Farooqui dynasty
The Farooqi dynasty, also known as the Farooq Shahi dynasty, was a ruling Arab dynasty of the Khandesh Sultanate from its inception in 1382 till its annexation by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1601. The founder of the dynasty, Malik Ahmad participated in a rebellion against the Bahmani ruler Muhmmad Shah I in his early years. When he was compelled to flee from Deccan, he established in Thalner on the Tapti River. After receiving the grant of the fiefdoms of Thalner and Karanda from Firuz Shah Tughluq in 1370, he conquered the region around Thalner, which later became known as Khandesh. By 1382, he started ruling independently.
Malik Raja claimed his descent from the second Caliph Umar-al-Faruq. Hence, the dynasty founded by him was known as Faruqi dynasty. The next ruler, Nasir Khan conquered the Asirgarh fort and made it his capital. He founded the new capital Burhanpur in 1399.
The most illustrious ruler of the Farooqi dynasty is considered Adil Khan II. During his long reign, Burhanpur was transformed to a major centre for trade and textile production. In 1599, Akbar's army occupied Burhanpur and on January 17, 1601, the citadel of Asirgarh also fell after a long siege. The last ruler Bahadur Shah surrendered to the Mughals. Khandesh became a Mughal Subah.
History of Farooqui dynasty
Malik Ahmad Farooqui
Malik Raja claimed his descent from the second Caliph Umar-al-Faruq. Hence, the dynasty founded by him was known as Faruqi dynasty. The ancestors of Malik Ahmad belonged to a ruling family of Khorasan, one of the prominent rulers of the family was Abu Bin Adham or Sultan Ibrahim Bin Adham Balkhi, a famous muslim saint who gave up throne and became sufi. Some of its members escaped toward Dehli via Uch city after conquest of Balakh in 1220 A.D by Genghis Khan. They were welcomed by Sultan Iltutmish of dehli and were counted amongst the most respectable nobles in the courts of Ala-ud-Din Khalji and Muhammad bin Tughluq because of their blue blood.Malik Raja's father Khan-i-Jahan or Khwaja e Jahan Faruqi was a minister in the Delhi court. In 1365, Malik Raja and some other chieftains of Berar and Baglana, joined a rebellion against the Bahmani ruler led by the governor of Daulatabad, Bahram Khan Mazindarani. It failed, and he was forced to flee from Deccan. He settled at Thalner. He helped Firuz Shah Tughluq during one of his hunting expeditions in Gujarat. In return he was first made an officer of two thousand horses and then in 1370, he was granted the fiefdoms of Thalner and Karanda. In the same year, he defeated the Raja of Baglana and forced him to agree upon paying annual tributes to the Delhi sultan. In exchange, Firuz Shah Tughluq gave him the title of Sipah-salar and raised him to the rank of a commander of three thousand horses. Within a few years he was able to muster twelve thousand horses and raise contributions from neighbouring rulers.
By 1382, he became a completely independent ruler of the Khandesh. At the time of his accession, Khandesh was a backward region populated by a few thousand Bhils and Kolis. The only prosperous area in Khandesh was Asirgarh, populated by the rich cowherds, Ahirs. One of the first acts of Malik Raja was taking steps to develop the agriculture in his kingdom.
During his rule he was able to increase his area of control to such an extent that even the Gond Raja of Mandla was forced to pay tributes to him. Soon after his accession as an independent ruler, he attacked Gujarat and annexed Sultanpur and Nandurbar. Almost immediately, the governor of Gujarat Zafar Khan retaliated and laid siege to Thalner. Malik Raja had to return all the territories annexed by him. He died on April 19, 1399 and was buried in Thalner.
Sultan Nasir Khan Faroqi
Nasir Khan or Malik Nasir was the elder son of Malik Raja, who succeeded him in 1399. He commenced his rule from Laling, as Thalner was under the control of his younger brother Malik Iftikar Hasan. Soon after his accession in 1400, he captured the fort of Asirgarh and killed its Hindu ruler. It became his capital till he shifted to Burhanpur, the new city founded by him. In 1417, with the help of Malwa sultan Hoshang Shah, he captured the fort of Thalner and imprisoned his brother Malik Iftikar. Next, the combined forces of Khandesh and Malwa attacked Gujarat and occupied the Sultanpur fort. But soon, Gujarat sultan Ahmad Shah's general Malik Turk repulsed the attack and Thalner was besieged. After swearing fealty to the Gujarat sultan, the siege was raised and Ahmad Shah honoured Malik Nasir with the title of Khan.In 1429, he married off his daughter to the Bahmani prince Ala-ud-Din, son of Ahmad Shah I. In the same year, Raja Kanha of Jhalawar fled from Gujarat and took refuge to Asirgarh. Later on his advice, Raja Kanha went to Bidar to ask help from the Bahmani sultan Ahmad Shah I. After initial advances in Nandurbar by the Raja along with the legions of Khandesh and Bahmani army, the Gujarat army defeated the combined forces.
In 1435, Nasir Khan supported by the Raja of Gondwana and some discontented Bahmani officials attacked and captured Berar. The Bahmani governor fled to Narnala. In retaliation, the Bahmani sultan Ala-ud-Din Ahmad Shah II's army led by his general Malik-ut-Tujjar, first defeated him in Rohankhedaghat, then followed him to Burhanpur, ransacked the city and finally crushed his army in Laling. Nasir Khan died within a few days after this humiliating defeat on September 18, 1437. He was also buried in Thalner.