Abul Hasan, known as Tanasha, succeeded to the throne with a treasury containing fifty crores and five lakhs of hons. He had two brothers in his service: Madanna (Prime Minister) and Akkanna (Minister of Armed Forces). They gradually filled high offices of the kingdom with their co-religionists. One of their nephews, Gopanna, is historically known as Ramadas. As the revenue officer of Palwancha pargana, he spent large sums of state money on the famous temple of Badrachalam.
At the time of Abul Hasan’s accession in 1672, Sivaji was at the height of his power in Maharashtra. He pretended to be a strong supporter of the independence of the Deccan, collecting twenty lakhs of hons from the Qutb Shahi king. In 1677, when the Mughals invaded Golconda, Bijapur allied with the Mughal forces, helping them extract one crore of rupees and ten thousand horses from Golconda. That same year, Sivaji entered into an agreement with Abul Hasan to divide his father’s jagirs with his half-brother through military means.
Aurangzeb charged Hasan with several offenses:
- Appointment of Madanna as Prime Minister
- Subjecting Muslims to Madanna’s un-Islamic rule
- Implementation of Hindu rules instead of Islamic ones
- Toleration of vices and immorality
- Indulgence in sexual activities and alliance with Maharashtra
The terms of surrender handed to Hasan included:
- One crore and twenty lakhs for settlement of arrears
- Annual payment of two lakhs of hons as peshkash
- Removal of Akkanna and Madanna from state service
Hasan refused to surrender and organized resistance while remaining inside the fort. According to one version, Akkanna and Madanna were murdered by nobles and members of the harem. The siege of Golconda began in January 1687 and lasted for eight months.
Some generals of Golconda played a treacherous role, aiding the besiegers at night, which led to the collapse of the empire’s defense. Hasan was captured and detained in Daultabad fort for the rest of his life, dying in 1700 after a hunger strike lasting several days.
