Chand Bibi (1550–1599)

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Chand Bibi (1550–1599)

Indian queen and regent. Name variations: Chand Bibbi. Born 1550 (some sources cite 1547) in Ahmadnagar, India; died 1599; dau. of Hussain Nizma Shah of Ahmadnagar and Khonza Humayun; m. Ali Adil Shah (1558–1580) of Bijapur, 1562 (murdered 1580).

Queen of the Muslim kingdom of Bijapur, ruled as regent for her nephew, Ibrahim Adil Shah II, in Bijapur (1580–85); returned to Ahmadnagar; when Murtada Shah, the ruler of Ahmadnagar died, mustered troops from Bijapur to defend the kingdom and the infant king Bahadur from Akbar's imperial troops, led by his son Murad; during the Mughal siege, defended the fort successfully (1597) and came to be known as Chand Sultana; after fighting valiantly (1599), lost heart during a 2nd siege; in some sources, informed her eunuch that she was going to surrender and was killed by mob who accused her of turning traitor; in other sources, fought bravely to the end and was killed by the troops of Akbar (Ahmadnagar fell into the hands of Akbar in 1600).

See also Hindi film Sultana Chand Bibi (1936).

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