Awadh History

Awadh History

Awadh, historic region of northern India, now constituting the northeastern portion of Uttar Pradesh state. Awadh is situated in the heavily populated heart of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and is known for its rich alluvial soils. It received its name from Ayodhya, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, which was nearly coextensive with present-day Awadh. It was taken by Muslim invaders in the 12th century and became part of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. British interest in Awadh began in the 1760s, and after 1800 they exercised increasing control there. It was annexed (as Oudh) by the British in 1856, an action that greatly angered Indians and which has been cited as a cause of the Indian Mutiny (1857–58), the largest Indian rebellion against British rule. Lucknow, the region’s most populous city, was the scene of much fighting during the unsuccessful revolt. In 1877 the British-controlled Oudh region was joined with Agra to form the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. After India’s independence in 1947 that territory became part of Uttar Pradesh.

It was a province of all the major Islamic dynasties in India including the Mughal Empire. With the decline of late Mughal Delhi, Awadh became a major source of literary, artistic, religious, and architectural patronage in northern India under the rule of its eleven rulers, called Nawabs. From 1720 to 1856, the nawabs presided over Awadh, with Ayodhya and Faizabad serving as the region's initial capitals.Later, the capital was relocated to Lucknow, which is now the capital of Uttar Pradesh. Since AD 1350 different parts of the Awadh region were ruled by the Delhi Sultanate, Sharqi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, Nawabs of Awadh, East India Company and the British Raj. Kanpur was one of the major centres of Indian rebellion of 1857, participated actively in India's Independence movement, and emerged as an important city of North India.