Accession 1580 Death 1612 It was in the long, peaceful and prosperous reign of the fifth king Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah that the Qutb Shahi dynasty reached its zenith. Muhammad Quli was crowned king when only 15 years of age. He is best remembered as the great planner and founder of the city of Hyderabad. According to popular legend, the king was enamoured of a dancer calledBhagmati, belonging to the small village of Chichelam where the famous Charminar now stands. He found Bhagnagar to perpetuate his love for her. Later, when the title of “Hyder Mahal” was bestowed upon her, the name of the city was accordingly changed by the king to Hyderabad. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, like Ibrahim, patronised and encouraged the Telugu language as much as he did Arabic and Persian. He was himself an accomplished poet in Telugu and fostered local traditions and rituals. He was also the creator of the first Deccani poetry. Muhammad Quli was hardly 48 when he died in 1612 after a fairly long reign of 32 years. He was a humane and just king, besides being a great builder and a man of letters. Hayath Bakshi Begum was his only daughter who was married to his nephew and successor, Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah.