Firozabad district

Firozabad district forms one of the western districts of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which has Firozabad city as its district headquarters. The district is a part of the Agra division.

History

The city lies in the cultural region of Braj and was a part of the Surasena Mahajanapada during the Vedic Age. It was subsequently ruled by the bigger kingdoms like the Mauryas, Guptas, Scythians, Kushans, Indo-Greeks before falling into the hands of local Rajput and Jat rulers.

It was named after Firoz Shah Mansab Dar in 1566 during the reign of Mughal Emperor akbar. Tradition holds that while passing through the town on a pilgrimage to Gaya, Raja Todar Mal was attacked by robbers and his possessions stolen. At his request, Akbar sent his Mansabdar Dar Firoz Shah to assist and he landed somewhere near Sukhmalpur ullu. Firoz Shah's tomb and the ruins of Katra Pathanan his residence now known as Mushtaq Manzil provide evidence for the story.

The 1596 gazetteer of Agra and Mathura records that Firozabad was upgraded to a Pargana then given to Nabab Sadulla as a jagir during the reign of Shah jahan (r. 1627–1658). Mr. Peter, a businessman, connected with the East India Company visited the town on 9 August 1632 and found it in good condition. Etawah, Budaun, Mainpuri and Firozabad were all first class mansabdars of the emperor Farrukhsiyar (r. 1713–1719). The estate of the Labhowa Jhala Rajas also worked together with the mughal sultanate to capture many regions in the United Provinces, and by 1680 the Rajas of Labhowa had much of Firozabad district under their control.

Bajirao Peshwa looted Firozabad and Etmadpur in 1737 in the regime of Mohammad Shah. Jat tribesmen from Mahawan attacked Faujdar Hakim Kajim at Firozabad where they killed him on 9 May 1739, then went on to rule Firozabad for 30 years. Gajuddin, Hidayat Vaksh (son of Alamgir II), his nephew and Mirza Baba his son in law, came to Firozabad. Mirza Nabab Khan stayed here until 1782. At the end of 18th century Firozabad was ruled by Himmat Bahadur Gusain with the cooperation of the Raja of Labhowa.

The French Army Chief Marathas D. Wayan established an ordnance factory in Firozabad in November 1794, an event that Thomas Traving mentions in his book ''Travels in India''. Marathas appointed his subadar Lakwadads here who built a fort near the old tehsil. General Lek and General Vellajally attacked Firozabad in 1802. At the beginning of the British regime Firozabad was in the Etawah district and later attached to the Aligarh district. When Sadabad district was created in 1832, Firozabad was made a part of it then later in 1833 the town came under the aegis of Agra district. In 1847 the ''lakh'' business flourished in Firozabad.

In 1857, the freedom–fighting Chauhans of Mainpuri, the Jamidar of Chandwar and the local Malahs all took active parts in the Indian Rebellion. Noted Urdu