| |
|
Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of Akbar,
the third and greatest of the Moghul emperors
from the second half of the 16th century.
Akbar was unhappy because he did not have
an heir and visited many holy men so that
they would pray for a son. Sheikh Salim
Chishti from the village of Sikri told the
emperor that he would have three sons, and
when the prophecy was fulfilled in 1570,
Akbar was so impressed that he resolved
to build an entirely new capital there in
honour of the saint. During the following
14 years a new city appeared on the hill
where the sheikh lived - "Fatehpur"
(town of victory) added to the name of the
old village , "Sikri". Not long
after the last finishing touches were made,
the court left again, probably due to the
failure of water supply. The city was abandoned
by the early1600s, but its red sandstone
buildings are perfectly preserved. |
|
|
|
