During the first quarter of the sixteenth century the relations between the power ruling over North India, namely, the Lodi Empire and the Deccan kingdoms were generally at a very low key. But it is, of course, true that the Deccani kingdoms were not indifferent to the situation in the North. The sending of congratulatory letters to Babur by trte rulers of Ahmadnagar, Bijapur and Berar, on his success in 1526, goes to testify their eagerness to win favour with any ruler who appeared to gaining an upper hand in North India. Among them Ahmadnagar seemed to be particularly responsive to the developing political scenario in the North. The short term consideration of the Ahmadnagar Kingdom in cultivating friendly ties with the Mughals from the very beginning of their rule down to the end of Humayun's reign, and also with the Surs during their short lived rule over North India, was possibly that their military pressure on Malwa and Gujarat would render the latter two states less belligerent towards Ahmadnagar. But at the same time it should not be overlooked that from 1535 onwards Humayun appeared to be interested in extending his influence, if not actual rule, over Khandesh and Ahmadnagar which is borne out by his correspondence with Burhan Nizam Shah I as well as his making, while returning to Mandu from Ahmadabad, a detour across Khandesh. It was, however, only after the annexations of Malwa and Gujarat in 1562 and 1572 respectively to the Mughal Empire that a situation was created where Mughals were gradually sucked.
ABSTRACT
During the first quarter of the sixteenth century the relations between the power ruling over North India, namely, the Lodi Empire and the Deccan kingdoms were generally at a very low key. But it is, of course, true that the Deccani kingdoms were not indifferent to the situation in the North. The sending of congratulatory letters to Babur by the rulers of Ahmadnagar, Bijapur and Berar, on his success in 1526, goes to testify their eagerness to win favour with any ruler who appeared to gaining an e power politics in the Deccan. In this thesis an attempt is made to focus on the
history of Mughal-Ahmadnagar relations from 1526 down to 1636 when a major part of Ahmadnagar was finally absorbed into the Mughal Empire.
The Introductory Chapter of this thesis traces the history of the emergence of Ahmadnagar as a powerful and independent Kingdom by the time Mughal rule was established in North India. In this chapter special attention is paid to Ahmadnagar's relations with the neighbouring kingdoms with particular emphasis on those with northern powers, namely, Gujarat, Khandesh and Malwa. The Khandesh state played an important role in shaping the Mughal-Ahmadnagar relations. It was sought to be used by Akbar to further the strategic aims of the Mughals in the Deccan, particularly, for not allowing the consolidation of Ahmadnagar's hold over Berar after it was annexed by that Kingdom in 157^. A brief survey of these diplomatic and military moves of the Mughals involving Khandesh down to its annexation to the Mughal Empire forms the central theme of the Chapter I of this thesis.

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