Tales of rags to riches are often dismissed as fleeting fantasies. However, history proves that such feats are possible with guile, hard work and some luck.
No one embodies this better than Malik Ambar, an African slave who rose to become a powerful figure in medieval Indian politics.
Born as Chapu in 1548, he belonged to an Ethiopian tribe that was often targeted by slavers. By the time he was 12, he had already been taken away from both his family and home to be bargained over at slave markets.
Fortunately, his first master, a Baghdad merchant named Mir Qasim taught him how to read, write and count, as well as renamed him Ambar.
In 1571, Qasim took Ambar along to the Deccan region of western India, which at the time was embroiled in political, religious and military strife. The squabbling southern sultans often fought among themselves while in the north, loomed the ever-growing Mughal Empire.
Ambar in the meantime was sold again, this time to Chengiz Khan, chief minister of Sultan Murtaza of Ahmednagar. Like Ambar, Chengiz was an African slave and inspired the latter to aim high while in India.
In time, Ambar became Chengiz’s personal aide. When Chengiz was killed by political rivals, Ambar was emancipated after nearly 20 years as a slave and took to traveling.
Fate would lead him to join the army in Bijapur, Karnataka, where he also met his future wife Karima, an African too. His exemplary exploits as cavalry commander earned him the title of Malik, which is Arabic for “king”.
In 1595, Mughal Emperor Akbar invaded the south, encouraged by a power vacuum in Ahmednagar.
Sultana Chand Bibi of Bijapur, who claimed the Ahmednagar throne, decided to resist the Mughals and fought them personally, while Ambar and his warriors assisted by harassing the enemy.
Unfortunately, while her regime successfully resisted the Mughals, she was killed in 1599, which allowed the Mughals to swoop in and take Ahmednagar, throwing the vulnerable south into chaos. But it was time for Ambar and his men to shine.
His 7,000 Hindu and Muslim warriors proved to be a thorn in the Mughal army’s side, constantly destroying their supplies and riding off before the Mughals could retaliate.
While Ambar knew he could not be king in India, he still set out to install Sultan Murtaza Nizam Shah II as leader, marrying off his daughter to the ruler in the process.
Ambar then became the sultan’s Regent Minister, and for the next decade, he would fight both on the battlefield and in the royal court.
Through the years that followed, Mughal attempts to invade the south were constantly thwarted by Ambar to such an extent, that Mughal Emperor Jahangir commissioned a painting depicting himself shooting a decapitated Ambar in the head.
Back at home, Ambar had foiled a royal plot against him, assassinating the sultan he had installed and replacing him with a five-year-old. By 1610, Ambar’s forces took Fort Ahmednagar, a success that convinced the Mughals to seek peace for the time being.
Ambar took this opportunity to develop and stabilise the sultanate, promoting trade and enriching the capital of Aurangabad in modern-day Maharashtra.
His infrastructure projects were also impressive, with the construction of an aqueduct system and the maintenance of several forts. The arts also flourished during this time, with both Muslim and Hindu artisans free to build mosques and palaces.
Unfortunately, the truce with the Mughals did not last, with Ambar being defeated in 1616. His allies in Bijapur, believing Mughal victory to be inevitable, betrayed Ambar by joining forces with the Mughals.
It should have been the end for Ambar, but the old fox still had a trick up his sleeve.
On Sept 10, 1624, he lured the Mughals to the village of Bhatvadi, before destroying nearby dams to flood the area and turn the land into a muddy bog.
Elephants, cannons and soldiers struggled through the mud; all while being harassed by Ambar’s cavalry.
This disaster forced the Mughals to retreat and it was nothing short of a glorious victory for Ambar.
Unfortunately, it would also be his last.
In 1626, the 80-year-old Ethiopian passed away, leaving behind his son who could never live up to his father’s legacy. Ten years later, the Mughals would take Ahmednagar for good.
Despite this, his legacy is certainly one to admire, given his humble origins and the accomplishments of his lifetime.
Today, the bustling city of Aurangabad, where his aqueduct and tomb still stand, is a silent memorial to the African slave who became an Indian kingmaker.