The history of
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian subcontinent, Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India b ...
, located on the high
Deccan Plateau
The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by the ...
, includes its being ruled by the
Satavahana Dynasty
The Satavahanas (''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana rule began in the late ...
(230 BCE to 220 CE), the
Kakatiya Dynasty
The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region comprising present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha between 12th and 14th centuries. Th ...
(1083–1323), the
Musunuri Nayaks (1326–1356), the
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526). , the
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan, (1347–1512),
Golconda Sultanate
The Qutb Shahi dynasty also called as Golconda Sultanate (Persian: ''Qutb Shāhiyān'' or ''Sultanat-e Golkonde'') was a Persianate Shia Islam dynasty of Turkoman origin that ruled the sultanate of Golkonda in southern India. After the coll ...
(1512–1687) and
Asaf Jahi dynasty
The Asaf Jahi was a Muslim dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Hyderabad. The family came to India in the late 17th century and became employees of the Mughal Empire. They were great patrons of Persian culture, language, and literature, the famil ...
(1724-1950).
In 1724,
Nizam-ul-Mulk defeated Mubariz Khan and conquered Hyderabad. His successors ruled the princely state of Hyderabad, as
Nizams of Hyderabad
The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, M ...
. The Nizams established
first railways, postal and telegraph networks, and the first modern universities in Telangana.
After Indian independence, the Nizam did not sign the
instrument of accession to India. The Indian army invaded and annexed
Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and t ...
in 1948. In 2014, Telangana became the 29th state of India, consisting of the thirty-three districts, with
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
as its capital.
The city of Hyderabad will continue to serve as the joint capital for
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
and the successor state of Telangana for a period of ten years up to 2024.
Early history
Satavahana Dynasty
The Satavahanas rose to a political power, after the fall of the
Mauryan Empire
The Maurya Empire, or the Mauryan Empire, was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in the Indian subcontinent based in Magadha, having been founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, and existing in loose-knit fashion until 1 ...
.
Koti Lingala
Kotilingala is a Hindu pilgrimage site in Jagtial district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is situated in Velagatoor mandal of the district, on the Godavari river. It is located on the bank of the Godavari River, and has a traditional Shi ...
seems to be one of the 30 cities of Satavahana dynasty. Excavations revealed brick wells, coins belonging to a pre-Satavahana period, namely, Gobhada and Samagopa. It is believed that the place is the site of the hermitage of sage Bhavari. Several coins of Simukha, the founder of the Satavahana dynasty, and those of other early rulers like Kanha and
Satakarni I
Satakarni (also called Sātakarnī I, Brahmi script: 𑀲𑀸𑀢𑀓𑀡𑀺, ''Sātakaṇi'') was the third of the Satavahana kings, who ruled the Deccan Plateau, Deccan region of India. His reign is generally dated to 70-60 BCE, although som ...
were found.
The Deccan, during this period, was an emporium of inland and maritime trade. The region between the rivers of Godavari and Krishna was full of ports and throbbing with activity. There was plentiful of currency to facilitate trade and the people entered upon a period of great industrial, commercial and maritime activity. Buddhism flourished throughout the period and the rulers were also devoted to Vedic ritualism. They constructed several Buddhist Stupas, Viharas and Chaityas. Satavahanas were able rulers and loved literacy and architecture. The 17th ruler of this dynasty,
Hāla
(r. 20–24 CE) was a Satavahana king who ruled in present-day Deccan region.Mahajan V.D. (1960, reprint 2007) ''Ancient India'', S.Chand, New Delhi, ,pp.394-95 The Matsya Purana mentions him as the 17th ruler of the Satavahana dynasty.
The ...
was a great poet and his "Gathasaptasati" in Prakrit was well received by all. Gunadhnya, the minister of Hala was the author of "Brihatkadha". According to Matsya Purana, there were 29 rulers of this dynasty. They ruled over for about 456 years, from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. The empire included most of the southern peninsula and some southern parts of the present Indian states of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
,
Orissa
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of Sch ...
and
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
. The court language used by the Satavahanas was
Prakrit
The Prakrits (; sa, prākṛta; psu, 𑀧𑀸𑀉𑀤, ; pka, ) are a group of vernacular Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 3rd century BCE to the 8th century CE. The term Prakrit is usu ...
.
The decline and fall of the Satavahana Empire left the state in a political chaos. Local rulers, as well as invaders, tried to carve out small kingdoms for themselves and to establish many dynasties. Such instability continued to prevail until the rise of the
Western Chalukyas
The Western Chalukya Empire ruled most of the Deccan Plateau, western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannada people, Kannadiga dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalya ...
.
Kakatiya dynasty
![Ramappa_Temple_(Human_Scale)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Ramappa_Temple_%28Human_Scale%29.jpg)
The 12th and 13th centuries saw the emergence of the
Kakatiya dynasty
The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region comprising present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha between 12th and 14th centuries. Th ...
. The Kakatiyas are known for their famous architecture such as
Warangal Fort,
Ramappa Temple,
Thousand Pillar Temple
The Thousand Pillar Temple or Rudreswara Swamy Temple వేయి స్తంభాల గుడి''is a historic Hindu temple located in the town of Hanamakonda, Telangana State, India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya. Thou ...
and
Kota Gullu.
At first they were feudatories of the Western
Chalukya
The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
s of
Kalyani, ruling over a small territory near
Warangal
Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 704,570 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an .
Warangal ser ...
. A ruler of this dynasty,
Prola II
Prola II (r. c. 1116-1157 CE) was a Kakatiya chief who ruled the area around Anumakomda (modern Hanamkonda) as a vassal of the Kalyani Chalukyas. He was the father of Rudra-deva, the first sovereign ruler of the Kakatiya family.
Prola II was a s ...
(1110–1158), extended his sway to the south and declared his independence. His successor
Rudra
Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. Rud ...
(1158–1195) pushed the kingdom to the east up to the Godavari delta. He built
Warangal Fort to serve as a second capital and faced the invasions of the
Seuna
The Seuna, Sevuna, or Yadavas of Devagiri (IAST: Seuṇa, –1317) was a Medieval Indian dynasty, which at its peak ruled a kingdom stretching from the Narmada river in the north to the Tungabhadra river in the south, in the western part of t ...
Yadavas
The Yadava (literally, descended from Yadu) were an ancient Indian people who believed to be descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. The community was formed of various clans, being the Abhira, Andhaka, Vrishni, and Satv ...
of
Devagiri. The next ruler, Mahadeva, extended the kingdom to the coastal area. Ganapati Deva succeeded him in 1199. He was the greatest of the
Kakatiyas and the first after the
Satavahana
The Satavahanas (''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana rule began in the late ...
s to bring almost the entire
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
area under one unified empire. Ganapati put an end to the rule of the Velanati
Chola
The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...
s in 1210 and extended his empire to
Anakapalle
Anakapalli is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Anakapalli district. The municipality was merged with the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. It has the second largest jaggery market of the coun ...
in the north.
The most prominent ruler in this dynasty was
Rani Rudrama Devi
Rudrama Devi, also Maharani Rudramma Devi, was a queen of the Kakatiya dynasty in the Deccan Plateau from 1263 to 1289 (or 1295) until her death. She was among the women to rule as monarchs in India and promoted a male image in order to do s ...
(1262–1289), one of the few queens in Indian history. An able fighter and ruler, Rudrama defended the kingdom against the Cholas and the
Seuna Yadavas, earning their respect.
Marco Polo
Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...
visited India during her reign and made note of her rule.
On the death of Rudrama at the beginning of 1290, her grandson
Prataparudra II ascended the throne. Prataparudra had to fight battles throughout his reign against either internal rebels or external foes. Prataparudra expanded his borders to the west to
Raichur and in the south to
Ongole and the
Nallamala Hills, whilst introducing many administrative reforms, some of which were also later adopted in the
Vijayanagara empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
.
In 1309, the
Sultan of Delhi,
Alauddin Khilji
Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent. Alauddin instituted a number of significant administrative ...
sent his general
Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to promi ...
on an expedition to the
Kakatiya kingdom. Kafur's army reached the Kakatiya capital
Warangal
Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 704,570 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an .
Warangal ser ...
in January 1310, and breached its outer fort after
a month-long siege. The Kakatiya ruler
Prataparudra decided to surrender and agreed to pay tribute. Kafur returned to Delhi in June 1310 with a huge amount of wealth obtained from the defeated king.
Invasion by Delhi Sultanate
In 1323,
Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq
Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq, Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq ) (Ghazi means 'fighter for Islam')ref name="sen2"> (died c.1325) was the Sultan of Delhi from 1320 to 1325. He was the first sultan of the Tughluq dynasty. During his reign, Ghiyath al-Din Tughlu ...
sent his son
Ulugh Khan
Almas Beg (died c. 1302), better known by his title Ulugh Khan, was a brother and a general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He held the iqta' of Bayana in present-day India.
Ulugh Khan played an important role in Alauddin's asce ...
on an expedition to the
Kakatiya capital of Warangal. The ensuing
Siege of Warangal resulted in the annexation of Warangal, and the end of the Kakatiya dynasty.
Prataparudra was taken captive, and sent to Delhi, but it is believed he died en route.
Ulugh Khan
Almas Beg (died c. 1302), better known by his title Ulugh Khan, was a brother and a general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He held the iqta' of Bayana in present-day India.
Ulugh Khan played an important role in Alauddin's asce ...
ruled briefly as viceroy, until he returned to Delhi to succeed the throne.
As early as 1330, the
Musunuri Nayaks who served as army chiefs for Kakatiya kingdom united the various Telugu clans and recovered
Warangal
Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 704,570 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an .
Warangal ser ...
from the viceroy of the
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526). and ruled for half a century. Surrounded by more significant states, by the 15th century these new entities had ceded to the
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan, and the
Sangama dynasty, the latter of which evolved to become the
Vijayanagara empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
.
Bahmani and Deccan Sultanates
The
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan, ruled the region in the 15th century. In 1463, Sultan Muhammad Shah Bahmani II dispatched
Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk
Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk, more often though less correctly referred to in English as Quli Qutb Shah (1485–1543), was the founder of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, which ruled the Sultanate of Golconda in southern India from 1518 to 1687. Of Turkmen or ...
to the Telangana region to quell disturbances. Sultan Quli quelled the disturbance and was rewarded as the administrator of the region. He established a base at
Kakatiya hill fortress of
Golconda
Fort (Telugu: గోల్కొండ, romanized: ''Gōlkōnḍa'') is a historic fortress and ruined city located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was originally called Mankal. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparu ...
which he strengthened and expanded considerably. By the end of the century, Quli ruled from Golconda as the ''subedar'' (governor) of the Telangana region. Quli enjoyed virtual independence from
Bidar, where the
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan, was then based. In 1518, the
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan, disintegrated into five different kingdoms, with the others based in
Ahmednagar
Ahmednagar (), is a city located in the Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, India, about 120 km northeast of Pune and 114 km from Aurangabad. Ahmednagar takes its name from Ahmad Nizam Shah I, who founded the town in 1494 ...
,
Berar,
Bidar and
Bijapur
Bijapur, officially known as Vijayapura, is the district headquarters of Bijapur district of the Karnataka state of India. It is also the headquarters for Bijapur Taluk. Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural ...
. Sultan Quli declared independence from the Bahmani rule and established the Golconda Sultanate under the title "Sultan Quli Qutub Shah",
[
* ] he rebuilt the mud-fort of Golconda and named the city ''Muhammad Nagar''.
During this period, the city of
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
was established by
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591, on the banks of the
Musi River Musi may refer to:
* Musi River (Indonesia)
* Musi River (India), Telangana
* Moosy River, Andhra Pradesh, India
* Musi language, a Malay language spoken in Indonesia
* Angelo Musi (1918–2009), American basketball player
* Agostino de' Musi, real ...
. The
Charminar and
Mecca Masjid were constructed to form a centerpiece of the city. Over the years, Hyderabad would grow as an important trading center for diamonds, pearls, arms and steel.
The Qutb Shahi rulers were patrons of both
Indo-Persian
Indo-Persian culture refers to a cultural synthesis present in the Indian subcontinent. It is characterised by the absorption or integration of Persian aspects into the various cultures of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. The earliest introductio ...
and the local
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
art and culture. Early
Indo-Islamic type of architecture is reflected in the Qutb Shahi buildings. Some examples of it include the
Golconda Fort,
Qutb Shahi tombs,
Charminar,
Mecca Masjid,
Khairtabad Mosque,
Taramati Baradari and
Toli Mosque.
Mughal conquest and rule
Mughal
Mughal or Moghul may refer to:
Related to the Mughal Empire
* Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries
* Mughal dynasty
* Mughal emperors
* Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia
* Mughal architecture
* Mug ...
prince
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
spent most of his time in the Deccan, fighting local Hindu and Muslim kingdoms alike to establish Mughal sovereignty. The Golconda Sultanate faced various attacks by the
Mughal
Mughal or Moghul may refer to:
Related to the Mughal Empire
* Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries
* Mughal dynasty
* Mughal emperors
* Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia
* Mughal architecture
* Mug ...
prince
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
, who was appointed Viceroy of the Deccan by his father and
Mughal Emperor
The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...
Shah Jahan
Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), better known by his regnal name Shah Jahan I (; ), was the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from January 1628 until July 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mugha ...
. It was forced to pay an annual tribute to the Mughal Empire.
In 1656,
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
attacked
Golconda Fort by surprise but was forced to call off the siege on orders of
Shah Jahan
Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), better known by his regnal name Shah Jahan I (; ), was the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from January 1628 until July 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mugha ...
. Therefore, a treaty was signed between
Abdullah Qutb Shah
Abdullah Qutb Shah (also transliterated in different ways) was the seventh ruler of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India under the Qutb Shahi dynasty. He ruled from 1626 to 1672.
Abdullah, son of Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah, was a polyglot, a ...
and
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
, when the former accepted Mughal sovereignty, paid an annual tribute and married his daughter to Aurangzeb's
eldest son
Project Eldest Son (also known as “Italian Green” or “Pole Bean”) was a program of covert operations conducted by the United States' Studies and Observation Group (SOG) during the Vietnam War. The project focused on placement of explodin ...
.
After becoming
Mughal Emperor
The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...
, Aurangzeb returned to the Deccan. He captured Hyderabad and besieged Golconda in 1687, and the refused any negotiations. On 22 September 1687, after a nine month long siege, Golconda was captured.
Abul Hasan Qutb Shah was taken prisoner, and Hyderabad's diamond trade was all but destroyed.
Nizams of Hyderabad
The
Nizams of Hyderabad
The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, M ...
, also known as the ''Asaf Jahi'' dynasty, ruled
Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and t ...
,
[Hyderabad State (1724-1948) is not to be confused with Hyderabad State (1948–1956). The former was a princely state ruled by the Nizams, and the latter was a state of the Republic of India] which comprised
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian subcontinent, Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India b ...
,
Marathwada and
Kalyana-Karnataka from 1724 to 1948. Under this period,
Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and t ...
was the largest
princely state
A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Raj, British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, ...
in
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
, and had its own
mint
MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating system kernel for the Atari ST system and its successors. It is a multi-tasking alternative to TOS and MagiC. Together with the free system components fVDI device drivers, XaAES g ...
,
currency
A currency, "in circulation", from la, currens, -entis, literally meaning "running" or "traversing" is a standardization of money in any form, in use or circulation as a medium of exchange, for example banknotes and coins.
A more general def ...
,
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
and postal system. The Nizam acquired massive amounts of wealth due to the diamond trade.
Asaf Jah I
![Hyderabad_Coat_of_Arms](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Hyderabad_Coat_of_Arms.jpg)
With the emaciation of the Mughal Empire after
Aurangzeb's death in 1707, the Mughal-appointed governors of the ''Deccan Suba'' (
Deccan province) gained more autonomy from Delhi. In 1714, the Mughal Emperor
Farrukhsiyar appointed
Mir Qamar-ud-din Siddiqi as the viceroy to the Deccan and gave him the title of ''Nizam-ul-Mulk (governor of the country)''. He was well suited for the position as he had fought alongside his
father and
grandfather who were commanders during the siege of Hyderabad.
In 1724, he defeated
Mubariz Khan
Mubariz Khan was the Mughal governor of Gujarat and Hyderabad state. He was the governor of Golconda from 1713 to 1724 until he was killed during the Battle of Shakar Kheda where he fought against Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I. His is known to have ...
to establish control over Hyderabad. He received the title of ''
Asaf Jah'' from Mughal Emperor
Muhammad Shah in the following year. Thus began the
Asaf Jahi dynasty
The Asaf Jahi was a Muslim dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Hyderabad. The family came to India in the late 17th century and became employees of the Mughal Empire. They were great patrons of Persian culture, language, and literature, the famil ...
that would rule
Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and t ...
until a year after India's independence from Britain.
Successors of Asaf Jah I
![Principal_Street,_Hyderabad,_India](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Principal_Street%2C_Hyderabad%2C_India.jpg)
When
Asaf Jah I died in 1748, there was political unrest due to contention for the throne among his sons, who were aided by opportunistic neighbouring states and colonial foreign forces.
The death of
Asaf Jah I in 1748 resulted in a period of political unrest as his sons, backed by opportunistic neighbouring states and colonial foreign forces, contended for the throne. The accession of
Asif Jah II, who reigned from 1762 to 1803, ended the instability. In 1768 he signed the
Treaty of Machilipatnam, surrendering the coastal region to the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
in return for a fixed annual rent.
[
*
*
* ]
In 1769 Hyderabad city became the formal capital of the Nizams.
[
* ] In response to regular threats from
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali ( حیدر علی, ''Haidarālī''; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the att ...
(''Dalwai'' of
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
),
Baji Rao I
Baji Rao I (18 August 1700 – 28 April 1740), born as Visaji, also known as Bajirao Ballal (Pronunciation: ad͡ʒiɾaːʋ bəlːaːɭ, was the 7th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire. During his 20-year tenure as a Peshwa, he defeated Nizam-ul-M ...
(''
Peshwa
The Peshwa (Pronunciation: e(ː)ʃʋaː was the appointed (later becoming hereditary) prime minister of the Maratha Empire of the Indian subcontinent. Originally, the Peshwas served as subordinates to the Chhatrapati (the Maratha king); later, ...
'' of the
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Shi ...
), and Basalath Jung (Asaf Jah II's elder brother, who was supported by the
Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau
Charles Joseph Patissier, Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau (8 February 1718 or 8 February 1720 – 7 January 1785) or Charles Joseph Patissier de Bussy was the Governor General of the French colony of Pondicherry from 1783 to 1785. He served with dis ...
), the Nizam signed a
subsidiary alliance with the East India Company in 1798, allowing the
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...
to occupy
Bolarum (modern
Secunderabad
Secunderabad, also spelled as Sikandarabad (, ), is a twin cities, twin city of Hyderabad and one of the six zones of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Telangana. It ...
) to protect the state's capital, for which the Nizams paid an annual maintenance to the British.
When the
British and the
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
spread their hold over the country, successive Nizams won their friendship without bequeathing their power. The Nizams allied themselves with each side at different times, playing a significant role in the
Anglo-Mysore Wars
The Anglo-Mysore Wars were a series of four wars fought during the last three decades of the 18th century between the Kingdom of Mysore#Under Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan, Sultanate of Mysore on the one hand, and the British East India Company (r ...
.
As an offshoot of the
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...
,
Maulvi Allauddin
Syed Allauddin Hyder also known as Maulvi Allauddin was a preacher and Imam of Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad, India. He is popularly known for leading an attack at British Residency on 17 July 1857 located in the princely state of Hyderabad. The at ...
and
Turrebaz Khan
Turrebaz Khan (died ) was an Indian revolutionary who fought against the British in Hyderabad State during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and was hung by the British.
Life
Turrebaz Khan was born in Begum Bazar in present-day Hyderabad distric ...
led attacks on the
British Residency.
The
Great Musi flood of 1908
The Great Musi Flood was a devastating flood that occurred on 28 September 1908 in Hyderabad on the banks of Musi river. The city of Hyderabad was the capital of the Hyderabad State, ruled by the Nizam, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan.
The flood, locally k ...
ravaged the city of
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
and resulted in the death of at least 15,000 people.
Last Nizam
In 1911,
Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad succeeded his father. He was widely known for his wealth and considered
one of the wealthiest men of all time. The development of early modern Hyderabad took place during his reign.
Being a secular ruler, he is known for his donations and yearly grants towards various Hindu temples like
Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala,
Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Yadadri
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple or simply known as Yadadri or Yadagirigutta temple, (also known as Pancha Narasimha Kshetram and Rishi Aradhana Kshetram) is a Hindu temple situated on a hillock in the small town of Yadagirigutta in the Ya ...
.
He also donated a grant of 1
Lakh
A lakh (; abbreviated L; sometimes written lac) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 105). In the Indian 2,2,3 convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000. For ex ...
Hyderabadi Rupees towards the reconstruction of
Thousand Pillar Temple
The Thousand Pillar Temple or Rudreswara Swamy Temple వేయి స్తంభాల గుడి''is a historic Hindu temple located in the town of Hanamakonda, Telangana State, India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya. Thou ...
.
He also donated money and yearly grants for research work for 11 years for the compilation of the Hindu holy book "Mahabharata" at
Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune.
Telangana Rebellion
In late 1945, there started a peasant uprising in
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian subcontinent, Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India b ...
area, led by the
Comrades Association
The Comrades Association was a communist organization that operated in the State of Hyderabad in India during the rule of the Nizam. It represented the Communist Party of India in Hyderabad State. The Comrades Association played a very influentia ...
(representing
Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India (CPI) is the oldest Marxist–Leninist communist party in India and one of the nine national parties in the country. The CPI was founded in modern-day Kanpur (formerly known as Cawnpore) on 26 December 1925.
H ...
) also known as The
Telangana Rebellion
The Telangana Rebellion popularly known as Telangana Sayuda Poratam (Telugu : తెలంగాణ సాయుధ పోరాటం) of 1946–51 was a communist-led insurrection of peasants against the princely state of Hyderabad in the r ...
or ''Vetti Chakiri Udyamam'' or ''Telangana Raithanga Sayudha Poratam''. The communists drew their support from various quarters.
Among the poor peasants, there were grievances against the
''jagirdari'' system, which covered 43% of landholding. Initially, they also drew support from wealthier peasants who also fought under the communist banner, but by 1948, the coalition had disintegrated.
Initially, in 1945, the communists targeted ''
zamindars
A zamindar ( Hindustani: Devanagari: , ; Persian: , ) in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semiautonomous ruler of a province. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals and later the British had begun using it as a ...
'' and ''deshmukhs'', but soon they launched a full-fledged revolt against the Nizam. Starting mid-1946, the conflict between the ''
Razakars Razakar (رضا کار) is etymologically an Arabic word which literally means volunteer. The word is also common in Urdu language as a loanword. On the other hand, in Bangladesh, razakar is a pejorative word meaning a traitor or Judas.
In Pakista ...
'' (a private militia led by
Kasim Razvi) and the communists became increasingly violent, with both sides resorting to increasingly brutal methods. The
''Razakars'' cordoned off villages, captured suspected communists en masse and engaged in "absolutely indiscriminate and organised" (according to one Congressman) looting and massacres. According to an Indian government pamphlet, the communists had killed about 2,000 people by 1948.
Post-Independence
India became independent from the United Kingdom in 1947. The
Nizam of Hyderabad
The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, Mar ...
wanted to explore his options of independence from India, but was
forced to cede his state to India in 1948 to form
Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and t ...
.
Indian integration of Hyderabad
![Op Polo Surrender](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Op_Polo_Surrender.jpg)
Operation Polo, the code name of the Hyderabad "
Police Action" was a military operation in September 1948 in which the
Indian Armed Forces invaded the
State of Hyderabad
Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and t ...
and overthrew its
Nizam, annexing the state to India.
At the time of the
Partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
, the
princely state
A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Raj, British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, ...
s of India, who in principle had self-government within their own territories, were subject to
subsidiary alliances with the British, giving them control of their external relations. In the
Indian Independence Act 1947
The Indian Independence Act 1947 947 CHAPTER 30 10 and 11 Geo 6is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that partitioned British India into the two new independent dominions of India and Pakistan. The Act received Royal Assent on 18 J ...
the British abandoned all such alliances, leaving the states with the option of opting for full independence. However, by 1948 almost all had
acceded to either India or Pakistan. One major exception was that of Hyderabad, where the Nizam, a Muslim ruler, chose independence and hoped to maintain independence.
The Nizam was also beset by the
Telangana uprising
The Telangana Rebellion popularly known as Telangana Sayuda Poratam (Telugu : తెలంగాణ సాయుధ పోరాటం) of 1946–51 was a communist-led insurrection of peasants against the princely state of Hyderabad in the r ...
, which he was unable to subjugate.
The Indian government, anxious to avoid what it termed a
Balkanization
Balkanization is the fragmentation of a larger region or state into smaller regions or states, which may be hostile or uncooperative with one another. It is usually caused by differences of ethnicity, culture, and religion and some other factor ...
of what had been the Indian Empire, was determined on the integration of Hyderabad State into the new Indian Union.
Amidst atrocities by the ''
Razakars Razakar (رضا کار) is etymologically an Arabic word which literally means volunteer. The word is also common in Urdu language as a loanword. On the other hand, in Bangladesh, razakar is a pejorative word meaning a traitor or Judas.
In Pakista ...
'', the Indian Home Minister
Sardar Patel decided to annex Hyderabad in what was termed a "police action". The operation itself took five days, in which the Nizam's amry were defeated easily.
The operation led to massive violence on communal lines. The Indian prime minister
Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
*
* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
appointed a commission known as the
Sunderlal Committee. Its report, which was not released until 2013, concluded that "as a conservative estimate, 27,000 to 40,000 people had lost their lives during and after the police action."
Hyderabad State (1948–1956)
After Operation Polo, the
Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and t ...
was formed and
Mir Osman Ali Khan served as
Rajapramukh
Rajpramukh was an administrative title in India which existed from India's independence in 1947 until 1956. Rajpramukhs were the appointed governors of certain Indian provinces and states.
Background
The British Indian Empire, which includ ...
and
M. K. Vellodi
Mullath Kadingi Vellodi Order of the Indian Empire, CIE, Indian Civil Service (British India), ICS (1896–1987) was the appointed Chief Minister of Hyderabad State (1948–56), Hyderabad state by the government of India after the fall of the Hyd ...
was elected Chief Minister of Hyderabad State.
Andhra Pradesh (1956–2014)
In December 1953, the
States Reorganisation Commission
The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) constituted by the Central Government of India in December 1953 to recommend the reorganization of state boundaries. In September 1955, after two years of study, the Commission, comprising Justice Fazal ...
(SRC) was appointed to form states on a linguistic basis. An agreement was reached between Telangana leaders and Andhra leaders on 20 February 1956 to merge Telangana and Andhra with promises to safeguard Telangana's interests. After reorganization in 1956, the region of Telangana was merged with
Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh.
Telangana State (2014–present)
On 30 July 2013, the Congress Working Committee unanimously passed a resolution to recommend the formation of a separate Telangana state. After various stages the bill was placed in the
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameralism, bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the R ...
in February 2014. In February 2014,
Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014
The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014, commonly known as the Telangana Act, is an Act of Indian Parliament that bifurcated the state of Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and the residuary Andhra Pradesh state, as an outcome of the Telanga ...
bill was passed by the
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameralism, bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the R ...
for the formation of Telangana state comprising ten districts from north-western Andhra Pradesh.
The bill received the assent of the
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
on 1 March 2014.
The state of Telangana was officially formed on 2 June 2014.
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao was elected as the first chief minister of Telangana, following elections in which the
Telangana Rashtra Samithi party secured majority.
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
will remain as the joint capital of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for a period, not more than 10 years.
See also
*
Culture of Telangana
The Culture of Telangana in India has a cultural history of about 5,000 years. The region emerged as the foremost centre of culture in Indian subcontinent during the rule of Kakatiyas, the Qutb Shahis and Asaf Jahi dynasties— (also known as ...
*
Nizam of Hyderabad
The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, Mar ...
References
Notes
Further reading
*
*
* Zubrzycki, John. (2006) ''The Last Nizam: An Indian Prince in the Australian Outback''. Pan Macmillan, Australia. .
*
*
*
*
*
{{Telangana