Maliku't-Tujjar's Konkan Campaign

Maliku't-Tujjar's Konkan Campaign
Part of Bahamani Sultanate Expansion
Date 1447 Location Chakan, Pune,Maharashtra Result Chalukyas of Sangameshwar Victory Territorial changes Chakan reclaimed by Chalukyas of Sangameshwar
Belligerents
Bahamani Sultanate	Chalukyas of Sangameshwar
Commanders and leaders
Maliku't-Tujjar † Khalaf Hasan †	Shankar Rao Chalke Vijaypal Shirke
Strength
10,000 Cavalry including 7000 Deccanis and 3000 Arabs	30,000 Cavalry
Casualties and losses
During the Campaign, The Chalukyas of Sangameshwar massacred the entire Bahamani army including the commander in chief and 500 Sayyads from Medina, Najaf and Karbala

Despite numerous campaigns by the Bahamani rulers, their control over the western coast was unstable due to local resistance, particularly from the Raja of Sangameshvar. In 1447, Sultan ordered Malik-ut-Tujjar to secure the southern Konkan region. Khalaf Hasan led a force of 10,000 cavalry, capturing most local chiefs and their fortresses. Raja Sankar Rao Chalke, captured and forced to pay tribute, deceived the Bahamani forces by leading them through difficult terrain into a trap. The chief of Sangameshwar, informed by Sirke, launched a surprise attack with 30,000 troops. The Bahamani camp was overrun, resulting in a devastating defeat for the Bahamani forces, including the deaths of Malik-ul-Tujjar and his contingent. The survivors reached Chakan to report the disaster, marking a severe blow to Bahamani control in the Konkan region, which was later reinstated only after Mahmud Gawan's rise to power.

Prelude

After examining the positive aspects of the Bahmani kingdom during Maḥmūd Gāwān‌’s time, we must now address a troubling issue: the factional politics that plagued the kingdom.

The Deccan region had been conquered multiple times—first by Alauddin Khilji, then Malik Kafur followed by Mubarak Shah Khilji, and finally Muhammed Tughluq. Tughluq was the first to consider colonizing the Deccan by establishing Deogir as the second capital of his empire. This led to a steady influx of Northerners into the Deccan, though this influx was somewhat mitigated by the abandonment of Daulatabad as the second capital. The Amiran-i Sadah of Daulatabad, whose revolt led to the formation of the Bahmani Sultanate, were technically the kingdom's original settlers, although intermarriage between Muslims and non-Muslims likely occurred, particularly after Firoz Shah’s marriage to the daughter of Dev Rai of Vijayanagar and his son Hasan Khan’s marriage to Parthal of Mughdal 1407.

The first significant influx of newcomers occurred during Firoz Shah’s reign. His fleet brought not only goods but also scholars from various lands. Khalaf Hasan, a merchant from Basrah, arrived to trade Arab horses and became a favored figure of the king’s brother, Ahmad Khan Khăn-i Khănān. The king and his brother Ahmad were notably inclined towards the Syeds from Basrah and other holy cities. Ahmad Shah I appointed Khalaf Hasan as Maliku't-tujjar (Prince of Merchants) and Prime Minister, a move that incited jealousy among the Oldcomers. Ahmad Shah often tested the loyalty of his 'afaqi' (newcomer) courtiers, who proved their worth during various military campaigns. Ahmad Shah's actions, such as enrolling a special corps of 3000 archers from various regions, and rewarding Khalaf Hasan with royal robes, further fueled factional disputes.

The Oldcomers resented the Newcomers, particularly after Khalaf Hasan's failure in Gujarat, which was attributed to internal strife between factions. Subsequent tensions included demands for power-sharing from Muhammad Khān, who eventually rebelled but was defeated.

During a campaign against Berar, King Ahmad Shah II faced a critical situation. While Oldcomer officers suggested no feasible solution, Maliku't-tujjar proposed an army of only Newcomers to counter the threat. This army, composed of select Newcomers, achieved a decisive victory over Nasir Khan of Khandesh. The triumph solidified the Newcomers' influence, leading to further factional tensions.

From then on, Newcomers were given prominence in court, exacerbating the divide between them and the Oldcomers, a division that continued to fester and shape the kingdom's internal dynamics.

Campaign

Initial Success

Despite numerous campaigns by the Bahamani rulers, their control over the western coast remained unstable. The local chiefs, particularly the Raja of Sangameshvar, frequently resisted Bahamani authority. Although they occasionally submitted and paid tribute following large-scale invasions, they would quickly regain their autonomy once the Bahamani forces withdrew. The Bahamani generals struggled to impose lasting control, partly due to a lack of full commitment to the campaigns and the challenging topography of the region.

In 1447, Sultan ordered Malik-ut-Tujjar, the Governor of Daulatabad, to secure the southern Konkan region. Khalaf Hasan was tasked with punishing Raja Sankar Rav Sirke, a chief from a heavily fortified area surrounded by dense jungles. Khalaf Hasan prepared thoroughly for this challenging campaign, arriving at Chakan with a force of 10,000 cavalry, including 7,000 Deccanis and 3,000 Arabs. He fortified Chakan and launched his expedition into Konkan.

Khalaf Hasan's well-trained and equipped army managed to subdue most of the local chiefs and capture their fortresses. Raja Sankar Rav Chalke, however, put up strong resistance but was eventually defeated and captured by Malik-ul-Tujjar. The Raja agreed to pay tribute, convert to Islam, and assist the Bahamani forces in their campaign against the principality of Sangameshvar.

The Masscare

The Raja's intentions were far from sincere; his apparent submission was merely a tactic to extricate himself from his current predicament. As the Bahamani army advanced, they unwittingly entered a trap. The Raja deliberately led them along a convoluted route through dense jungles and rugged mountains. Some Bahamani cavalry, daunted by the arduous journey, turned back to Chakan. After several days of grueling travel, the exhausted and parched army found themselves at the edge of a death trap, where they came to a halt.

At this critical moment, Raja Sankar Rao discreetly contacted the chief of Sangameshwar, informing him of a golden opportunity to annihilate the Bahamani forces while they were vulnerable and disorganized. Understanding the chance, the chief of Sangameshwar assembled an army of 30,000 lancers, archers, and matchlock men. They surrounded the Bahamani camp under the cover of night. When the Bahamani soldiers were deep in slumber, the Sangameshwar troops launched a surprise attack. Chaos erupted as the Bahamani camp was overrun, and the soldiers were slaughtered almost entirely. Malik-ul-Tujjar and his contingent of five hundred Sayyads from Medina, Najaf, and Karbala were killed. The camp became a battlefield strewn with the dead, filled with the cries of the wounded and dying.

The survivors who managed to flee reached Chakan to report the disaster. This defeat devastated the remnants of Bahamani control in the Konkan region, which was only reinstated after Mahmud Gawan's rise to power.