Reign 1550–1580 Died June 5, 1580 Siblings Jamsheed Quli Qutb Shah Role Ruler Children Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah | Name Ibrahim Qutb Parents Quli Qutb Mulk Nephews Subhan Quli Qutb Shah | |
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House Golkonda, Hyderabad, Mughal India
(now in Telangana, India) | ||
Successor Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah Predecessor Subhan Quli Qutb Shah | ||
The History of Deccan - Episode 3
Ibrahim Qutb Shah Wali (1518 – 5 June 1580) (Urdu: ابراہیم قلی قطب شاہ) was the fourth ruler of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India. He was the first of the Qutb Shahi dynasty to use the title "Sultan". He ruled from 1550 to 1580.
Ibrahim's brother, Jamsheed Quli Qutb Shah, killed their own father and blinded their eldest brother, taking the throne in 1543. Ibrahim ran away and lived in exile as an honored guest of the powerful patriarch of Vijayanagara, Aliya Rama Raya. There, he developed a love for the Telugu language, which he patronized and encouraged during his reign. Ibrahim employed Hindus for administrative, diplomatic and military purposes within his sultanate.
When Jamsheed and a little later Jamsheed's infant son Subhan throned, Ibrahim returned to Golconda and took the throne. Following the battle of Talikota in 1565, Ibrahim was able to take the hill forts of Adoni and Udayagiri.
A patron of the arts, Ibrahim sponsored many court poets, such as Singanacharyudu, Addanki Gangadharudu, and Kandukuru Rudrakavi. There were Telugu poets, in a break from tradition, as well as Arabic and Persian poets in his court. He is also known in Telugu literature as, Malki Bharama. He took keen interest in the welfare of his people. He also repaired and fortified Golconda Fort and developed the Hussain Sagar lake and Ibrahim Bagh. He is described in one of the inscriptions on the "Makki Darwaza" in the fort as "The Greatest of Sovereigns".
After a short illness Ibrahim died in 1580.