Historywaves

Abstract Chand Sultana, popularly known as Chand Bibi, was a prominent political and military figure of the late sixteenth-century Deccan. A member of the Nizam Shahi ruling family of Ahmadnagar and later queen of Bijapur, she exercised political authority during periods of dynastic instability and increasing Mughal expansion. Her most celebrated achievement was the defence of Ahmadnagar against the Mughal army in 1595–96. This article examines Chand Sultana's political authority, military leadership and diplomatic strategy within the wider context of Deccan politics. It argues that her historical significance extends beyond the conventional image of a warrior queen. Her ability to mobilise military resources, negotiate with competing political groups and defend dynastic sovereignty demonstrates the complex nature of female political authority in the early modern Deccan. The article also considers the c...