historian Ferista is emphatic in his statement that Yusuf Adil Khan caused the Khutbd to be read in his name in the Hijra year 895 or 1489 A.D. However, Dr. Shervani on numismatic evidence has tried to disprove the above statement. He points out that the name of Yusuf Adil, Ismail Adil and Mallu Adil are not accompanied by royal epithets on their inscriptions. Not only that, but the fourth ruler of Bijapur as long as 1537 calls himself by his Bahamani title of Majlis-i-rafi Adil Khan. Whatever it may be, the fact is clear that the disintegration of the Bahamani empire started with the declaration of independence by Malik Ahmad of Ahmadnagar, an event which was promptly followed by Yusuf Adil of Bijapur in 1490. What respect, the so-called provincial governor paid to the defunct authority of the Sultan was in the nature of form only and had neither the grace nor the goodwill which generally accompanies it.

Ismail Adil being a minor at the time of his accession, the administration of the territories was vested in Kamal Khan, the Mir Nobat. He settled the affairs of the kingdom by cultivating friendship with Nizam Sah of Ahmadnagar, Kutb Sah of Golconda, Barid Sah of Bidar and the Portuguese, now masters of Goa who maintained friendly relations with him. Kamal Khan conspired to dethrone the young Sultan. However, he was assassinated by one Yusuf Turk at the connivance of the queen mother. The young Sultan thus relieved, reinstated the nobles dismissed by Kamal Khan to their jagirs. In 1514 Ismail lead a successful campaign against Amir Barid. In 1521 he suffered defeats at the hands of Vijayanagar. In 1525 he encountered successfully the attacks of Burhan Nizam Sah and Amir Barid on his territory. Ismail Sah died on August 27, 1534. He was succeeded by his son Mallu Khan, who was however deposed by Yusuf Khan, a nobleman of rank, and Asad Khan, the governor of Belgahv. He was succeeded by the youngest son of Ismail Adil viz., Ibrahim Adil Sah I. He enlisted the Deccanis and Ahyssinians in bis service and ordered that the State accounts be kept in Hindvi instead of Persian. Immediately on his accession, the Sultan was engulfed in a war with Vijayanagar. In the meanwhile a broach arose between Ibrahim Adil and his minister Asad Khan, taking advantage of which Burhan Nizam Sah and Amir Barid invaded Bijapur and moved in the direction of Belgahv. This event took place in 1540. Asad Khan, however, contrived to secure the help of Imad Sah and brought about a reconciliation with Ibrahim Adil. Some time between 1543 and 1548 attempts were made to depose Ibrahim and enthrone his brother Abdulla in which conspiracy Burhan Sah, Jamsid Kutb Sah and the Portuguese had joined. Burhan Sah tried to persuade Asad Khan to join his cause, but on receipt of the news of Asad Khan's illness he. decided to capture Belganv and camped at Miraj. Asad Khan, however, remained firm in his loyalty and the conspiracy ended in failure. The enmity between Bijapur and Ahmadnagar continued even after the death of Burhan Nizam Sah in 1553 and the accession of Hussain Nizam Sah. Ibrahim Adil Sah suffered at the hands of Hussain Nizam Sah in the battle fought on the plains of Solapur. Ibrahim's general Saif-Ain-ul-Mulk incurred the wrath of his king and was turned out. He repaired to his jagir in Man and collected revenues therefrom. Ibrahim sent troops against him but the royalists were defeated. Ain-ul-mulk growing bolder collected the revenues of many districts such as Miraj and Valva.

The troops subsequently sent by Adil Sah were defeated by Ain-ul-mulk who began to think of establishing himself as an independent chief. He even forced Adil Sah to retire when Adil Sah marched personally in the territory round about the river Man. Adil Sah, however, with the help of the Vijayanagar king succeeded in quelling the rebellion of Ain-ul-mulk who retreated to Nizam Sah's territory through Mandes. Soon after in 1558 A.D. Ibrahim Adil Sah died.

At the time of the death of Ibrahim Adil Sah, Kiswar Khan, who was the governor of Hukkeri, Belganv and Raybag, approached Sikandar Khan who was the governor of Miraj to secure his help to raise Ali Adil Sah (who had been detained in the fort of Miraj by his father) to the throne, as many noblemen favoured the younger son Prince Tahmasp. This was accepted by Sikandar Khan who sent his son-in-law Kamil Khan to the fort of Miraj to attend on the prince. The prince moved towards Bijapur and on the death of Ibrahim Adil Sah ascended the throne. Ali Adil Sah desired the possession of the fort of Kalyani and Solapur which had been lost to the Nizam Sah of Ahamadnagar. He entered into alliance with Ram Raja of Vijayanagar. The Vijayanagar troops laid waste the whole territory of Ahmadnagar. Hussain Nizam Sah, the Ahmadnagar ruler, on this, handed over Kalyani to Adil Sah. The peace was short-lived and alliances were formed and broken. The power and prestige of the Vijayanagar king was now becoming unbearable to the Muslim rulers of the Deccan. They, therefore, combined in opposing Vijayanagar. They defeated Ram Raja, the prime minister of Vijayanagar, in the battle of Talikota in 1565. In the subsequent years Ali Adil Sah further extended his domains. He died in 1580. He was succeeded by his nephew Ibrahim Adil Sah II, son of his brother, Sah Tahmasp. Being a minor, the management of the affairs of the kingdom devolved on Kamil Khan and Candbibi, the dowager queen. Kamil Khan, however, was removed and later killed by Kiswar Khan at the instance of Candbibi. Kiswar Khan now became the regent. Later, estrangement arose between the new regent and Candbibi. The regent confined her in the fort of Satara. Affairs at Bijapur were in a fluid state and the prime ministership passed to one noble after another. One Ikhalas Khan removed Kiswar Khan and himself assumed the regency. He invited Ain-ul-mulk from his jagir in Man and Valva. Ain-ul-mulk on reaching the city found the minister waiting for him outside the city gates. Ain-ul mulk seized him treacherously and marched to the city but on finding the gates closed retired to his jagir. Shortly after, Bijapur was besieged by the forces of Ahmadnagar and Golconda. Candbibi heroically withstood the siege which was raised. The army of Ahmadnagar retired plundering on their return the districts of Karad and Miraj. The Golconda army under Mustafa Khan was defeated by Dilawar Khan, who succeeded to regency by deposing Ikhalas Khan, the regent. He became very powerful. Ibrahim Adil Sah, now a full-fledged monarch, could no longer tolerate this state of affairs. He called Ain-ul-mulk to his side from his jagir and succeeded in overwhelming Dilawar Khan who escaped to Ahmadnagar. Later in 1592 the king invited him for audience and on his obeying him blinded him and put him in confinement in the fortress of Satara. Ibrahim Sah then successfully thwarted the designs of Burhan Nizam Sah with the help of the Maratha soldiery who were serving with the Adilsahis since long. The year 1594 saw the rebellion by Prince Ismail, the brother of the king confined at Belganv. Ibrahim sent Ain-ul-mulk and Hiyat Khan to put the matters right. But Ain-ul-mulk kept contact with the prince, put Hiyat Khan in fetters and openly declared his defection. He invited other officers to join him. The garrison at Miraj revolted and proclaimed Ismail, king. Ain-ul-mulk invited Burhan Nizam Sah. Great commotion prevailed in the. kingdom and rebellions broke out. However, Ibrahim Adil's commandant Hamid Khan succeeded in capturing Ain-ul-mulk who was blown from a cannon and 17 persons of the garrison of Miraj were put to death.

Under the Bijapur kings, though perhaps less regularly than afterwards under the Moghals, the country was divided into districts. The district was divided into sub-divisions which were generally known by the Persian names pargand, karyat, sammat, mahal, and taluka, and some times, by the Hindu names of prani and des. The hilly west, which was generally managed by Hindu officers, continued to be designated by valleys with their Hindu names of khord, murd, and maval. The collection of the revenue was generally entrusted to farmers; the farms some times included only one village. Where the revenue was not farmed, its collection was generally entrusted to Hindu officers. Over the revenue-farmers was a government agent or amil, who, besides collecting the revenue, managed the police and settled civil suits. Civil suits relating to land were generally referred to juries or pancd-yats. In money suits the amils or government agents passed decisions. One of the amildars, who superintended a considerable division and to whom all other amildars were subordinate, was termed mokdsadar, and it is conjectured that he had some percentage on the revenue. The mokdsadar's office, though it some times continued from father to son, was not hereditary. Frequently but not always, over the mokdsadar was a subhedar who, although he took no share in the revenue management and did not live in the district, executed deeds and formal writings of importance. Though the chief power in the country was Muhammedan, Hindus were largely employed in the service of the State. The garrisons of hill forts seem generally to have been of Hindus, Marathas, Kolis, Ramosis, and Dhangars, a few places of special strength being reserved for Musalman commandants or killedars. Besides the hill forts, some parts of the open country were left under loyal Maratha and Brahman officers with the titles of estate-holder or jagirdar and of district head or desmukh. Estates were generally granted on military tenure, the value of the grant being in proportion to the number of troops which the grant-holder maintained. Phaltan from which in the time of the Pesavas 350 horse were required, furnished only fifty to the Bijapur government at a very late period of the dynasty, but the Maratha chiefs could procure horsemen at short notice and they were entertained or discharged at pleasure. Family feuds or personal hate, and, in the case of those whose lands lay near the borders of other kingdoms, an intelligent regard for the chances of war, often divided Maratha families and led members of one family to take service under rival Musalman States. Many Hindus were employed in the Bijapur armies and those of distinguished service were rewarded with the Hindu title of Raja, Naik, and Rav.

Maratha Chiefs.

The principal Maratha chiefs in the region under the Bijapur government were Candrarav More of Javli, about thirty-five miles north-west of Satara, the Daphle of Jath, about ninety miles southeast of Satara, Mane of Mhasvad, about sixty miles east of Satara, and the Ghorpade of Kapsi on the Varna about thirty miles south of Karhad. A person named More, originally a. Karnatak chief was appointed in the reign of Yusuf Adil Sah (1490—1510) to the command of a body of 12,000 Hindu infantry sent to reduce the strong tract between the Nira and the Varna. More was successful. He dispossessed the Sirkes and completely suppressed the depredations of their abettors, the chiefs of whom were Gujar, Mamulkar, Mohite, and Mahadik. More was dignified with the title of Candrarav and his son Yesvantrav, having distinguished himself in a battle fought with the troops of Burhan Nizam Sah (1509—1553), in which he captured a green flag, was confirmed in succession to his father as Raja of Javli and had permission. to use the banner he had won. Their descendants ruled in the same tract of country for seven generations and under their mild and just management that barren tract became populous. All the successors of the first More assumed the title of Candrarav. The unswerving loyalty of this family induced the Bijapur govern-producing so little, which had always been in disorder under Muhammedan governors. Rav Naik Nimbalkar or Phaltanrav was the naik of Phaltan. His original surname was Pavar; he had taken the name of Nimbalkar from Nimalik or Nimlak where the first Nimbalkar lived. The family is considered one of the ment to exact little more than a nominal tribute from districts most ancient in Maharastra as the Nimbalkar was made sardes-mukh of Phaltan before the middle of the seventeenth century by one of the Bijapur kings. The desmukh of Phaltan is said to have become a polygar or independent chief and to have repeatedly withheld the revenues of the districts. Vangoji or Jagpalrav Naik Nimbalkar who lived in the early part of the seventeenth century was notorious for his restless and predatory habits. Dipabal, the sister of Jagpalrav, was married to Malon Bhosle, Sivaji's grandfather who was one of the principal chiefs under the Ahmadnagar kingdom. Jagpalrav Naik seems to have been a man of great influence. One of the Phaltan Naiks was killed in 1620 in a battle between Malik Arhbar and the Moghals. Nimbalkar never exchanged his ancient title of naik for that of Raja. Jhunjharrav Ghatge, the deshmukh of Malavadi was the head of a powerful family whose founder Kam Raje Ghatge had a small command under the Bahamani kings. His native country, Khatav was separated from that of the Nimbalkar by the Mahadev Hills. The Ghatges were desmukhs and sardesmukhs of the pargana of Man. In 1626 Nagoji Ghatge was given the title of sardesmukh as an unconditional favour by Ibrahim Adil Sah II together with the title of Jhunjharrav. The head of the Mane family was desmukh of Mhasvad, adjoining the district of the Ghatges. The Manes were distinguished siledars or self horsed cavaliers under Bijapiir, but were nearly as known for their revengeful character as the Sirkes. The Ghorpades, who were originally Bhosles, according to their family legend, acquired their present surname during the Bahamani times from having been the first to scale a fort in the Konkan which was deemed impregnable by fastening a cord round the body of a ghorpad or iguana. They were desmukhs under the Bijapur government and were divided into two distinct families, one of Kapsi near the Varna river and the other of Mudhol near the Ghatprabha in the Karnatak. Under Bijapiir the Kapsikar Ghorpades were known as the navkas or nine-touch Ghorpades and the Mudholkars as the satkas or seven-touch Ghorpades, a distinction which the two families maintain. The head of the Mudholkar Ghorpades was the patil of a village near Satara. The Ghorpades seem to have signalized themselves at a very early period. The high Musalman titles of Amir-ul-umrd Or Chief of the Nobles was conferred On one of the members of the Kapsi family by the Bijapiir kings. The first Ghorpade that joined Sivaji was one of the Kapsikars while the Mudholkars were his bitter enemies. The Daphles were des-mukhs of the pargand of Jath in Sangli district. Their original name was Cavhan and they took the surname of Daphle from their village of Daphlapur of which they were hereditary patils. They held a command from the Bijapiir kings.

Ibrahim Adil Sah II.

The first Moghal invasion of the Deccan began in 1593 in the reign of Akbar. He tried to induce the kingdoms of the Deccan to accept his suzerainty but he did not succeed except in case of Khandes which was subjugated in 1600. Ahmadnagar and Berar also became parts of the Moghal dominion. But the struggle with Ahmadnagar continued. The aggressive wars in the Deccan did not come to an end in the reign of Jahangir, who succeeded Akbar on October 25/26, 1605. Jahangir died in November, 1627 and the death of Ibrahim Adil Sah II took place in the same year. Ibrahim was succeeded by Mahmud Adil Sah.

Mahmud Adil Sah.

Sah Jahan ascended the throne in early 1628. Sah Jahan continued his aggressive designs against the Sultans of the Deccan. In 1631 the imperial forces directed a campaign against Bijapiir under Asaf Khan but were forced to withdraw. The Nizamsahi officer Siddi Rihan who had joined Mahmud Adil Sah was granted among others Khanapur (Sangli district). Karhad and Kolhapur formed his jagir. Sah Jahan, however, followed a ruthless policy of aggression, devastating the Bijapiir territory. Adil Sah under these circumstances had to submit to a treaty under which he was to pay tribute to the emperor and not to help Sahaji, the Ahmadnagar nobleman, who was harassing the Moghal territory. Under this treaty Bijapiir received as its share, part of the old Nizamsahi territory. The treaty between Bijapiir and the Moghals concluded in 1636 lasted for 20 years till the death of Mahraud Adil Sah. Mahmud Sah, however, took advantage of the temporary tranquillity and extended his rule in the south.

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