History of Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Zeb-un-Nisa's palace, Aurangabad 1880s.
Aurangabad was founded in 1610 A.D. by Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of Murtaza Nizam Shah of Ahmadnagar, on the site of a village called Khadki. He made it his capital and the men of his army raised their dwellings around it. Within a decade, Khadki grew into a populous and imposing city. Malik Ambar cherished strong love and ability for architecture. Aurangabad was Ambar's architectural achievement and creation. Malik Ambar died in 1626. He was succeeded by his son Fateh Khan, who changed the name of Khadki to Fatehnagar. With the capture of Daulatabad previously known as Devagiri by the imperial troops in 1633, the Nizam Shahi dominions, including Fatehnagar, came under the possession of the Moghals.
In 1653 when Prince Aurangzeb was not appointed the viceroy of the Deccan for the second time, he made Fatehnagar his capital and renamed it Aurangabad. Aurangabad is sometimes referred to as Khujista Bunyad by the Chroniclers of Aurangzeb's reign.
Bibi Ka Maqbara 1880s
Bibi Ka Maqbara was built in 1678 by Aurangzeb's son, Azam Shah, as a loving tribute to his mother, Rabia-ul-Daurani alias Dilras Bano Begam. In 1756, Nizam-ul-Mulk Asif Jah, a distinguished General of Aurangzeb with the intention of founding his own dynasty in the Deccan, arrived at Aurangabad and made it his capital. He paid a visit to Delhi in 1723, but returned in 1724, Nizam Ali Khan Asaf Jah II transferred his capital from Aurangabad to Hyderabad in 1763. It was ceded by Ali Khan Asaf Jah II, Nizam of Hyderabad to Maratha Empire with Daulatabad and Solapur after Battle of Kharda in 1795 with paying indemnity of 30 million rupees. However, Marathi rule was lasted only 8 years and Nizam regained lost territories except Solapur with help of Arthur Wellesley, British general during Second Anglo-Maratha War.
Aurangabad was a part of Nizam's princely Hyderabad State until its annexation into Indian Union and thereafter a part of Hyderabad state of India until 1956. In 1956 it became a part of newly formed bilingual Bombay state and in 1960 it became a part of Maharashtra state. more....