History of Hyderabad: Encyclopedia II - History of Hyderabad - Mughal conquest and rule

History of Hyderabad - Mughal conquest and rule

History of Hyderabad - 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 Hinduu and Muslim kingdoms to establish and enforce Mughal Sovereignty. Rise of Maratha power under Shivaji kept the Mughals constantly challenged. After the death of Shah Jahan in 1666, Aurangzeb he consolidated 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.

History of Hyderabad - 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 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.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Mughal conquest and rule", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki