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.
Places of Interest