Stanley Scism

In what is now India, the state of Andhra Pradesh, in what in 1143 was called Warangal territory, Kakatiya dynasty kings reigned. A shepherd suggested to Raja Pratap Rudra Dev a fort on a certain hill. The raja saw the wisdom and built a bulwark, calling it Golconda (Golla meaning ‘shepherd’, konda meaning ‘hill’). In a pact of 1363, Raja Krishna Dev handed over the fort to Mohammed Shah of the Bahmani dynasty, which reigned at Golconda 1363-1518. In the late 1480s, the kingdom grew unstable and four of its five governors became independent, establishing their own dynasties:

Fatheulla-Imadul Mulk in Berar, Imad Shahi dynasty, 1490-1527; Ahmed Nizamul in Ahmednagar, Nizam Shahi, 1490-1663; Yousuf Adil Shah in Bijapur, Adil Shahi, 1490-1686; Khasim Bureed in Bidar, Bureed Shahi, 1492-1609.

A man born in Persia n 1452 came to India during the reign of Mohammed Shah Bahmani to deal in horses, and was appointed governor of Telengana in 1485. The king died, and this governor became Qutub ul-Malk and as Sultan Quli founded his own Qutub Shahi dynasty at Golconda. These kings of that dynasty reigned there:

Sultan Quli Qutub Shah 1518-1543

Jamshid Quli Qutub Shah 1543-1550

Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah 1550-1580

Mohd Quli Qutub Shah 1580-1611

Sultan Mohd Qutub Shah 1611-1626

Sultan Abdulla Qutub Shah 1626-1672

Abul Hasan Tana Shah 1672-1687

The first three kings constructed the stone fort in 62 years they reigned. In 1587, the fourth king laid out city plans for Bhag Nagar, named for his favorite concubine Bhagmati, and from this city they ruled.

In 1656, Mogul Emperor Aurangzeb attacked and defeated Golconda, Abdulla sued for peace, and in the treaty Abdulla’s daughter married Aurangzeb’s son, Mohammed Sultan. Thirty-one years later, Aurangzeb attacked again, beseiged the fort for eight months, and conquered when a Golconda commander opened at night a fort gate. Aurangzeb had Abul Hasan Tana Shah arrested, taken to Dalatabad Fort, and jailed at Chini Mahal there for his life’s last fourteen years. Thus ended the Qutub Shahi dynasty. The Moguls appointed governors over Bhagmati, now called Hyderabad, first Rustum Dil Khan for 23 years, who, after Aurangzeb died, declared himself ruler of the Deccan, and so was jailed and killed by Prince Kam Baksh, who in turn died when Bahadur Shah Alam invaded and attacked. Dilawar Khan and Abdul Mansur Khan served as governors before, during the reign of Emperor Furrukh Sair, Nizamul Mulk Asif Jah was appointed, and served 1725-1737. When Mohammed Shah’s Mogul administration declined, Asif Jah gained independence and established a dynasty, succeeded by seven kings, the last being Nawab Meer Osman Ali Khan, ruler of Hyderabad when India gained independence in 1947 and this dynasty ended.

The Nizams of Hyderabad spent wealth lavishly and hoarded foolishly—rats ate through lakhs of rupees in the palace basement. Their prime minister built and furnished a mansion lavishly that is now the city’s main museum.

The Golconda fort demonstrates clever use of natural features (building on boulders) and great concern for water resources (many water tanks, since the fort isn’t by a river).