In 1543, after achieving so much and living such an extraordinary life,
Quli Qutb Mulk was killed by his own son,
Jamsheed, while he was offering his prayers one day. The assassin, who was Ibrahim's brother, made every effort to capture, kill, or mutilate all his brothers. He managed to capture and blind his eldest brother, crown prince Qutbuddin, but Ibrahim somehow managed to escape. He fled Golconda and took refuge in the court of the powerful Hindu ruler of
Vijayanagara. Here he lived in
exile as an honored guest of the powerful
patriarch of
Vijayanagara,
Rama Raya. He lived at the Vijayanagara court for seven years (1543–50). When
Jamsheed died due to
cancer on 22 January 1550, there was internal chaos within the kingdom. His son Subhan who was only an infant, was placed on the throne by Mustapha Khan. Jagadev Rao, Chief of the Naikwari, tried to place
Jamsheed's brother Daulat Quli, who instead wanted Ibrahim to be the king, on the throne. This led to his imprisonment in Bala Hisar, the highest point of the
Golkonda fort. Some discontented elements within the kingdom summoned Ibrahim to end his exile and claim the throne for himself. During his sojourn in Vijayanagara, Ibrahim developed very close and loving ties with the imperial family and with important members of the nobility. He also became deeply influenced by Hindu, Telugu culture. He adopted Hindu/Telugu ways of dress, food, etiquette, and above all, speech. He developed a strong love for the
Telugu language, which he
patronized and encouraged throughout his
reign. Indeed, he even went so far as to adopt a new name for himself, "Malki BhaRama," which is his own name spoken with a strong, rustic
Telugu accent. He used this name for himself in various official letters and documents and it therefore gained official recognition. ==Reign==