Turks In Karnataka

The paper aims to highlight the contribution of the Turks from 14thto 18thCenturyA.D., inKarnataka State.The Turks came to India after the Arabs. They werevery strong in their physique, expert in warfare and dedicated to Islam. In India,the Turkish rule was started by the Slave dynasty King named Qutbuddin-Aibakin the year 1206 A.D.,whichcontinued till 1287 A.D., under the reign ofGhiasuddin Balban. Afterwards another Turkish tribe, the Khilji dynasty ruledfrom 1292 A.D. to 1320 A.D. A third dynasty, the Tughluqs ruled from 1320 A.D.to 1414 A.D. They were a mixed raceofTurks and Jats. All the dynasties ruleddifferent parts of North India. Karnataka is a prominent State in South India. Thefirst Turkish invasion into Karnataka was bythe Khiljis.Malik Kafur, the Generalof Allauddin-Khilji carried many expeditions in South India during the period1305 A.D. to 1311 A.D., because of these expeditions many Muslim soldiersremained in Karnataka. Among them some were Turks. Ulugh Khan(Muhammud-bin-Tughluq)the son of Ghiasuddin Tughluq also conductedmilitary expeditions and captured Bidar and Basava Kalyana in Bidar district ofNorth Karnataka. Hence again many Turks put their feet in Karnataka.Epigraphical and literary sources are found of the Turks living during the periodof Vijayanagara Empire (1336 A.D.-1565 A.D.), the Bahmanis (1347 A.D.-1538 A.D.), the Adil Shahis (1489 A.D.-1686A.D.), the Barid Shahis (1487-1619 A.D.), and in the period of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan (1761 A.D.-1799A.D.). During the period of these Muslim dynasties many Turks rendered servicesaskings, nobles, administrators,soldiers, religious teachers, scholars, saints,architects,gun-makers,merchants, etc