Siege of Golconda

After the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the Mughal army had successfully conquered two Muslim kingdoms: Nizamshahis of Ahmednagar and the Adilshahis of Bijapur; the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb then assembled the most advanced Mughal army to date and began his siege on Golconda Fort. Aurangzeb had assigned Mir Jumla and his army of 10,000 to lead any future assault on Golconda Fort.

Ghaziuddin Khan Siddiqi Firuz Jang son of Khwaja Abid Siddiqi Kilich Khan and Father of Nizam I of Hyderabad Qamaruddin Khan Siddiqi was assigned to bombard the walls of the fort using almost a 100 Cannons including the very powerful and massive Rahban and Fateh Rahber (one of Aurangzeb's most favorite cannon). Another Mughal cannon is said to be the most impressive it is known as the Azhdaha-Paikar (Python Body) it had the ability to shoot Cannon balls weighing over 35 kg, this particular bronze cannon was cast in the year 1647.[3]

The Mughal admiral Munnawar Khan was assigned to deliver food and weapon supplies to the besieging Mughal army. The general Dilir Khan was assigned to command the Matchlock Sepoys that tried to penetrate the defenses of Golconda Fort. While Shaista Khan, Murshid Quli Khan and Ibrahim Khan commanded the rest of the army and its reserves around Golconda Fort and throughout all the Qutbshahi territory. The ruler of Golconda Fort, Abul Hasan Qutb Shah had strong walls reinforced with granite and a very powerful mortar called the Pata Burj.[4]

Aurangzeb during the siege of Golconda, 1687 (Hyderabad, India)

As the Qutbshahi ruler of Golconda, Abul Hasan Qutb Shah refused to surrender to the Mughals, he and his servicemen fortified themselves at Golconda Fort, and fiercely protected the Kollur Mine, which was then the world's only diamond mine at that time. His most experienced Golconda commander Muqarrab Khan defected to the Mughals.[1] The Qutbshahis had constructed massive fortifications throughout successive generations on a granite hill over 400  ft high with an enormous 8  mile wall enclosing the city. The main gates of Golconda had the ability to repulse any War elephant attack, as they had iron spikes on the gates to damage the advancing Mughal elephants.

In January 1687, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb led his grand Mughal army against the Deccan Qutbshahi ruler taking refuge in Golconda Fort. Aurangzeb had surrounded Golconda Fort and alongside about 100 Cannons began siege operations. In order to breach the granite walls of Golconda Fort, Firuz Jang was appointed to utilize the massive Rahban, Fateh Rahber and the most impressive Cannon during the siege known as the Azhdaha-Paikar (Python Body) it had the ability to shoot Cannonballs weighing over 50 kg. In response to the Mughal bombardment Abul Hasan Qutb Shah fired from his powerful high-vicinity mortar called the Pata Burj, and according to Saqi Mustad Khan bamboo rockets were also utilized day and night against Mughal encampments.[5]

Meanwhile, due to heavy rains the Manjera River over-flooded and the scarcity of food supplies became a dire complication, this led to the death of many animals and caused malnourished troops to get ill. Fearing a possible counterattack organized from the fort, Aurangzeb ordered the construction of a fortified position made of wood and mud, which would house and organize Mughal attacking parties.

The intense cannon fire from Golconda Fort against the approaching Mughals eventually caused the death of the experienced Mughal commander Kilich Khan Khwaja Abid Siddiqi and furthermore Aurangzeb was grieved by the death of his long time commander Gaziuddin Khan Siddiqi Bahadur Firuz Jang, who died of natural causes.

Although the Qutbshahi's maintained impregnable efforts defending their walls, at night the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and his infantry of assembled and erected complex scaffolding that allowed them to scale the high walls. Aurangzeb also ordered his men to throw huqqa (grenades)[6] while scaling the fortified wall and were reinforced by Matchlocks and Composite bows. While most of these attacks remained largely unsuccessful, they managed to demoralize the defenders of Golconda Fort. During the eight-month siege the Mughals faced many hardships like small-scale famines for weeks at a time, but whenever the Mughal Admiral Munnawar Khan arrived with supplies and weapons with his river fleet, Aurangzeb would intensify the siege.[7]

Although the Qutbshahi's maintained impregnable efforts defending their walls, the siege had become unbearable for the officials in service of the Qutbshahi's and finally Sarandaz Khan revealed a back door that led directly Golconda Fort, immediately after the Mughals stormed the fort, Sarandaz Khan opened the gates that allows the Aurangzeb's army to enter.

The Mughal army led by Ghaziud-Din Khan Feroze Jung the son of the fallen Kilich Khan Khwaja Abid Siddiqi was among the first to enter the gates. He immediately charged towards the citadel of Abul Hasan Qutb Shah, eventually taking him prisoner by surprise. Firuz Jang and his forces occupied Kollur Mine and the Mughal reserves, disarmed the defenders of the fort and paved their way for the entry of victorious Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Golconda Fort was later repaired and armed with superior cannons. Shaista Khan is known to have spared the Qutbshahi servicemen, the ruler of Golconda, Abul Hasan Qutb Shah, however, was imprisoned in Daulatabad Fort by the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and his army managed to penetrate the walls by capturing a gate prompting the Qutbshahi's of Golconda and the ruler Abul Hasan Qutb Shah to surrender peacefully and hand over the Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond, Great Stone Diamond, Kara Diamond, Darya-e-Nur, The Hope Diamond, the Wittelsbach Diamond and The Regent Diamond making the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb the richest monarch in the world.