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{{Short description|15th century military conflict in India}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Gajapati invasion of Bidar
| place = [[Bidar]], [[Karnataka]]
| partof = Bahmani-Gajapati conflicts
| image = Gateway to Bidar fort.jpg
| caption = The Bidar Fort
| date = September 1461
| coordinates = {{coord|17.912|N|77.520|E|region:IN-KA|display=inline,title}}
| map_type = Karnataka#India
| result = Bahmani victory
| combatant1 = [[Bahmani Sultanate]]
| combatant2 = [[Gajapati Empire]] [[Kakatiya dynasty|Kakatiya chiefs]]
| commander1 = [[Mahmud Gawan]] Muhibullah
| commander2 = [[Kapilendra Deva]]
| strength1 = 160 horsemen<ref name=":0"></ref> '''Unengaged:''' 40,000 cavalry<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9cmAQAAMAAJ |title=A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206-1526), ed. by Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami |date=1970 |publisher=People's Publishing House |pages=950–951 |language=en}}</ref>
| strength2 = 10,000 footmen 400 horsemen<ref name=":0"></ref>
| territory = [[Status quo ante bellum]]
| casualties1 = Unknown
| casualties2 = 2,000–3,000 soldiers killed<ref name=":0"></ref>
}}
The '''Gajapati invasion of Bidar''' in 1461 was a significant military expedition by [[Kapilendra Deva]] of the [[Gajapati Empire]] against the [[Bahmani Sultanate]]. This event unfolded in the aftermath of [[Humayun Shah|Humayun Shah Bahmani]]'s demise and the subsequent ascent of [[Nizam-Ud-Din Ahmad III|Nizam Shah Bahmani]] to the throne. The primary objective of the campaign was to seize [[Bidar]], the present-day region of [[Karnataka]]. Backed by [[Kakatiya dynasty|Kakatiya]] chiefs, the Gajapati forces engaged in a decisive conflict with the Bahmani forces led by Muhibullah. The outcome saw the defeat of the Gajapatis, compelling the submission of Kapilendra.

== Background ==
[[Kapilendra Deva]] established the Gajapati Empire in Odisha in the year 1434.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Panda |first=Shishir Kumar |date=2008 |title=Gajapati Kingship and the Cult of Jagannatha: A Study on the Chhamu Chitaus (royal Letters) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44147183 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=69 |pages=225–229 |jstor=44147183 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref> He waged wars against the neighboring [[Bahmani Sultanate|Bahmani]] and [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagar]] Kingdoms. Kapilendra invaded the territories of the Bahmani Dynasty during the reign of [[Humayun Shah|Sultan Humayun Shah]], who died in 1461. [[Nizam-Ud-Din Ahmad III|Nizam Shah Bahmani]], the eight-year-old son of Humayun Shah, succeeded him to the throne.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mahtab |first=Harekrushna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DSj8395b_WMC |title=The History of Orissa |date=1959 |publisher=Prajatantra Prachar Samity |pages=313–316 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Sandhu |first=Gurcharn Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xi3cAAAAMAAJ |title=A Military History of Medieval India |date=2003 |publisher=Vision Books |isbn=978-81-7094-525-3 |pages=366 |language=en}}</ref>

Kapilendra perceived this as an opportunity to invade the Bahmani Dynasty, thinking it would be easier to capture its capital due to their minor ruler. Khwaja-i-Jahan, was the [[regent]] ruler and [[Mahmud Gawan]] was the [[Vizier]] of the Bahmanis at the time.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chandra |first=Satish |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qHnHHwAACAAJ |title=History of Medieval India: 800-1700 |date=2007 |publisher=Orient BlackSwan |isbn=978-81-250-3226-7 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9cmAQAAMAAJ |title=A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206-1526), ed. by Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami |date=1970 |publisher=People's Publishing House |pages=950–951 |language=en}}</ref>

== The campaign ==
In 1461, Kapilendra led a march towards [[Bidar]] with the backing of [[Kakatiya dynasty|Kakatiya]] chiefs and the Zamindars of [[Telangana]] to invade the Bahmani Dynasty. He pillaged the regions and progressed toward the Bahmani capital.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Haque |first=Mohammed Anwarul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Co8eAAAAMAAJ |title=Muslim Administration in Orissa, 1568-1751 A.D. |date=1980 |publisher=Punthi Pustak |pages=34 |language=en}}</ref> The Gajapati forces, comprising 10,000 men and 400 horses, faced opposition from the Bahmani chiefs who sent a contingent of 160 horsemen led by Mahmud and Muhibullah, the son of [[Bahmani Tombs#Description#Chaukhandi|Khalilullah]], a recognized [[Ghazi (warrior)|Ghazi]]. Mahmud and Muhibullah marched against the Gajapatis, leading to a military conflict. The Bahmanis charged their force against the Gajapati vanguard, and the outcome favored them, as the Gajapati forces under Kapilendra retreated from the battlefield.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Mukherjee |first=Prabhat |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B_YdAAAAMAAJ |title=The History of the Gajapati Kings of Orissa and Their Successors |date=1981 |publisher=Kitab Mahal |pages=135 |language=en}}</ref> Believing that the entire Bahmani army was mobilizing, the Gajapatis left their heavy baggage on the field and sought refuge in a fort.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Subrahmanyam |first=R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8xhFAAAAIAAJ |title=The Sūryavaṁśi Gajapatis of Orissa |date=1957 |publisher=Andhra University |pages=56-58 |language=en}}</ref> [[Firishta]] documents the message from the Bahmani chief to Kapilendra as follows:
{{Quote|"This king of ours, with his youthful good fortune, has been wishing to march with an army to the lands of [[Odisha|Odissa]], Oriya and [[Jajpur|Jajnagar]] in order to conquer them. It is good that you have simplified our work by coming here yourself. Now understand definitely that unless you promise to pay a tribute and unless you return all the money you have seized from the land of the Musalmans, not one of your men will be able to go back alive."<ref name=":0" />|Firishta}}
The Gajapatis lost two to three thousand men.<ref name=":2" /> Kapilendra, in a gesture of submission, paid tribute to the Bahmanis by surrendering twenty-five elephants and a substantial amount of gold and silver to secure his life.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sahu |first=N. K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BxpDAAAAYAAJ |title=A History of Orissa |date=1980 |publisher=Bharatiya Publishing House |pages=244 |language=en}}</ref>

Kapilendra's sudden withdrawal stemmed from [[Jaunpur Sultanate|Jaunpur Sultan]] [[Husain Shah of Jaunpur|Hussain Sharqi]]'s invasion of Orissa. After capturing Tirhut, he sent detachments to conquer Orissa. This compelled Kapilendra to retract from Bahmani territories, compelling him to seek peace. Despite facing Hussain Sharqi, Kapilendra surrendered once more, presenting 30 elephants and 100 horses.<ref name=":2" />

== See also ==
* [[Bahmani invasion of Orissa]]
* [[Battle of Katasin]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Gajapati Empire]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Bahmani Sultanate]]

Gajapati invasion of Bidar - Revision history

BGRDoreen32 at 07:17, 12 March 2026