| Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali | |
|---|---|
 Tomb of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah | |
| 4thSultan of Golconda | |
| Reign | 27 July 1550 – 5 June 1580 |
| Coronation | 27 July 1550 |
| Predecessor | Subhan Quli Qutb Shah |
| Successor | Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah |
| Born | 1518 |
| Died | 5 June 1580(1580-06-05) (aged 61–62) |
| Spouse |
|
| Issue |
|
| House | Qutb Shahi dynasty |
| Father | Quli Qutb Mulk |
| Religion | Shia Islam |
Ibrahim Qutb Shah Wali (1518 – 5 June 1580), also known by his Telugu namesMalki BhaRama andIbharama Chakravarti,[1] was the fourth monarch of the kingdom ofGolconda in southernIndia. He was the first of theQutb Shahi dynasty to use the title "Sultan".[2] He ruled from 1550 to 1580.[3] He lived for seven years in exile at the court ofVijayanagara as an honoured guest ofRama Raya. Ibrahim is known for patronizingTelugu extensively because he was moved by a genuine love for the language.[1]
Ibrahim was born the son ofQuli Qutb Mulk, founder of the Qutb Shahi dynasty ofGolkonda. His father, an ethnicTurkmen, had emigrated toIndia with his family as a young man and taken employment in the court of theBahmani Sultanate in theDeccan. He had risen steadily in the army and, when the Bahamani sultanate had splintered and collapsed, he had carved out a sizable principality for himself by force of arms. Ibrahim was one of his younger sons.
In 1543, after achieving so much and living such an extraordinary life,Quli Qutb Mulk was killed by his own younger son,Jamsheed, while he was offering his prayers one day. The assassin, who was Ibrahim's brother, made every effort to capture, kill, or mutilate all his brothers. He managed to capture and blind his eldest brother, crown prince Qutbuddin, but Ibrahim somehow managed to escape. He fled Golconda and took refuge in the court of the powerful Hindu ruler ofVijayanagara. Here he lived inexile as an honored guest of the powerfulpatriarch ofVijayanagara,Rama Raya. He lived at the Vijayanagara court for seven years (1543–50). WhenJamsheed died due toCancer on 22 January 1550, there was internal chaos within the kingdom. His son Subhan who was only an infant, was placed on the throne by Mustapha Khan. Jagadev Rao, Chief of the Naikwari, tried to placeJamsheed's brother Daulat Quli, who instead wanted Ibrahim to be the king, on the throne. This led to his imprisonment in Bala Hisar, the highest point of theGolkonda fort. Some discontented elements within the kingdom summoned Ibrahim to end his exile and claim the throne for himself.[4]
During his sojourn in Vijayanagara, Ibrahim developed very close and loving ties with the imperial family and with important members of the nobility. He also became deeply influenced by Hindu, Telugu culture. He adopted Hindu/Telugu ways of dress, food, etiquette, and above all, speech. He developed a strong love for theTelugu language, which hepatronized and encouraged throughout hisreign.[5] Indeed, he even went so far as to adopt a new name for himself, "Malki BhaRama," which is his own name spoken with a strong, rusticTelugu accent. He used this name for himself in various official letters and documents and it therefore gained official recognition.[2] According to a court poet, Ibrahim would sit, "floating on waves of bliss," while listening to theMahabharata being recited in Telugu rather than Sanskrit.[1] It is said that the court of Ibrahim Qutb Shah had many scholars learned in theVedas,Sastras, andPuranas.[6]
Such favourable attitudes toHindus had an effect. Ibrahim during his early reign got support from Telugu noblemen. In 1550 when Ibrahim was returning to Golconda, two envoys were sent to the sultan from the fort ofKoilkonda pledging allegiance to him. He was crowned on 27 July 1550, upon returning to Golconda.[7] According to the long inscription at the fort, the Hindus pledged allegiance to him, and anyone who 'dealt with any other person other than Ibrahim' would be considered being of low birth and would incur the sin of having killed cows andBrāhmaṇas atVaranasi.[8][9]
In Vijayanagara, Ibrahim married Bagiradhi (correctly: "Bhagirathi"), a Hindu woman, according to Hindu rites and customs. Bagiradhi was also known as "Kaavya kanyaka" and she came from a family with a legacy in music and dance rooted in Hindu, and south Indian traditions. The son born to Ibrahim and Bhagirathi,Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, would succeed his father to become the 5th ruler of the dynasty.
Ibrahim employed Hindus for administrative, diplomatic, and military purposes within his sultanate.[5] A patron of the arts and of Telugu literature, Ibrahim sponsored many court poets, such as Singanacharyudu, Addanki Gangadharudu, Ponnanganti Telenganaraya, and Kandukuru Rudrakavi.[6] There were Telugu poets, in a break from tradition. He also patronizedArabic andPersian poets in his court. He is also known in Telugu literature as Malki Bharama (his adopted Hindu name).[2] Ibrahim repaired and fortifiedGolcondaFort and developed theHussain Sagar lake and Ibrahim Bagh. He is described in one of the inscriptions on the "Makki Darwaza" in the fort as "The Greatest of Sovereigns".
In 1565, Ibrahim took advantage of internal conflicts inVijayanagara, which had given him shelter in exile during 1543–1550. He became part of a cabal of Muslim rulers of small states which banded together to destroy the powerful Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagara. He thus personally betrayedRama Raya ofVijayanagara, who had given him shelter during his exile from 1543 to 1550. In theBattle of Talikota which ensued, Rama Raya was killed and the city where Ibrahim had spent seven happy and safe years was razed to the ground; the remnants of its former glory can be seen in the lfixl ofHampi today. Following thebattle of Talikota in 1565, Ibrahim was able to expand his own kingdom by taking the important hill forts ofAdoni andUdayagiri, which commanded an extensive territory and which had been prized possessions of his former host.[10]
After a short illness, Ibrahim died on 5 June 1580. He was succeeded by his son,Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, who was born to his Hindu wife Bhagirathi.
| Preceded by: Subhan Quli Qutb Shah | Qutb Shahi dynasty 1550–1580 | Succeeded by: Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah |