His remarkable origin — arrives in India from Persia — is patronised by the King of the Deccan, and attains high distinction — becomes the leader of the foreign troops, and opposes the minister Kasim Bereed. — Yoosoof maintains his independence in Beejapoor. — The minister instigates Bahadur Geelany, Mullik Ahmud Bheiry of Ahmudnuggur, and the Raja of Beejanuggur, to attack Yoosoof. — He obtains a victory over the Raja of Beejanuggur, and acquires a large booty. — The Mahomedan governor of Sagur is excited to make war against Yoosoof, but is slain in battle. — The independent sovereignties of Beejapoor, Golconda, Bidur, Ah- mudnuggur, and Berar, are formed. — Yoosoof assumes the title of King — attempts to introduce the Sheea doctrines — nearly loses his throne, and is induced to forego his intentions. — The Portuguese take Goa, which is shortly after retaken by Yoosoof Adil Shah. — His death and character.
ABOOL MOOZUFFUR YOOSOOF ADIL SHAH, the
founder of the Adil Shahy dynasty, was the
son of one of the emperors of Room,
*
of the
Ottoman family. His father, Agha Morad†,*
A. H. 854.
A. D. 1451.
dying in 854‡,
*
he was succeeded by
his eldest son Mahomed; on which
occasion the ministers observed, that
as in the beginning of the late reign, a person
named Moostufa, calling himself a son of Elderim
Bayezeed, occasioned great commotions in the
empire, it was desirable that in future only one
prince of the family should be suffered to live.
Sooltan Mahomed, assenting to the suggestion,
gave orders for his brother Yoosoof, then a child,
to be put to death; and the executioners came to
demand him from his mother, in order that, having
strangled him, the body might be publicly exposed.
The Queen entreated them to spare the
infant; or, if state policy demanded so cruel a
sacrifice, to indulge her by deferring the execution
for a day, that she might prepare her mind for so
melancholy an event. The ministers having consented,
the Queen improved the time to save her
son's life. She accordingly sent for Khwaja Imad-
Khwaja Imad-ood-Deen carried the young prince
to Ardbeel, where he enrolled him among the disciples
of the venerable Sheikh Suffy; after which
he conveyed him to the city of Sava. When he
was seven years of age the Khwaja made known
to him the secret of his birth, and placed him at
school with his own children. The next year the
Queen sent a person to Sava to enquire after her
child; and the messenger, after an absence of nine
months, departed homewards, but was taken so ill at
Alexandria, that he remained there a year and a
half; after which he returned to the Queen, and
presented her with a letter written by Yoosoof,
giving her pleasing accounts of himself. The
Princess bestowed alms to the poor in gratitude
for the preservation of her son; and shortly after
sent his nurse, with her son Ghuzunfur Beg,
*
and her daughter Dilshad Agha, to Sava, accompanied
by her former messenger, as also a large sum
of money for the use of the Prince. Yoosoof remained
at Sava till he was sixteen years old, when
his nurse imprudently divulged the secret of his
birth, which having come to the ears of the governor,
a Toork of the tribe of Akkooinloo, he
made the Prince pay him four hundred tomans†,
*
to permit him to quit the place in safety. Yoosoof
intended to remain at Koom till the governor of
Sava should be removed; but after some time,
having left Koom, he proceeded to Kashan, Isfahan,
and eventually to Shiraz, where a story is told that
the prophet Khizr appeared to him in a dream,
directing him to quit Persia and go to Hindoostan,
where he should attain to sovereign power. Yoosoof
accordingly left Shiraz, went to the sea-coast, and
embarking at Gombroon for India, reached Dabul
in the year 864. On his arrival there he became
acquainted with Khwaja Mahmood Goorjistany, a
merchant who had come to that port on business.
Yoosoof's appearance and manners (being at that
time only seventeen years of age) were at once
striking and engaging, for he had received a liberal
education at Sava. The Khwaja prevailed on him
to accompany him to Ahmudabad Bidur, where
he was sold, as a Georgian slave, to the minister
Khwaja Mahmood Gawan for the royal bodyguard.
This account the author received from
Mirza Mahomed of Sava, the son of Gheias-ood-
After two or three months, Khwaja Mahmood Gawan, with the approbation of the Queen-mother, placed Yoosoof under Azeez Khan, master of the horse; who finding him fit for the task, and being old and infirm himself, committed to him the whole duty of his department; by which Yoosoof had frequent opportunities of going into the presence of Mahomed Shah, whose notice he attracted. On the death of Azeez Khan (at the recommendation of Khwaja Mahmood Gawan) he succeeded to the office of master of the horse; but not agreeing with the bramin who kept the accounts, he resigned the office, and attached himself to Nizam-ool-Moolk Toork, one of the nobles at court, whose friendship he acquired to such a degree that he used to call him brother.
On Nizam-ool-Moolk's being appointed governor
of Berar, he procured for his friend the title of
Adil Khan, with the rank of a commander of five
hundred horse, and took him with him. Nizam-
When Mahomed Shah left this vain world, and dissensions prevailed throughout the kingdom, most of the foreign officers and soldiers attached themselves to Yoosoof Adil Khan; who, perceiving that the ministers of Mahmood Shah were bent on his destruction, withdrew with his family and followers from Ahmudabad Bidur to Beejapoor; and resolving to become the founder of a kingdom, he began to add to his territories by conquest.
When the hooma * of prosperity had spread the shadow of her wings over his head, Yoosoof Adil
A. H. 895.
A. D. 1489.
Khan, as well as Mullik Ahmud Bheiry, in the year 895, according to the verse in the Holy Koran,
“The sword for him who can wield it, and dominion to him
who conquers,”
caused the Khootba to be read in his name, and assumed the canopy of royalty, at which time the foreigners unanimously acknowledged him King. After this event, he wrested many forts from the governors of Mahmood Shah, and subdued all the country from the river Beema to Beejapoor, the inhabitants of which territory submitted to his authority; and being subsequently joined by many Deccany officers, who had formerly deserted him on his retiring from Ahmudabad Bidur, his power daily increased.
Kasim Bereed Toork, who had himself entertained
hopes of founding a kingdom at Beejapoor,
wrote to the Ray of Beejanuggur, that Mahomed
Shah was willing to cede to him the forts of Mood-