Malik Ambar, born as a slave in Ethiopia, and who rose to become the 'Uncrowned King' of the Deccan, is this link. Should Malik Ambar, who united the warring factions of Deccani Marathas—Khandagales against Jadhavs, Jadhavs against Bhosles—not be counted in our central culture of Maharashtra?" Notably, it was Malik Ambar who first deployed this tactic—using small units to launch surprise attacks in hilly terrain—to defeat the massive Mughal armies. Mughal Emperor Jahangir was so infuriated by Malik Ambar that he commissioned a fantasy painting by his court artist. In that world-famous painting, Jahangir is depicted shooting an arrow at the severed head of Malik Ambar.

Source: Ethiopian News December 20, 2025 08:31 UTC