Page:Historic Landmarks of the Deccan.djvu/74

62 Ibrahim Quth Shah was succeeded by his third son, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. This king was the founder of Haidarabad. In 1591 he found that the air of Golconda, which was now very densely popu- lated, did not agree with him, and therefore founded, on the banks of the Musi, his new city which he first named Bhagnagar, changing its name later to Haidarabad.

Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah died on January 24, 161 2, and was buried in the large domed tomb without but nearest to the wall of the garden in which stand the tombs of his son-in-law and daughter and those of numerous members of the royal family and of their dependants. Muhammad Quli's grave is in the crypt of this tomb and is covered by a plain tumulus of black stone. In the chamber above the crypt and immediately over the grave, is another tumulus of black stone, bearing an elaborately carved epitaph.

Within the garden already mentioned are two large and numerous smaller tombs. Of the two large tombs that to the south-west is the tomb of Muhammad Qutb Shah, the nephew and son-in-law of Muham- mad Quli Qutb Shah, who left no male issue. Muhammad Qutb Shah was, as has been said, the son of Mirza Muhammad Amin, already men- tioned as having died in 1596.

Another error into which English historians have fallen calls for notice here. Confused by the similarity between the titles of the uncle and nephew they have regarded them as the same person, styled in- differently Muhammad Quli or simply Muhammad.* One writer makes Muhammad the elder brother of Muhammad Quli.f The epitaphs of Golconda and the Persian histories of the Qutb Shahi dynasty which have come down to us clear up this matter Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah reigned, as has been said, from 1580 to 161 2, and was succeeded by his nephew and son-in-law, Muhammad Qutb Shah, who reigned from 1612 to 1626.

In the north-eastern corner of the garden is a large tomb very similar to that of Muhammad Qutb Shah. This is the tomb of his queen, Hayat Bakhsh Begam, daughter of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. Its peculiarity is that it is equal in size and grandeur to the tombs of


 * Vide Chronology of fndiff, by C. Mabel Duff, p. ^18.

t Mr. J. D. B. (iribble, on p. 285 of Vol. I of A History 0/ the Deccan, an extremely inaccurate work.