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History of
Agra
For anyone with a
deep interest in history, a summary of
 Agra's history would
indeed provide a wealth of information. Situated on the banks
of river Yamuna between Mathura and Surajpur, Agra was
originally a part of the Surasena Empire with Mathura as its
capital. But it came into limelight when Sikander Lodhi, the
Sultan of Delhi made it his capital in the 16th century. After
the advent of the Mughals, there was a shift in the power play
and Agra became the most important seat of Mughal power in
India between the 16th and 17th centuries.
Since Agra was one of the most important cities under the
Mughals, it witnessed some big scale renovation and
development from time to time. Babar, the founder of the
Mughal dynasty laid out the first formal Persian garden on the
banks of river Yamuna. His grandson Akbar raised the
towering ramparts of the Great Red Fort besides making Agra a
center for learning arts and commerce. His son Jehangir built
rose-red palaces, courts and gardens inside the red fort, and
emperor Shah Jahan, known for his great love for
architecture gave Agra its most prized monument, the
magnificent Taj Mahal. Built in memory of his wife
Mumtaz Mahal, the mausoleum took 20 years to finish with
the combined efforts of 20,000 laborers, architects and
engineers.
Shah Jahan had shifted the capital to Delhi during his reign,
but Aurangzeb shifted it back to Agra and imprisoned his
father in the Agra Fort. Agra remained capital of India during
the rule of Aurangzeb till his death. After the decline of the
Mughal Empire, the city came under the Marathas and Jats
before falling into the hands of the British in 1803.
Agra came under different rulers and dynasties from time to
time, but it was the Mughal rulers who left an indelible mark
on this historic city. Anywhere you go, the city's Mughal
heritage can easily be discerned, something that Agra has
managed to retain in spite of the ravages of time and change.
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