Faruqi Dynasty of Khandesh

Fort Asirgarh

Situated in the Tapti valley, Khandesh was a province in the empire of Muhammad bin Tughluq, the second ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty. After the death of his successor Firoz Shah Tughluq (1309 –1388), Malik Raja Faruqi, then governor of Khandesh, declared his independence from Delhi Sultanate and founded the Faruqi (also spelt Farooqui) dynasty of Khandesh Sultanate.

Malik Raja Faruqi strengthened his position by a matrimonial alliance under which he married his daughter to Hushang Shah, the Malwa ruler. He was succeeded by his son Nasir Khan (reigned 1399-1437) who succeeded in capturing the impregnable fort of Asirgarh from a Hindu chieftain by subterfuge.

He built a new town which was named Burhanpur after Chishti Sufi saint Burhanuddin Gharib. In 1417, his invasion was repulsed by the Gujarat sultan Ahmad Shah whose suzerainty was acknowledged by him. The Gujarat Sultan, in turn, recognised Nasir’s right to rule over Khandesh.

Nasir’s successors, Adil Khan and Mubarak Khan, accepted suzerainty of Gujarat Sultanate. Adil Khan II (1457-1503) was more enterprising and established his overlordship on the Hindu rulers of the Garha –mandala and Gondwana. The later Faruqi rulers were weaklings. Dynastic rivalries offered the Sultans of Gujarat and Ahmadnagar opportunities to interfere in the affairs of Khandesh sultanate which was ultimately annexed into the Mughal Empire in 1601 during the reign of Akbar.

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