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Bahmani Sultanate Fortress System

Type Object Region India Time 1347–1527

A network of castles and border fortresses built by the Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1527) on the Deccan Plateau, representing medieval Islamic military e…

Timeline

  1. 1347–1424Gulbarga · KarnatakaAla-ud-Din Hasan Bahman Shah broke away from the Delhi Sultanate to establish the Bahmani polity, building castles, gates, and a mosque complex at Gulbarga, establishing the military and administrative core of the Deccan Islamic state.
  2. 1424–1480Bidar · KarnatakaAfter the capital moved to Bidar, the sultan greatly expanded the castle, triple walls, and defensive works around the Rani Mosque, and built fortresses at border points such as Raichur and Warangal to counter the Vijayanagara Empire's southern incursions.
  3. c. 1450–1520Deccan border fortress belt · Deccan PlateauIn the late 15th century Bahmani forces were widely equipped with muskets and artillery; fortresses added angular bastions and thick-walled structures, forming a firepower defense system rivalling Vijayanagara in conflicts such as the Siege of Raichur.
  4. 1527–1565Deccan Plateau · Deccan PlateauIn 1527 the Bahmani Sultanate split into the five Deccan sultanates of Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmadnagar, Bidar, and Berar; the existing fortresses were taken over and rebuilt by the successor states, which jointly attacked Vijayanagara at the Battle of Talikota in 1565.

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