Historical Region of North India Delhi
Location	Deli, western Uttar Pradesh
State established:	736 AD
Language	Khariboli
Dynasties	Tomaras-Chauhans (736-1192) Mamluks (1206-90) Khilji (1290-1320) Tughlaqs (1320-1413) Sayyids (1414-51) Lodhis (1451-1526) Mughals (1526–1857) British (1857-1947) Independence (1947-)
Historical capitals	Delhi

The Indian capital city of Delhi has a long history, including a history as the capital of several empires. Uttar Pradesh (उत्तर प्रदेश اتر پردیش pronounced, Translation: Northern Province) referred to as '''U A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them Khariboli (also Khadiboli, Khadi-Boli, or Khari dialect identified as Hindi by SIL Ethnologue) (/ kʰəɽiː boːliː / Hindi A dynasty is a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations Origins According to the Rajput bards Chauhan is one of the four Agnikula or 'fire sprung' clans who were created by the Gods in the anali kund or 'fountain The Mamluk Dynasty or Ghulam Dynasty ( Urdu: غلام خاندان Hindi: ग़ुलाम ख़ानदान served as the first Sultans of Khilji or Khalji ( Pashto: خلجی خاندان, Hindi: ख़िलजी ख़ानदान was an Indian ruling dynasty that was The Tughlaq Dynasty ( Urdu: تغلق) of north India started in 1321 in Delhi when Ghazi Tughlaq assumed the throne under the The Sayyid dynasty ruled Delhi sultanate in India from 1414 to 1451. Lodhi Dynasty ( Pashto / Persian: سلطنت لودھی) was a Ghilzai (khilji Afghan ( ethnic Pashtun) dynasty The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population The earliest architectural relics date back to the Maurya Period (c. A relic is an object or a personal item of religious significance carefully preserved with an air of Veneration as a tangible memorial The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military 300 BC); since then, the site has seen continuous settlement. Events By place Egypt Pyrrhus, the King of Epirus, is taken as a hostage to Egypt after the Battle of Ipsus In 1966, an inscription of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (273-236 BC) was discovered near Srinivaspuri, which is near Noida. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi Events By place Egypt Impressed by Rome's defeat of Pyrrhus, Ptolemy II sends a friendly embassy Events By place Anatolia Antiochus Hierax, supported by his mother Laodice I, allies himself with the Galatians ( Two sandstone pillars inscribed with the edicts of Ashoka were brought to the city by Firuz Shah Tughluq in the 14th century. Firuz Shah Tughlaq (also known as Firoz Shah Tughluq ( 1309 - 1388 in Delhi) was a Muslim ruler of the Tughlaq Dynasty from 1351 The famous Iron pillar near the Qutub Minar was commissioned by the emperor Kumara Gupta I of the Gupta dynasty (320-540) and transplanted to Delhi during the 10th century. The Qutab complex, also spelled Qutb or Qutub, is an array of monuments and buildings at Mehrauli in Delhi, India, the most famous Kumaragupta I (Mahendraditya was ruler of the Gupta Empire from 415 - 455 CE. The Gupta Empire ( Hindi: गुप्त राजवंश was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 C Eight major cities have been situated in the Delhi area. The first four cities were in the southern part of present-day Delhi.

Overview

The modern city contains the remnants of seven successive ancient cities including:

1. Qila Rai Pithora built by Prithvi Raj Chauhan, near the oldest Rajput settlement in Lal Kot; it was a seven-gated fort in Delhi. For the Indian TV serial with the protagonist of the same name see Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan. Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Quila Rai Pithora is supposed to be the First City of Delhi, built by Prithviraj, a Chauhan king and also the second last Hindu king of Delhi. Origins According to the Rajput bards Chauhan is one of the four Agnikula or 'fire sprung' clans who were created by the Gods in the anali kund or 'fountain A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical
2. Siri, built by Alauddin Khilji in 1303;
3. Tughluqabad, built by Ghiyasuddin Tughluq (1321-1325);
4. Jahanpanah, built by Muhammad bin Tughluq (1325-1351);
5. Kotla Firoz Shah, built by Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351-1388);
6. Purana Qila, built by Sher Shah Suri and Dinpanah built by Humayun, both in the area near the speculated site of the legendary Indraprastha (1538-1545); and
7. Shahjahanabad, built by Shah Jahan from 1638 to 1649, containing the Lal Qila and the Chandni Chowk. Ala-ud-din Khilji ( Pashto / Arabic: علاء الدين الخلجي) (real name Juna Khan) (b Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined Fort in Delhi, strecthing across 6 Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq (غیاث الدین تغلق (real name Ghazi Malik; died in 1325 founder and first ruler (1320&ndash25 of the Turkish Muslim Muhammad bin Tughluq (محمد بن تغلق (c1300&ndash 1351 also Prince Juna Khan was the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351 Firuz Shah Tughlaq (also known as Firoz Shah Tughluq ( 1309 - 1388 in Delhi) was a Muslim ruler of the Tughlaq Dynasty from 1351 Purana Qila literally 'old fort' stands on an ancient mound Excavations near its eastern wall reveal that the site has been continuously occupied since 1000 BC Sher Shah Suri (1486 Sasaram &ndash May 22, 1545 Kalinjar) ( - Šīr Šāh Sūrī) also known as Farid Khan or Background Babur's decision to divide the territories of his empire between two of his sons was unusual in India but it had been a common Central Asian practice since the time of The city of Indraprastha ( City of Indra) ( Sanskrit: इन्‍द्रप्रस्‍थ a city in ancient India that was the capital of the kingdom This article is about the Red Fort in Delhi India The Agra Fort is also known as the "Red Fort" Chandni Chowk ( Hindi: चाँदनी चौक Punjabi: ਚਾਂਦਨੀ ਚੌਂਕ Urdu: چاندنی چوک meaning Moonlit Avenue is It was the capital of the Mughal Empire during Shah Jahan's reign. It is presently referred to as "Old Delhi".

Early history

According to Indian folklore, Delhi was the site of the magnificent and opulent Indraprastha, capital of the Pandavas in the Indian epic Mahabharata, founded around 500 BC. History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological The city of Indraprastha ( City of Indra) ( Sanskrit: इन्‍द्रप्रस्‍थ a city in ancient India that was the capital of the kingdom In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava (or Pandawa brothers ( Sanskrit: पाण्‍डव pāṇḍavaḥ are the five acknowledged sons of Hindu texts state that the city of Delhi used to be referred to in Sanskrit as Hastinapur, which means "elephant-city". Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Hastinapur (हस्‍तिनापुर (Hastinapura in Sanskrit) is a town and a Nagar panchayat A village called Indraprast existed in Delhi until the beginning of the 19th century. The British demolished the ancient village to make way for the construction of New Delhi in the late 19th century. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Archaeological evidence suggests that Indraprastha once stood where the Old Fort is today. Excavations have unearthed shards of the grey painted ware (c. 1000 BC) that some archaeologists associate with the age of the Mahabharata, but no coherent settlement traces have been found.

The name Delhi may be derived from the word 'Dhillika', though there are other theories. Overview The modern city contains the remnants of eight successive ancient cities including 'Dhilli' was founded by Tomar Anangapala according to Vibudh Shridhar Raja Dhilu (King Dihlu) founded ancient Delhi in 800 BC^[1] It was the name of the first medieval township of Delhi, located on the southwestern border of the present Delhi, in Mehrauli. "Ancient" redirects here For other uses see Ancient_(disambiguation. Mehrauli ( Hindi: महरौली Urdu: مہرؤلی, Punjabi:ਮਹਰੌਲੀ is a neighbourhood in the South West district of This was the first in the series of seven medieval cities. It is also known as Yoginipura, that is, the fortress of the yoginis (female divinities). It gained importance during the time of Ananga Pala Tomar. In the 12th century, the city was included in the dominions of Prithviraj Chauhan. A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and For the Indian TV serial with the protagonist of the same name see Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan.

8th century to 16th century

The Qutub Minar is the world's tallest brick minaret at 72. For the mountain formation see Minarets (California. Minarets ( Arabic manara (lighthouse منارة but more usually مئذنة 5 metres.

The Tomar Rajput dynasty founded Lal Kot in 736 near the Qutub Minar. For the Indian surname see Tomara. Tomar ( pron tu'maɾ also known in English as Thomar, is a city of some 20000 and Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India The Prithviraj Raso names the Rajput Anangpal as the founder of Lal Kot. The Prithviraj Raso or Prithvirajaraso is information about the life of Prithviraj III Chauhan, a Rajput king who Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India The Chauhan Rajput kings of Ajmer conquered Lal Kot in 1180 and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora. Origins According to the Rajput bards Chauhan is one of the four Agnikula or 'fire sprung' clans who were created by the Gods in the anali kund or 'fountain This article is about a city in central Rajasthan, for the historical region see Ajmer region. The Chauhan king Prithviraj III was defeated in 1192 by the Afghan Muhammad Ghori. For the Indian TV serial with the protagonist of the same name see Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Muhammad Shahab-ud-Din Ghori ( Persian, Pashto, Urdu: محمد شہاب الدین غوری also spelled Mohammad Ghauri, originally named Mu'izzuddin Anangpal Tomar, a Chandravanshi Rajput ruler of Delhi , often described as the founder of Delhi, built the citadel some 10 kilometres from Suraj Kund around 731. For the Indian surname see Tomara. Tomar ( pron tu'maɾ also known in English as Thomar, is a city of some 20000 and Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Events By Place Europe Bede completes his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum.

From 1206, Delhi became the capital of the Delhi Sultanate under the Slave Dynasty. The Delhi Sultanate ( Urdu: دلی سلطنت, दिल्ली सलतनत or Sultanat e Hind ( سلطنتِ هند; सलतनत ए The Mamluk Dynasty or Ghulam Dynasty ( Urdu: غلام خاندان Hindi: ग़ुलाम ख़ानदान served as the first Sultans of The first Sultan of Delhi, Qutb-ud-din Aybak was a former slave who rose through the ranks to become a general, a governor and then Sultan of Delhi. Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings Qutb-ud-din Aybak ( Persian / Urdu: قطب الدین ایبک) was a Turkic ruler of medieval India, the first Sultan of Delhi Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings Qutb-ud-din started the construction the Qutub Minar, a recognisable symbol of Delhi, to commemorate his victory but died before its completion. In the Qutb complex he also constructed the Quwwat-al-Islam (might of Islam), which is the earliest extant mosque in India. He was said to have pillaged exquisitely carved pillars from 27 temples for this mosque, many of which can still be seen. After the end of the Slave dynasty, a succession of Turkic and Central Asian dynasties, the Khilji dynasty, the Tughluq dynasty, the Sayyid dynasty and the Lodhi dynasty held power in the late medieval period and built a sequence of forts and townships in Delhi. Khilji or Khalji ( Pashto: خلجی خاندان, Hindi: ख़िलजी ख़ानदान was an Indian ruling dynasty that was The Tughlaq Dynasty ( Urdu: تغلق) of north India started in 1321 in Delhi when Ghazi Tughlaq assumed the throne under the The Sayyid dynasty ruled Delhi sultanate in India from 1414 to 1451. Lodhi Dynasty ( Pashto / Persian: سلطنت لودھی) was a Ghilzai (khilji Afghan ( ethnic Pashtun) dynasty ^[2]

In 1398, Timur Lenk invaded India on the pretext that the Muslim sultans of Delhi were too tolerant of their Hindu subjects. Timur also written Emir Timur or Amir Temur ( Chagatai: تیمور - Tēmōr " Iron " (1336 – 19 February 1405 among A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Timur entered Delhi and the city was sacked, destroyed, and left in ruins. ^[3] In 1526, following the First Battle of Panipat, Zahiruddin Babur, the former ruler of Fergana, defeated the last Lodhi sultan and founded the Mughal dynasty which ruled from Delhi, Agra and Lahore. The first battle of Panipat took place in northern India, and marked the beginning of the Mughal Empire. Babur ( February 14 1483 - December 26 1530) was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who following a series of setbacks Fergana or Farghana ( Uzbek: Farg'ona, Persian فرغانه, UniPers "Farqāna", Russian: Фергана Agra ( pronounced) (आगरा آگرا is a city on the banks of the Yamuna River in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi.

17th century to 19th century

The India Gate commemorates the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in the Afghan Wars and World War I

In the mid-sixteenth century there was an interruption in the Mughal rule of India as Sher Shah Suri defeated Babur's son Humayun and forced him to flee to Afghanistan and Persia. The India Gate is one of the largest War memorials in India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate is prominent landmark in Delhi Organization and command structure The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces is in New Delhi, the capital city. The European influence in Afghanistan refers to political social and sometimes Imperialistic influence various European nations have had on this historical development of the World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Sher Shah Suri (1486 Sasaram &ndash May 22, 1545 Kalinjar) ( - Šīr Šāh Sūrī) also known as Farid Khan or Background Babur's decision to divide the territories of his empire between two of his sons was unusual in India but it had been a common Central Asian practice since the time of Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Sher Shah Suri built the sixth city of Delhi, as well as the old fort known as Purana Qila and the Grand Trunk Road. Purana Qila literally 'old fort' stands on an ancient mound Excavations near its eastern wall reveal that the site has been continuously occupied since 1000 BC The Grand Trunk Road (commonly abbreviated to GT Road is one of South Asia 's oldest and longest major roads After Sher Shah Suri’s early death, Humayun recovered the throne with Persian help. The third and greatest Mughal emperor, Akbar, moved the capital to Agra resulting in a decline in the fortunes of Delhi. Akbar redirects here For other uses see Akbar (disambiguation Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar ( Jalāl ud-Dīn Muhammad Akbar Agra ( pronounced) (आगरा آگرا is a city on the banks of the Yamuna River in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, In the mid-seventeenth century, the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658) built the city that sometimes bears his name (Shahjahanabad), the seventh city of Delhi that is more commonly known as the old city or old Delhi. Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Shah Jahan I (full title Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Abu'l-Muzaffar Shihab ud-din Muhammad Sahib-i-Qiran-i-Sani Shah Jahan I Padshah Ghazi This city contains a number of significant architectural features, including the Red Fort (Lal Qila) and the Jama Masjid. This article is about the Red Fort in Delhi India The Agra Fort is also known as the "Red Fort" The Masjid-i-Jahan Numa ( Urdu: مسجد جھان نمہ) commonly known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi is the principal Mosque of Old The old city served as the capital of the later Mughal Empire from 1638 onwards, when Shah Jahan transferred the capital back from Agra. Agra ( pronounced) (आगरा آگرا is a city on the banks of the Yamuna River in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, Aurangzeb (1658-1707) crowned himself as emperor in Delhi in 1658 at the Shalimar garden ('Aizzabad-Bagh) with a second coronation in 1659. Aurangzeb ( (full title Al-Sultan al-Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Abul Muzaffar Muhiuddin Muhammad Aurangzeb Bahadur Alamgir I Padshah Ghazi) ( November 4, Shalimar Bagh ( Hindi: शालीमार बाग़ Urdu: شالیمار باغ) is a residential colony in North West Delhi, India Nader Shah defeated the Mughal army at the huge Battle of Karnal in February, 1739. Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November The Battle of Karnal ( February 24, 1739) was a decisive victory for Nader Shah the emperor of Persia during his invasion of India After this victory, Nader captured and sacked Delhi. ^[4] In 1761, Delhi was raided by Ahmed Shah Abdali after the Third battle of Panipat. Year 1761 ( MDCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Ahmad Shāh Durrānī (c1723-1773 ( also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī ( احمد شاه ابدالي) and born as Ahmad Khān Abdālī, The Third Battle of Panipat took place on January 14, 1761 at Panipat (Haryana State India) situated at about 80 miles (130 km north At the Battle of Delhi on 11 September 1803, General Lake's British forces defeated the Marathas. The Battle of Delhi took place on 11 September 1803 between 4500 British troops under General Lake, and 19000 Marathas of Scindia 's army Gerard Lake 1st Viscount Lake ( 27 July 1744 &ndash 20 February 1808) was a British general The Maratha Empire ( Marathi: मराठा साम्राज्य Marāṭhā Sāmrājya; also transliterated Mahratta

Delhi passed to British control in 1857 after the First War of Indian Independence; the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II was exiled to Rangoon and the remaining Mughal territories were annexed as a part of British India. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar, also known as Bahadur Shah or Bahadur Shah II; 24 October 1775 7 November 1862 was the last of the Mughal Yangon (also known as Rangoon) is the largest city and a former capital of Burma. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British

Twentieth century

The Raj Ghat is the site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January Cremation is the act of reducing a Corpse by burning, generally in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire

Shortly after Indian Rebellion of 1857, Calcutta was declared the capital of British India but in 1911 the capital was again moved to Delhi. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, Parts of the old city were pulled down to create New Delhi, a monumental new quarter of the city designed by the British architect Edwin Lutyens to house the government buildings. New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India. An architect is a licensed individual who leads a design team in the Planning and Design of buildings and participates in oversight of Building Construction Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA, LLD ( 29 March 1869 – 1 January 1944 A brief but fascinating account of the Indian contractors behind this construction can be found in Khushwant Singh's autobiography Truth, Love and a Little Malice. Khushwant Singh (ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ xʊʃʋən̪t̪ sɪ́ŋg born 2 February, 1915 in Hadali, Punjab, which now lies in Truth Love and a Little Malice (published in 2002 is the title of the Autobiography of Khushwant Singh, a famous Indian writer journalist and columnist New Delhi was officially declared as the seat of the Government of India after independence in 1947. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising During the Partition of India thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees from West Punjab migrated to Delhi. The Partition of India was the partition of the British Indian Empire which led to the creation on August 14, 1947 and August 15, A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of

In 1984, the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi led to a violent backlash against the Sikh community, resulting in the deaths of 5,000 people. Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi ( Indirā Priyadarśinī Gāndhī) ( Née: Nehru (19 November 1917 - 31 October 1984 was the Prime Minister of the The 1984 Anti-Sikh massacre took place in India after the assassination of Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

References