From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The city of Hyderabad is an historic city noted
for its many monuments, temples, churches,
mosques, and
bazaars. A multitude of influences has shaped the character of
the city in the last 400 years.
The city is changing its role and outlook as part of the booming service industry
revolution, and is trying to preserve and popularize its history.
Before the city was founded
Ancient history
The area around Hyderabad was ruled by the Mauryan Empire in the third century B.C
during the reign of Ashoka.
Medieval history
Various Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms ruled the area during the subsequent centuries.
The area was ruled by the Kalyani branch of the Chalukya kings. When the Chalukya
kingdom became weaker, Kakatiyas, who were feudal chieftains
of Chalukya, declared independence and setup their kingdom around Warangal. The fall
of Warangal to Muhammad bin Tughluq's forces from the Delhi Sultanate
in 1321 AD brought anarchy to the region. For the next few decades, the Bahmani Sultanate
of the Deccan fought the Musunuri Nayakas on the north and the Vijayanagara Rayas
on the south for control of the region. By the middle of the 15th century, the region
was under the firm control of the Bahmani Sultanate which controlled the Deccan
north of the Krishna River from coast to coast.
The Qutb Shahis
The Golconda Sultanate
In 1463,
Sultan Mohammad Shah Bahmani dispatched Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk
to the Telangana region to quell disturbances. Sultan Quli quelled the disturbance and was rewarded
as the administrato
r of the region. He established a base at Kakatiya
hill fortress of Golconda which he strengthened and expanded considerably. By the
end of the century, Quli ruled from Golconda as the Subedar of Telangana. Quli enjoyed
virtual independence from Bidar, where the Bahmani sultanate was then based. In 1518, he declared
independence from the Bahmani Sultanate and established the Golconda Sultanate under
the title Sultan Quli Qutub Shah. This was the start of the Qutb Shahi
Dynasty. The Bahmani Sultanate disintegrated into five different kingdoms, with
the others based in Ahmednagar, Berar, Bidar
and Bijapur.
The Founding of a New City
Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah of Qutub Shahi dynasty, built the city of Hyderabad {formerly
known as Bhagyanagar} on the Musi River,five miles (8 km) east of Golconda in 1589
and dedicated it to his beloved Hindu wife Bhagyamathi (popularly known as Bhagmathi)
He also ordered the construction of the Char Minar, the iconic
monument of the city, in 1591, reportedly in gratitude to the almighty for arresting
a plague epidemic before it did irreversible damage to his new city. The Purana
Pul ("old bridge") spanning the Musi was built a few years earlier, enabling quick
travel between Golconda and Hyderabad.
Legend has it that the bridge was built by Mohammad Quli's father Ibrahim Quli Qutub
Shah so his son's life would not be endangered when he went to visit his future
wife during the monsoon months.
The New City Flourishes
The early history of Hyderabad is inextricably intertwined with the history of the
Qutb Shahi dynasty. As Qutb Shahi power and fortune rose during the
16th and early 17th centuries, Hyderabad became a center of a vibrant diamond trade.
All seven Qutb Shahi sultans were patrons of learning and were great builders. They
contributed to the growth and development of Indo-Persian
and Indo-Islamic
literature and culture in Hyderabad. Some of the sultans were known as patrons of
local Telugu culture as well. During the Qutb Shahi reign Golconda became one of
the leading markets in the world for diamonds, pearls, steel, arms, and also
printed fabric. In the 16th century the city grew to accommodate the surplus population
of Golconda
and eventually became the capital of the Qutb Shahi rulers. Hyderabad became known
for its gardens (called baghs) and its comfortable climate. Visitors from other
lands compared the city most to the beautiful city of Isfahan in Iran.
Mughal conquest and rule
The Beginning of the End
of the Mughal Empire
By the mid-17th century, politics in the Deccan were ready for yet another tectonic
shift. Mughal prince
Aurangzeb spent most of his time in the Deccan fighting local
Hindu and Muslim kingdoms to establish and enforce Mughal Sovereignty. The rise
of Maratha
power under Shivaji
kept the Mughals constantly challenged. After the death of Shah Jahan in 1666,
Aurangzeb consolidated his power in Delhi as Emperor and returned to the south.
He spent most of his imperial reign in military camps in the Deccan, in an almost
desperate campaign to expand the empire beyond the greatest extent it had reached
under Akbar. The biggest prize in his eyes was the rich city of Hyderabad,
protected by the reportedly impregnable fort of Golconda.
Hyderabad Falls to the Mughals
Aurangzeb laid siege to Golconda in 1686. Golconda held fast under months of siege,
and Aurangzeb had to retreat in frustration. Aurangzeb returned in 1687 and laid
siege for 9 months camping in the Fateh Maidan ("victory field," now the Lal Bahadur
Stadium). Local legend has it that the fortress held on, but the gates were opened
at night by a saboteur who was bribed by Aurangzeb. Sultan Abul Hassan Tana Shah,
the seventh king of the dynasty, was taken prisoner. Hyderabad's independence was
eclipsed. Aurangzeb's efforts would turn out largely in vain, with Hyderabad remaining
in Mughal hands for less than four decades.
For a few decades, Hyderabad declined, and its vibrant diamond trade was all but
destroyed. Aurangzeb's attention moved away quickly to other parts of the Deccan,
with the Marathas slowly but steadily gaining ground against the Mughals.