Sultan Quli Qutb Mulk

Sultan Quli Qutb Mulk (also transliterated in different ways) (? – 1543) was the founder of the Qutb Shahi dynasty which ruled the kingdom of Golconda in southern India from 1518 to 1687.

A Muslim from Turkmenistan, Quli Qutb Mulk migrated to Delhi with some of his relatives and friends in the beginning of the 16th century. Later he migrated south to Deccan and served Bahmani sultan Mohammad Shaw. He conquered Golconda and became the Governor of Telangana in 1518, after the disintegration of the Bahmani Kingdom into the five Deccan sultanates. Soon after, he declared independence from the Bahmani Sultanate, took title "Qutub Shah," and established Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda. He ruled from 1543 to 1550.

Quli Qutb Mulk was a contemporary of Krishnadevaraya and Achyutaraya of the Vijayanagara empire. Quli extended his rule by capturing forts at Warnagal, Kondapalli, Eluru, and Rajamundry, while Krishnadevaraya was busy fighting the ruler of Orissa. He defeated Sitapati Raju (also known as Shitab Khan), the ruler of Khammam, and captured the fort. He also forced Orissa's ruler to surrender all the territories between the mouths of Krishna and Godavari rivers. He was able to occupy Eluru, Rajamundry and Machilipatnam extending his rule to coastal Andhra. Quli's campaign against Krishnadevaraya continued until Timmarusu, the Prime Minister of Krishnadevaraya, defeated the Golconda army.

Though, Telugu was not his mother tongue, Quli learned Telugu language. He did not discriminate against Hindus but employed eligible Hindus in his court as governors and officers. He was a patron of the arts, and his dynasty became known for this.

Sultan Quli Qutb Mulk died in 1543 when his younger son, Jamsheed Quli Qutb Shah, assassinated him and blinded Kuli's elder son and heir, Kutbuddeen. Jamsheed then assumed the throne.