GOLCONDA

also spelled Golkonda, or Golkunda, fortress and ruined city lying 5 miles (8 km) west of Hyderabad in north-central Andhra Pradesh state, southern India. From 1512 to 1687 it was the capital of the Qutb Shahi kingdom, one of five Muslim sultanates of the Deccan. The territory of Golconda lay between the lower reaches of the Godavari and Krishna rivers and extended to the Bay of Bengal coast. In 1687 the ruling dynasty of Qutb Shahis was overthrown by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and Golconda was annexed to the Mughal Empire (15261857). The fortress is 3 miles (5 km) in circumference, with concentric masonry-block walls. Palaces, mosques, and the Qutb Shahi tombs still remain intact. Historically, Golconda was famous for its diamonds, derived from the conglomerate rocks of the nearby hills.