India GOHistory of Hyderabad
Hyderabad was founded in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth sultan of Golconda, who moved his court down from the crowded, water-short fortress to the banks of the Musi and built the Charminar at the centre of the new city. The Mughals took it in 1687, the Nizams ruled it from 1724 to 1948, and today it is the capital of Telangana.
Hyderabad history in six chapters
From the fort on the hill to the IT district, in order.
Before the city: Golconda
The Kakatiyas of Warangal built the first fort on Golconda's granite hill as part of their western defences. In the 14th century it passed to the Bahmani Sultanate, and in the early 16th century its governor, Sultan Quli, broke away and founded the Qutb Shahi dynasty, rebuilding the mud fort in granite. Golconda Fort was the dynasty's capital for most of the century.
1591: a new city on the Musi
Golconda grew short of water and space, so Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah laid out a new city on the river, linked to the fort by the Purana Pul bridge, with the Charminar at its centre. At its founding, tradition gives him the prayer 'Fill this my city with people, as Thou hast filled the river with fishes, O Lord'. Hussain Sagar lake was already there, built in 1562 under the fourth sultan, Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah.
The Qutb Shahi city (1591–1687)
Golconda's vault once held the Koh-i-Noor and the Hope diamond. The sultans built the Badshahi Ashurkhana (1594), began the Makkah Masjid, and were buried in the garden necropolis of the Qutb Shahi Tombs. Toli Masjid (1671) was built by Musa Khan, a minister who oversaw work on the Makkah Masjid, from a share of one damri per rupee of its building costs.
The Mughal siege (1687–1724)
The emperor Aurangzeb besieged Golconda for months and took it on 21 September 1687, ending the sultanate. Under Mughal governors the Makkah Masjid and a city wall with twelve gates were finished, but the diamond trade collapsed and the city declined for a few decades.
The Nizams (1724–1948)
In 1724 the Mughal viceroy of the Deccan, Asaf Jah I, defeated the governor Mubariz Khan and began the Asaf Jahi dynasty of Nizams. Hyderabad State became the largest princely state in British India, with its own currency, mint, railway and post. The Nizams held court at Chowmahalla Palace; Falaknuma Palace was completed in 1893 for the prime minister Viqar-ul-Umra. After the Musi flood of 1908, which killed thousands of people (estimates start at about 15,000), the river was dammed at Osman Sagar, completed in 1920. The last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, built Osmania University, the High Court and the Moazzam Jahi Market.
India, Telangana and Cyberabad (since 1948)
After India's independence in 1947 the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, did not accede to India. In September 1948 the Indian Army moved in, an operation known as Operation Polo, and Hyderabad State was integrated into the Union. In 1956 the state was divided by language and the city became the capital of Andhra Pradesh; since 2 June 2014 it has been the capital of Telangana. HITEC City, inaugurated in 1998, grew into the IT district also known as Cyberabad, and the metro opened in 2017.
Legends of Hyderabad
Bhagmati and the city's name. The popular story says the sultan named the city Bhagyanagar after Bhagmati, a dancer he loved, and renamed it Hyderabad when she took the title Hyder Mahal. Historians dismiss the tale; another account links the name to Haidar, the sultan's son, and the early name is also recorded as Baghnagar, 'city of gardens'.
The clap at the gate. A hand clap at one point under the dome of Golconda's Fateh Darwaza can be heard at the Bala Hisar pavilion at the top of the hill, almost a kilometre away; it is said to have served as a warning of attack.
The gate opened at night. Local legend holds that Golconda did not fall to Aurangzeb's guns: a bribed officer, Abdullah Khan Pani, opened a gate after dark. Historians name another noble, Sarandaz Khan, who let Mughal troops in through a back entrance at night.
Seeing the history on the ground
Qutb Shahi Hyderabad lies in the west: Golconda Fort and the Qutb Shahi Tombs just north of it, Taramati Baradari, where by tradition the court singer Taramati sang, and Toli Masjid on the road back.
The Old City is the city of 1591: the Charminar, the Makkah Masjid beside it, the Badshahi Ashurkhana a few streets away and the Nizams' Chowmahalla Palace. Chowmahalla and the Salar Jung Museum on the Musi close on Fridays.
The Nizams' later city is spread out: Falaknuma on its hill (by reservation only), the Paigah Tombs of the noble family ranked just below the Nizams, and Moazzam Jahi Market on the way between Abids and the Old City.
Guided routes: walking tours, forts and palaces.
FAQ
Who built the city of Hyderabad?
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth Qutb Shahi sultan of Golconda, founded it in 1591 and built the Charminar at its centre.
How did Hyderabad get its name?
No one knows for certain. The popular story links it to Bhagmati, said to have taken the title Hyder Mahal, but historians reject it; another account names Haidar, the sultan's son.
How did the Nizam come to Hyderabad?
Asaf Jah I was the Mughal viceroy of the Deccan; in 1724 he defeated the governor Mubariz Khan, took control of Hyderabad and founded the dynasty of Nizams that ruled until 1948.
When did Hyderabad join India?
In September 1948, after the Indian Army's Operation Polo; Hyderabad State then became part of the Indian Union.
Why is Hyderabad called Cyberabad?
Cyberabad is the name for the IT townships that grew around HITEC City, inaugurated in 1998, in Madhapur, Gachibowli, Kondapur and nearby suburbs; it is not the name of the whole city.
What was Hyderabad State?
The Nizams' kingdom, the largest princely state in British India, with Hyderabad as its capital. After 1948 it was a state of India until 1956, when it was divided by language.
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Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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