In the Political history of medieval Deccan, Golconda under the suzerainty of the Qutub Shahi Kings played a pivotal role in maintaining communal harmony by patronizing arts and culture. The young and ambitious Sultan Quli came to the Deccan to try his luck. His services were availed by the Bahamanis who elevated him to the position of the Governor of Telangana. Sultan Quli learned the local language namely Telugu and attempted to improve administration which ultimately helped him to declare automony by 1518 A.D. His sons in succession, Jarrisheed Quli and Ibrahim Quli also played their part in not only strengthening the fort of Golconda but also extended the frontiers of the kingdom. However their domain reached its political zenith by the time of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah who gave a benevolent rule to his subjects by identifying himself with the language and culture of the masses. He even composed thousands of lyrics in Telugu and laid the foundation for the magnificent city of Bhagyanagar named after his beloved Hindu consort. In the political history of medieval Deccan, Mohammed Quli remianed a star par excellence and ever remembered for all the good he did and cherished by his subjects. During the time of his successor of the king Mohammed Qutub Shah, it is believed that the administration of the kingdom was taken care by the illustrious daughter of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah. It was a period when Shah Abbas the Great was ruling over Iran and Akbar the Great and Jahangir were the Mughal rulers at Delhi. At this time, Hayat Bakshi Begum came to be affectionately called "Maa Saheba". The reign of Abdullah Qutub Shah also had the motherly touch from Hayat Bakshi Begum. However, the imperial Mughals prefered to concentrate to annex the kingdom of Golconda and it fell to the lot of Abdullah Qutub Shah in 1636 A.D. to execute a deed of submission to the imperial Mughals. However Golconda continued to be reckoned as an impregnable fort as long as reign of Abudllah Qutub Shah's rule survived under the able guidance of Hayat Bakshi Begum. The present manuscript con- tains a number of letters addressed by and on behalf of Abdullah Qutub Shah to Dara Shukoh and to the emperor Shah Jahan himself. No doubt these letters leave an impression that the glorious kingdom of Golconda is on its way down the path of submission.
I thank Dr. Najma Siddiqua, Reader Persian, Department, Osmania University for editing the manuscript "Makatib-e-Abdullah Qutub Shah" which is no doubt a beneficial addition to the other manuscripts brought out by Idara-e-Adabiyat Urdu and the other manuscripts preserved in the Salarjung Museum. I also thank Sri Mir Karamat Ali and other members of the staff of Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Institute for their whole-hearted co-operation in publishing the above edited manuscript.
The study of any aspect of medieval history cannot be made without due reference to the Qutb Shahi monarchs. The founder otthe Kingdom, Sultan Quli Qutb Shah was born in Hamadan and belonged to the Qara Quyunlu tribe of Trans-Oxonia. He was one of the sufferers of the age-long hostile relatoins of Ag. Quyunly and Qara Quyunlu tribes. The young ambitious Sultan Quli came to the Deccan to try his luck, as he had heard that India was a place where vallence, talent and noble character was duely valued. His services were availed by Sultan Mahmood Shah Bahmani Gradually, he rose to the position of the Governor of Telangana. By that time the entire Telugu speaking area was not under the sway of the Bahmanis. Sultan Quli learnt Telugu and constituted the administration in Telangana and introduced Persian as official language. He was almost autonomous by 1512 A.D. but he declared his formal autonomy by 1518 A.D.
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