Two Traditions about the Ancestry of Yusuf ‘Adil Shāh of Bijapur

“Two Traditions about the Ancestry of Yusuf ‘Adil Shāh of Bijapur” investigates conflicting accounts concerning the origins of the founder of the ‘Adil Shāhī dynasty. One tradition, found in some Persian sources, states that Yusuf Beg Sāwī (later known as ‘Adil Shāh) descended from the rulers of Rum (Anatolia). His elder brother, Sultan Muhammad, ascended the throne in 1450–51 and Yusuf was regarded as the second Joseph for his beauty. According to this account, Sultan Muhammad loved his younger brother dearly, yet ministers warned him that keeping a potential claimant near the throne was dangerous and urged him to eliminate Yusuf. The article recounts a dramatic story: when the ministers pressed for Yusuf’s death, his mother negotiated a delay. She then bought a Turkish slave whose appearance resembled her son and, under cover of night, entrusted Yusuf to a merchant named Khwāja Imād‑ud‑din along with gold and jewels. She poisoned the purchased slave so that the corpse could be presented as Yusuf’s body. The next day she handed the body over to the executioners, and court officials mourned the supposed death while the real Yusuf was spirited away. A second tradition, preserved in Turkish chronicles and adopted by some European historians, portrays Yusuf not as a prince but as a Georgian or Circassian slave who was purchased by Sultan Muhammad. In this version he rose through military service and intrigue to become the ruler of Bijapur. The article notes that both traditions share motifs of disguise, concealment and royal intrigue but diverge on Yusuf’s original status. It also points out inconsistencies in the sources, suggesting that chroniclers may have conflated different individuals or deliberately fabricated genealogies to legitimise the dynasty. The paper then traces Yusuf’s subsequent career after his supposed death. He was raised by Imād‑ud‑din, eventually reappeared under another name and gained favour at court for his abilities. He was appointed superintendent of police, suppressed robbers and gradually accumulated power. Eventually he unfurled his banner at Bijapur and established the ‘Adil Shāhī kingdom. The author concludes that while Yusuf’s precise ancestry cannot be determined, the persistence of both traditions reveals contemporary concerns about legitimacy and the fluidity of identity in the Deccan sultanates. The tale of substitution also illustrates how mothers and palace officials intervened in succession politics.

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