Perhaps no other city in India has a fascinating history as Delhi. The city that has been in the limelight right from the pre-historic times to the dawn of the modern era, Delhi has a captivating character. For a clear understanding, we can divide the history of Delhi into four parts- Early History, Muslim Invasion, Mughal Rule and British India.
Early History
The city is believed to have been established by the Pandavas (of the epic Mahabharata) in 1450 BC. Some trace the history of Delhi to the times of the Mauryas, Kushans and the Guptas who were in control of Delhi till the 7th century AD.
Muslim Invasion
The invasion by the Muslim rulers from Central Asia in the 12th century changed the course of Indian history. Mohammed of Ghor also known as Mohd Ghori invaded northern India at the end of the 12th century. Rajput rulers of north India were aware of his move and posed a united resistance under Prithviraj Chauhan. Mohammed of Ghor was captured and then pardoned. This proved a historical blunder, for Mohammed Ghori returned a year after and routed the Rajput armies. Prithviraj Chauhan fled the battle but was captured and killed.
This event in the history made
way for Muslim rule in Delhi. Mohammed
Ghori did not stay long in Delhi
and handed over the reign of Delhi
to his slave Qutab-ud-din Aikbak.
After the death of Mohammed Ghori,
Qutab-ud-din Aibak became the first
Sultan of Delhi. The period from
the reign of Qutab-ud-din Aibak
to the coming of the Mughals (1206-1526)
is known as Delhi Sultanate. During
this period five dynasties ruled
Delhi.
Mughal Rule
The Mughals were in control of India from 1526 to 1857. The Mughal rule in India saw construction of large buildings and gardens. Many of them are spread in and around Delhi. Babur was the first Mughal ruler and he ruled from Agra. His son Humayun lost his empire to Sher Shah Suri in the 1540 before gaining it back in 1555. Humayun's son-Akbar was the greatest of all the Mughal rulers. He was wise and powerful. He was ingenious and made friendly relations with various Rajput rulers. Shah Jahan, grandson of Akbar and son of Jehangir, is known for building some big and beautiful structures. He built the Taj Mahal, the wonder monument, in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. He shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi and built Shahjanabad, now known as Old Delhi. He built the Jama Masjid and Red Fort.
British India
The later Mughal emperors could not control the huge empire and after Aurangzeb, hey days of the Mughal empire were over. By this time a new force had gained hold of India. The British, who came in the garb of traders, had almost gained control of most parts of India. The British at the beginning of the 20th century shifted their capital from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to Delhi, which is known as New Delhi. They built huge buildings such as the President's House, which was built as the house for Viceroy of India. They also constructed the Parliament House, and the North and South Block. But little did they realise, they had to leave India soon, as the freedom struggle had gained momentum. On 15 August 1947, India attained freedom and the British left but not before sowing the seeds of partition.
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