Siege of Bidar

Timeline

1. 1656Aurangabad · DeccanIn November 1656 Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah of Bijapur died, and the young Ali Adil Shah II succeeded him amid internal turmoil. Aurangzeb, Mughal governor of the Deccan, seized the opportunity to petition his father Shah Jahan for permission to march south; granted it, he rapidly mobilized and attacked Bidar and Bijapur.
2. 1656–1657Bidar Fort · DeccanAurangzeb led the Mughal army to Bidar, surrounding this core Deccan stronghold and old capital of the Barid Shahi dynasty. Bidar Fort commanded a key route across the Deccan plateau and was strongly fortified, but the garrison could not withstand the superior numbers and artillery. The Mughals used heavy siege guns against the walls and cut supply lines, forcing the defenders into a desperate position.
3. 1657Bidar · DeccanUnder sustained siege pressure the garrison of Bidar was forced to surrender, and the Mughals occupied the strategic town. Aurangzeb then continued on to besiege Bijapur, but when Shah Jahan fell gravely ill in September 1657 he ordered Aurangzeb to halt and negotiate peace with Bijapur, ending the campaign hastily; the captured Bidar was incorporated into the Mughal realm.