Caption: | A copper coin of Mohammed Shah I |
Succession: | 2nd Bahmani Sultan |
Mohammed Shah I | |
Muhammed Shah Bahmani I | |
Predecessor: | Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah |
Successor: | Mujahid Shah |
Issue: | Ala-ud-Din Mujahid Shah, Ruh Parwar Agha |
Father: | Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah |
Reign: | 11 February 1358 – 21 April 1375 |
Reign-Type: | Monarch |
Mohammed Shah I (reigned 1358 - 1375) was the second ruler of the Bahmani Sultanate, a late medieval kingdom of India. He succeeded his father Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah.[1] He initiated the Bahmani–Vijayanagar War with two neighboring kingdoms, the Vijayanagara and the Warangal under Kapaya Nayaka, and successfully subjugated them. He was succeeded by his son Alauddin Mujahid Shah.[2] [3]
When Mohammad inherited the newly born sultanate from his father Alauddin, the land was still infested with thieves and robbers. As such he spent the entire part of his reign in establishing law in his land. He ordered his governors to never give refuge to anyone who defied his authority. This campaign was successful and at the end of his reign, the land became peaceful and law-abiding. He also sat on the takht-ē-firoza or The Turquoise throne which was gifted to him by Kapaya Nayaka.
During his time, he built the Jamia mosque of Gulbarga with the help of a Persian architect named Rafi of Qazvin in 1367.
Like his father, Mohammed was involved in wars with Vijayanagara. However he also became embroiled in wars with Warangal. Mohammed died in 1375 due to alcoholic addiction.[3]
During his reign, he perpetrated some of the largest genocides of non-believers. It is estimated that he massacred approximately 500,000 to 1 million infidels.[4] As a ruthless ruler of the Bahamani Sultanate, he was responsible for the deaths of countless children and women in the Vijayanagara Empire.[5] [6]