INTRODUCTION
The founder of the Qutb Shahi dynasty was Sultan Qutb-ul-Mulk. After the disintegration of the Bahamani kingdom, several governors declared their independence. Sultan Quli also declared independence and established the Golconda kingdom with its capital at Golconda. They ruled from 1512 to 1687 AD. They fought with contemporary Vijayanagar, Bijapur, Berar, Bidar, and Ahmadnagar kingdoms. Mughal rulers slowly came to the Deccan and established their supremacy over the Deccan. The Qutb Shahi Sultans encouraged agriculture, irrigation, industry, trade, literature, and architecture. The Qutb Shahi kingdom occupied a prominent place in the history of Deccan.
SOURCES
Ghazinagar inscription of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah, Badshah-e-Ashurkhana, Darus Shifa inscription of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, Miyan Misq inscription of Abul Hasan Tanisha, the Pangal and Koilkonda inscriptions are useful for the reconstruction of the Qutb Shahi History. Mirza-Ibrahim-Zubari’s work Basantin-us-Salatin (Dastur-ul-Amal) provides very useful, authentic information about the Qutb Shahi polity, its nature, and structure. The author tried to describe the Qutb Shahi administration in just thirteen pages. According to eminent historian H.K. Sherwani, Mirza-Ibrahim-Zubari was a contemporary of Abdullah-Qutbshah (1626-1672). This book was written on the model of Siasat Nama written by Nizam-ul-Mulk Tusi, the court scholar of Sultan-Malik-Shah-Seljuki, the ruler of Central Asia. The author of Siasat Nama discussed the duties and objectives of a Sultan. The Qutb Shahi Sultans followed the guidelines laid in Siasat Nama. But, they also honoured the local people’s desires and local laws in running the administration.