General Information about Agra

AGRA
General Information about Agra

• A Brief History
• Agra in the 11th Century
• Agra Under Delhi Sultans
• Agra the Grand Mughals
• Contemporary account soft the Metropolis of Agra

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  A BRIEF HISTORY
  The city of Agra, like Delhi, stands on the bank of the river Jamuna between Mathura and Surajpur. The region originally formed part of the Surasena Empire with Mathura as its capital. Agra has two histories: one of the ancient city on the left, bank of the river Jamuna, going back so far as to be lost in the legends of Krishna and the heros of the Mahabharata; where it is named as Agraban. This city in those days was considered to be the sister of Mathura which was more prominent than Agraban. The other history is of the modern city, founded by Akbar in AD.1558,on the right bank of the river. Muhammadans still retain its name as Akbarabad, which is intimately associated with the romance of the Great Moguls and known throughout the world as the city of the Taj. It is said that this city of Taj was established in 1475 by Badal Singh. Sikandar Lodhi made this place his capital when the Lodhi ruled north India.
  
  AGRA IN THE 11TH CENTURY
  The first definite mention of Agra and its fort has been made by Khwaja Masud bid s’ad bin Salman in his Diwan which consists of poems written in praise of the Ghaznavide sovereigns eg Masud, Ibrahim and Bahram Shah. According to the poet Mahmud Shah the governor of Hind (presumably parts of the Punjab and the North-west region) invaded the Fort of Agra in 1080-81. Jaipal, the Amir of Agra, gave tough fight but being disappointed, offered to submit. It may be surmised that the strong fort, which was defended against Mahmud Shah, was not an isolated construction undoubtedly it had a long background. Definite records show that there was a brick fort in existence before Akbar. Akbar found it in ruins and he rebuilt it with finished red sandstone, as it presently stands. All the three historions of Akbar viz Skeikh Abul Fazal, Mulla Abdul Qadar Badaoni and Khawaja Nizamuddin agree as to the reconstruction of the old fort by Akbar. His son Jehangir also concurred and has mentioned in his memoirs, this old fort on the bank of the Jamuna which was destroyed by his father and a new one built of red sandstone in its place.
  
  AGRA UNDER THE DELHI SULTANS
  The second battle of Tarain(1192) proved to be decisive as it overthrew the mighty Chauhans and firmly established the Turks in the heart of the country. Agra has not specifically been mentioned during the reign of the Mamluka, the so called slave dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate (1206-1290) nor of the Khaljis (1290-1320) or even of the Tughlaqus (1320-1411) It was in the reign of Syed Allauddin (1445-51) that Agra is specifically mentioned as a dependency of Biana. Later on Agra was seized by Sikandar Lodi. But the story narrated by Niamatullah, the chronicler of the Lodhi dynasty, that Sikandar founded the city and gave it the name of Agra is not acceptable as Agra has been mentioned in earlier records also.
  
  Agra under Sikandar Lodhi was a great centre of cultural activities and was considered to be the Shiraz of India. Sikandar Lodi died here in the fort on Sunday : 14th December 1517. His son and successor; Ibrahim Lodi held it for 9 years.
  
  AGRA AND THE GRAND MUGHALS
  Ibrahim Lodhi, the Last Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, was killed and the Lodi Empire was overthrown in the first battle of Panipat in 1526. Babur founded a dynastyof his own which is known as the Mughal dynasty.
  
  Immediately after battle of Panipat he despatched his eldest son Humayun to Agra to seize the treasury. Treasures were seized by the Mughals which included some rare diamonds. The gem which was later named the Koh-i-Noor also formed part of the booty. It was presented to Humayun by Bikramjit family (Raja of Gwalior) Babur mentions that on May 10, 1526 he entered Agra and "dismounted at the Manzil of Sultan Ibrahim." He constructed a big baoli inside the fort. It was here in 1530 that Babur breathed his last and Humayun was crownd. For all practical purposes Agra was the seat of the Mughal government. Later on Afghan under Sher Shah defeated Humayun at the battle of Chausa and Agra came under the rule of Baramzid (Brahmajit Gaur) on behalf of Sher Shah. Agra was thus made the commanding station whence began a series of roads and cross roads leading to the remotest parts of the Sur Empire.
  
  After the death of Islam Shah the son and successor of Sher Shah in 1515 Hemu became the master of the area in the vicinity. It was not, however until the second battle of Panipat in 1556 that he was defeatd and killed and Agra was occupied by Iskandar Khan on behalf of Akbar. Akbar made Agra as the headquerters of his state.It was during Akbar’s period that Agra became the center of Art,Culture,Commerce and learning. After the death of Akbar Agra was ruled by Jehangir and Shanjehan. Shah Jehan's long reign (1628-58) of thirty years was marked by comparatively settled condition.The Emperor had a passion for architecture and it was during his rule that the world famous monumental masterpieces like the Taj Mahal and the Moti Masjid were constructed.
  Auranjzeb came to the throne is 1658. He murdered his brothers and nephews in cold blood and imprisoned his father in the fort of Agra. He trnasferred his capital to Delhi and allowed Agra to Sink into backgrounds after about a century of glamorous years.
  
  CONTEMPORARY ACCONTS OF THE METROPOLIS OF AGRA
  Agra was one of the twelve Subas (provinces) of the Mughal empire. It comprised thirteen Sarkars (divisions) including Agra and its adjoining regions Gwalior, Kalpi, Kannauj, Koil (Modern Aligarh), Narnaul and Alwar. It extended from Ghatampur near Allahabad in the east to Palwal in the west with the Ganges on the North and Chanderi to the South. It was thus one of the largest Subas of the Empire. Abul Fazl, Akbar's court historian, gives a picture of Agra of Akbar's day: "Agra is a large city and possesses a healthy Climate. The river Jamuna flows through it for five kos and on either bank are delightful villas and pleasant stretches of meadow.It is filled with people from all countries and is the emporium of the traffic of the world. His majesty has built a fort of red stone, and like of which travellers have never recorded. It contains more than five hundred buildings of masonry after the beautiful designs of Bengal and architectural models ... his present majesty embellished it and thus a matchless city has arisen." Badaoni and Nizamuddin, two other contemporary historians of the time of Akbar, confirm the grandeur of the city and its lofty fort.