Golconda Fort
Topic: Vijayanagara and the Deccan · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Golconda Fort is a hill fort near Hyderabad. It was the capital of the Qutb Shahi sultans of Golconda, one of the five Deccan Sultanates. It is famous for its clever acoustics (the way sound travels): a clap at the main gate can be heard at the top of the fort. The kingdom was also a great centre of the diamond trade, because diamonds were mined nearby.
Example
In 1687 Aurangzeb captured Golconda Fort after a long siege of about eight months. This ended the Qutb Shahi kingdom. A siege is when an army surrounds a fort and cuts off its supplies.
Don't confuse with
- Golconda sultanate (Qutb Shahi dynasty): this was the kingdom and its ruling family. Golconda Fort is the actual fort building that served as its capital.
Related concepts
- Vijayanagara Empire
- Harihara and Bukka
- Vidyaranya
- Bahmani Sultanate
- Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah
- Afaqis and Dakhnis
- Mahmud Gawan
- Bahmani madrasa, Bidar
- Deccan sultanates
- Adil Shahi dynasty