Agra Fort is the famous ‘Red fort’ in Agra city that holds a honorary place in the Indian history and its heritage architectures. Surrounding massive fort ramparts, the gates and bastions signify a massive royal footprint of the past. UNESCO therefore in 1983, declared the red sandstone made Agra Fort as a World Heritage site. The river Yamuna had once provided a great strategic significance to the fort, cherished by the Indian kings between 15-19th century. Agra fort lost its fame a bit after Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built and shifted to his new capital Shahjahanabad from Agra. However, the historical significance of Agra fort is yet uncompromised.
Agra fort or Agra Quila was certainly not a mere military fort. Instead, Agra fort interior complex encompasses several magnificient buildings and royal palaces. The likes of Jahangir Palace, the Khas Mahal of Shah Jahan, the famous Diwan-e-Aam, and the most notable Diwan-e-Khas, all feature in the incredible history of Agra fort. Moreover, the close link with the iconic Taj Mahal shapes a supreme cultural value to the lovely Agra fort history. Agra fort had also housed the largest treasury and coin mint of India during 16-17th century. In the rich history of Agra fort, many foreign ambassadors had visited the fort during medieval and modern era.
Badalgarh was the old name of Agra fort. It featured in the 11th century invasion of the Afghan invader, Mahmud of Ghazni and the Indian rebellion of 1857. Many Indian kings and sultans had occupied the fort in between, even turned it into a royal residence. Therefore many historians often mark this fort among the very few highly strategic forts in India.
17 Interesting features of Agra fort history
Majority of Agra fort constructions took place during the Mughal era (1526-1857). However, several old historical accounts had revealed many interesting facts pre-Mughal Agra fort history as well.
1. Mahmud of Ghazni occupied Agra fort
Mahmud of Ghazni had invaded India 17 times between 1000-1026 CE. During his invasion of 1017, the regions of Mathura, Meerut came in his route. A historical record of 1080 claims that Mahmud of Ghazni had once captured Agra fort. That was probably the first invasion in the history of Agra fort. The inscription presently placed at Agra fort mentions that. Agra was formerly known as Badalgarh, a fort made of bricks.
2. Chauhan dynasty reign at Agra fort
The Chuahan Rajputs were the actually ruling the region, as the feudals of the Gurjara Pratiharas since 12th century. But no historical evidence could establish their link with the Agra Quila. The first evidence of Chauhan Rajput rule in Agra fort history, dates back to late 15th century.
2. Delhi Sultanate acquisition
Sikander Khan Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi (1487-1517) had captured the fort from the Chuahan Rajputs in 1487. He almost entirely renovated the preliminary fort after he shifted his capital from Delhi to Agra. The city of Agra eventually became the second capital of Delhi Sultanate and prospered rapidly. Agra fort thereafter turned into the royal residnece of the Sultans.
The old brick and mud structures got a new look with the introduction of Islamic architectures. Sikander Khan Lodi added several buildings inside the Agra fort complex including palaces and mosques.
3. Coronation of Mughal emperor Babur and Humayun
With the decisive victory at the first battle of Panipat, Babur established Mughal empire in India. The historic fort of Agra hosted the grand coronation of Babur in India. Humayun, his son, gifted him the famous Koh-e-Noor (Kohinoor) diamond. Since then the Koh-e-Noor remained at Agra fort until emperor Aurangzeb shifted the glorious diamond along with the stunning Peacock throne of Shah Jahan to Delhi Red fort.
Babur made Agra fort the primary residence of the Mughals. They lived in the palace of Ibrahim Lodi, the last Sultan of Delhi Sultanate. After Babur died in 1530, Humayun ascended the Mughal throne. Agra fort hosted the grand coronation ceremony of Mughal emperor Humayun too.
Babur had also built a stone stepwell inside Agra fort complex. The Red fort stepwell of Agra is therefore known as Babur ka Baoli. The three storied stepwell also had a bullock pulled water-wheel to raise ground water.
4. Half day emperor Nizam
Humayun was saved from drowning by his saqqa, the water carrier. Mughal emperor Humayun honoured his Saqqa Nizam, crowning as emperor for half a day.
5. Sur dynasty acquisition
Sher Shah Suri of Sur dynasty defeated Mughal emperor Humayun at the battle of Chausa in 1539. Humayun faced a heavy defeat in the next year at the battle of Bilgram. It forced Humayun to retreat from Agra. Sur dynasty kings held their control over the fort until 1555. Sher Shah had definitely made few renovations, however, exact details are not clear.
Humayun recaptured Agra fort in 1555 from Adil Shah Suri. But Hemu, general of Adil Shah, recpatured Agra fort again in 1556.
6. Mughal reclaim
Mughal forces led by generals Bairam Khan and Zaman Khan, eventually defeated Hemu in the second battle of Panipat in 1556. Bairam Khan beheaded Hemu and captured Agra fort in November 1556. Young Jalaluddin Akabar was, however, already coronated as third Mughal emperor at Agra fort on 14th February, 1556.
Agra fort’s glory days as the royal residence continued until Shah Jahan shifted the Mughal capital to the new city of Shahjahanabad in 1638.
7. Agra fort renovations by Akbar
Abul Fazl’s Akbarnama described former Badalgarh as a ordinary fort of bricks and mud. Akbar realized the strategic importance of the fort. Hence, ordered the complete renovation of the fort with red sandstones. Renovation work of Agra fort began in 1565 and eventually completed in 1573.
Akbar built all four monumental gateways in Agra fort: Delhi Darwaza, Akbari Darwaza, Khizri darwaza and Ghazni darwaza. Akbar also ensured a strong fortification with double fort ramparts. He further ensured circular bastions in some intervals for security surveillance. Major constructions of Akbar included Jahangir Mahal, Akbari Mahal, Anguri Bag, Diwan-e-Khas, Diwan-e-Aam. Emperor Shah Jahan, the grandson of Akbar, eventually took Agra fort as model while building the Red fort of Delhi.
Akbarnama records about 500 buildings inside Agra fort complex. Many of structures had adopted the designs of Gujarat and Bengal. Mughal treasury in Agra fort made by Akbar eventually turned into the largest national treasury in few decades. Several historical accounts claim that Akbar’s treasury consisted of precious items such as gold and silver coins, thrones and gemstones like diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and pearls.
8. Renovations by Shah Jahan
Present form of Agra fort has got many additions from Shah Jahan, the fourth Mughal emperor. Shah Jahan, in fact, had to demolish quite a few constructions of his grandfather, Akbar, to make space for his new constructions. His impeccable constructions within the Agra fort complex include Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal and Shahi Burj. Shah Jahan also made few significant renovations of Diwan-e-Khas, Diwan-e-Aam.
The most classic Mughal emperor had build the special palace (Khas Mahal) for his lovely daughters. Khas Mahal was just another white marble construction of Shah Jahan again reflects his immense romanticism on arts and architecture.
Shahi Burj or Musamman burj was another fenomenal construction of Shah Jahan. The grand tower produced a fascinating view of Taj Mahal, which he built to commemorate his most romantic partner, Mumtaj Mahal. Shah Jahan spent his last days at the Shahi Burj, imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb.
9. Peacock throne of Agra fort
Peacock throne of the most romantic Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, had a great significance in the history of Agra fort under the Mughals. Shah Jahan made the peacock throne or Takht-e-Murassa in 1635. The excessively precious Peacock throne consisted of 1150 Kg of gold and 350 gemstones. Kohinoor and Akbar Shah diamonds were the most notable diamonds while the Timur ruby was the most glorifying among many other gems and jewels. Agra fort continued to protect the Peacock throne even after Shah Jahan shifted his capital to Delhi or former Shahjahanabad in 1638. Later, emperor Aurangzeb took the throne to Delhi Red fort.
10. Maratha supremacy
The Maratha flag unfurled at Agra fort for the first time during 1719, after Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath defeated Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar. But the Maratha confederacy lacked a handful grip over the fort. As a result, next few decades of Agra fort history went through a highly political turbulence. It changed hands quite frequently between the Marathas and the Mughals.
The defeat at the third battle of Panipat on 14 January 1761 to Amhad Shah Abdali was a massive set back for the Marathas. The defeat cost them a huge loss of wealth, military resources and eventually the control over the region. The much weaker Mughal army easily recaptured the fort but only for few months.
11. Jat rule at Agra fort
The Jats of Bharatpur had a brief history over Agra fort. During the month of May in 1761, Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur seiged the fort of Agra. The mughal army under Mirza Fazilka Khan, could not resist the month long seige. Finally Raja Surajmal captured the fort on 12 June of 1761. A significant amount of Mughal wealth went under Surajmal’s treasury, making him more wealthy and dominant in the region.
Agra fort remained under the possession of Bharatpur state for 13 years, until Mughal commander Mirza Nazaf Khan recaptured the fort on 18 February 1774. But during the brief span, Agra fort got quite a few touches from a Hindu ruler. ‘Ratan Singh ki Haveli’ was probably the most significant Jat construction with a rare pure Indian architecture inside Agra fort complex.
12. Shinde occupancy at Agra fort
Maratha general of Gwalior, Mahadji Shinde (or, Scindia) gained control over the region including the fort in 1785. Agra fort became his key strategic and military base thereafter. Shinde dynasty protected the northern region alongside the fort for next two decades against the British emergence. Daulatji Shinde eventually lost the battle of Assaye to British East India company (EIC) in 1803, during the second Anglo Maratha war. The loss forced him to sign treaty of Surji-Anjangaon with the company, cost him lose control of Delhi-Agra and other provinces in northern India.
13. British acquisition of Agra fort
The British era at Agra fort began in 1803 thorugh the EIC. Post the second Anglo Maratha war (1803-05), Daulatji Shinde of Gwalior eventually turned powerless. EIC Governor Warren Hastings, made sure Daulatji remained neutral in the decisive third Anglo Maratha war (1817-19). So, the Marathas did never get any second chance to recapture Agra fort.
Many of the Mughal constructions were destroyed between 1803-62, very few of them survived until 1947.
14. Ghaznin gate story
In 1842, Lord Ellenborough, the EIC Governor General, installed the Ghaznin gate at Agra fort. The sandlewood gate was claimed to be part of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, which he looted from Somnath temple in 1025. However, it soon proved to be a false claim, just to win goodwills of Indian people.
16. Site of battle during revolt of 1857
The fort played a crucial role during the Indian revolt of 1857, as a site of battle. Bahadur Shah 2, the last Mughal emperor, lead the sepoys against the British in the battle. The two months seige (2nd August – 11th October, 1857) followed by a minor battle eventually brought conclusion of the rebellion. British goverment realised the incompetency of EIC and evetually took control of Agra fort from EIC in the following year.
17. Gun powder explotion at Agra fort
On 9th December in 1871, an major gun powder explosion killed 26 people, a miserable incident in the history of Agra fort. According to The Bombay Mail’s news, the incident occurred in the chief laboratory, while the manufacturing of cartridges were in progress. The conductor in-charge himself including a sergant and a European boy were among the killed peoples.
Agra fort in present day
After independence of India in 1947, the Government of India took over the control of Agra fort. The Archaeological Survey of India now maintains the fort. The fort is now a famous tourist destination in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. In 1983, UNESCO declared Agra fort a World Heritage Site, for its prestigious history of five long centuries.
