Lably
Skip to content

Aligarh

City in Uttar Pradesh, India

  • 11 min read
  • 12 chapters
Wisdom Public School
Shauryagral · CC0

Related on Lably

Through Lucknow, India and Recorded history

Lab · Class 8National MovementLab · Class 6–11How India Is GovernedLab · Class 6–12Ancient Indian Ocean TradeLab · Class 7–11Disaster Management

The recorded history of Aligarh begins in the 12th century, under the name Kol. Kol was a major city of the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire, serving as both a political and economic centre. Beginning with a major rebuilding of the Aligarh Fort in the 16th century, the city was renamed several times before eventually settling on the current name, Aligarh, in the mid-1700s. It is notable as the seat of Aligarh Muslim University, which was founded here as Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875, initiating the Aligarh Movement.

History

Written references to the city commence only from 12th century onward; however, archaeological records suggest that the town used to be inhabited by Jains. The area of Aligarh before the Ghurid conquest of the region was under the sway of Dor Rajputs in 12th century.

In 1194, Qutb-ud-din Aibak mounted a successful invasion of the region and Hisam-ud-din Ulbak was installed as the first Muslim governor; court-historian Hasan Nizami noted Kol to be "one of the most celebrated fortresses of Hind". Beginning the 13th century, the place featured — as Kol or Koil — in multiple Persian (as well as non-Persian) Sultanate sources as a center of economic prominence, especially for production of distilled wine.By the mid-13th century, the town commanded enough importance for (would-be Sultan) Ghiyas ud din Balban to erect a minaret.

Under the Khiljis and Tughlaqs, the prominence continued unabated; it had become an Iqta by the times of Alauddin Khalji.

Battle of Aligarh (1803)

The Battle of Aligarh was fought on 1 September 1803 during the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805) at Aligarh Fort. The British 76th Regiment, now known as the Duke of Wellington's Regiment besieged the fort, which was under the control of the French officer Perron, and established British rule. In 1804, the Aligarh district was formed by the union of the second, third and fourth British divisions with the addition of Anupshahr from Muradabad and Sikandra Rao from Etawa. On 1 August 1804, Claude Russell was appointed the first Collector of the new district.

Sign in to keep reading

11 more chapters are free with a Lably account.

More in Cities

Washington, D.C.Capital city of the United StatesBerlinCapital and largest city of GermanyChicagoMost populous city in Illinois, USViennaCapital and largest city of AustriaPhiladelphiaMost populous city in Pennsylvania, USBostonCapital and largest city in Massachusetts, United States