page_title: Sikandar Adil Shah
hierarchical_section_title: Sikandar Adil Shah
caption_attribution_description: The House of Bijapur: Album leaf, ca. 1680 Kamal Muhammad; Chand Muhammad Attributed to India, Deccan, Bijapur Ink, opaque colors, gold, and silver on paper 16 1/4 x 12 13/16 in. (41.3 x 30.9 cm) Purchase, Gifts in memory of Richard Ettinghausen; Schimmel Foundation Inc., Ehsan Yarshater, Karekin Beshir Ltd., Margaret Mushekian, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ablat and Mr. and Mrs. Jerome A. Straka Gifts; The Friends of the Islamic Department Fund; Gifts of Mrs. A. Lincoln Scott and George Blumenthal, Bequests of Florence L. Goldmark, Charles R. Gerth and Millie Bruhl Frederick, and funds from various donors, by exchange; Louis E. and Theresa S. Seley Purchase Fund for Islamic Art and Rogers Fund, 1982 (1982.213)
context_page_description: Sikandar Adil Shah was placed on the throne of Bijapur in 1672 at four years of age. Therefore, his reign is one of regents and ministers and was marked by chronic civil war among factious nobles, independence of provincial governors, paralysis of the central administration, Mughal invasions, secret alliances but pretend hostilities with the Maratha Empire and other neighbors, and the final absorption of Bijapur into the Mughal Empire in 1686.
  The prestige of Bijapur was so seriously damaged by internal disruptions that the Mughal General Diler Khan almost coerced and humiliated Sikandar. Despite several sacrifices and desperate attempts on the part of Sikandar, he could not satisfy the growing greed of the Mughals. Sikandar's alliance with Sambhaji further aggravated Mughal-Bijapur relations.
  At last, Emperor Aurangzeb himself marched out in 1685 with a large army to fulfill the ambition of his life. After desperately defending his capital and withstanding the prolonged siege of Bijapur in 1685–1686, Sikandar was unable to halt the Mughal assault led by Aurangzeb.
context_section_description: Sikandar Adil Shah was placed on the throne of Bijapur in 1672 at four years of age. Therefore, his reign (1672–1686) is one of regents and ministers and was marked by chronic civil war among factious nobles, independence of provincial governors, paralysis of the central administration, Mughal invasions, secret alliances but pretend hostilities with the Maratha Empire and other neighbors, and the final absorption of Bijapur into the Mughal Empire in 1686.
  The prestige of Bijapur was so seriously damaged by internal disruptions that the Mughal General Diler Khan almost coerced and humiliated Sikandar. Despite several sacrifices and desperate attempts on the part of Sikandar, he could not satisfy the growing greed of the Mughals. Sikandar's alliance with Sambhaji (who was Hindu) further aggravated Mughal-Bijapur relations.
  At last, Emperor Aurangzeb himself marched out in 1685 with a large army to fulfill the ambition of his life. After desperately defending his capital and withstanding the prolonged siege of Bijapur in 1685–1686, Sikandar was unable to halt the Mughal assault led by Aurangzeb. On 12 September 1686, Bijapur was occupied, its garrison surrendered and Bijapur Fort was annexed by the Mughal Empire.
  Sikandar Adil Shah was captured bound in silver chains and brought before the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, to whom he bowed three times. Aurangzeb then sent him and his followers to Daulatabad fort, where he died during captivity. Sikandar Adil Shah was eventually buried at foot side of his spiritual teacher Naimullah Hashmi in the open yard in the New Market Place of Bijapur. The Adil Shahi dynasty thus came to an end.
caption: A painting of "The House of Bijapur" was completed in the year 1680, during the reign of Sikandar Adil Shah the last ruler of the Adil Shahi dynasty.
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