The foundation of this historic city were laid during the
reign of the Chalukayan Dynasty of Kalyani between 10th and 11th Centuries. They called it
'Vijayapura' or the city of Victory from hence comes its present name Bijapur.
Bijapur came under Muslim influence, first under Alauddin Khilji, The Sultan of Delhi,
towards the end of the 13th Century and then under the Bahamani Kings of Bidar 1347. In
1481, Mohammed III, one of the Bahamani Sultans, appointed Yusuf Adil Khan as the Governor
of the Bijapur. One of the sons of Sultan Mohammed II of Turkey, Yusuf Adil Khan fled his
country on the death of his father, to escape the massacre of crown princes in the battle
for the succession to the throne. He was purchased as a slave by Mohammed Gavan, the Prime
Minister of Mohammed III. With the decline of the Bahamani power at Bidar, Yusuf declared
his independence in 1489 and thus became the founder of the Adil Shahi Dynasty which
survived as the Kingdom till its annexation by Aurangazeb in 1686.
Bijapur experienced a great burst of architectural activity under the Adi Shahi Dynasty.
The Adil Shahi encouraged building activity to such an extent that Bijapur itself has over
50 Masks, more than 20 tombs and a number of palaces. An interesting feature of employment
of large numbers of Indian artisans. Earlier Muslim rulers of the Deccan deployed Persian
Craftsmen and Architects.
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