Daulatabad ( Marath. Перс ; pers. دولتآباد , literally “a city of prosperity”) is a historical city of the 14th century near the village of the same name in the state of Maharashtra in India , 16 km north-west of Aurangabad . For two years ( 1327 - 1329 ) there was an attempt to move the capital here, with the relocation of all the inhabitants of Delhi . Above the ruins of a fortified medieval city on a hill rises Fort Devagiri (Deogiri).
Buildings
Fort Devagiri on top of a conical hill dominates the surrounding area and is visible from a considerable distance. The lower part of the hillsides was torn down and made a sheer 50-meter wall under the Yadavas . To this day, ascent to the fort is possible only through a narrow bridge and a gallery carved in stone.
The city at the foot of the hill is also surrounded by a fortress wall, between the city and the fort there were three more rows of fortifications. The moat around the hill was filled with crocodiles that were not preserved. Fortifications of the fort are decorated with ancient cannons.
In addition to the fortress, several monuments are located in Daulatabad, among them the round tower Chand-Minar , erected in 1445 by the Bakhmanid sultan Ala ad-Din Ahmad Shah II in honor of one of his victories, and Chini Mahal (literally “Chinese Palace”) - the ruins of the once magnificent palace in which Aurangzeb was imprisoned in 1687 by Abul Hassan Tana Shah, the last lord of the Golkonda from the Qutb Shahi dynasty.
The immediate vicinity of the fort includes the remains of Buddhist cave temples, akin to Ajanta and Ellora ; the caves were not abandoned and experienced significant changes at the hands of the new owners.
History
Archaeological excavations erect the origins of the city to the 1st century BC. e. In historical sources, the settlement has been known here since about the VI century . The city was an important point on the way of trade caravans .
Its more famous name in history is Devagiri or Deogiri ( Marathi देवगिरी), now the name of the fortress above the city. Under this name, the city was founded in 1187 by Raja Bhillama V (English) from the Yadav dynasty.
In 1327, Muhammad ibn Tuglak (ruled 1325 - 1351 ) from the Tuglakov dynasty proclaimed the city his capital, renamed it Daulatabad and forcibly relocated the entire population of Delhi into it. Two years later, the city was abandoned by the new settlers, as there was not enough water here, and Muhammad Shah himself was engaged in military operations in the north. Later, the city was captured by the Mughals of the Great Mughals of Akbar , and in 1595 it was captured by the Sultan of Ahmadnagar .
In 1620, Malik Ambar moved here the capital of the Sultanate of Ahmadnagar . Not far from Daulatabad he built the city, which is now called Aurangabad . Soon after, Daulatabad lost its meaning, as its administrative functions were transferred to Aurangabad.