Siri Fort

Siri Fort
Part of South Delhi
New Delhi, India
Southern Gate Ruins of the Siri Fort near Panchsheel Park
Siri Fort wall and Tohfe Wala Gumbad dome near the village of Shahpur Jat.
Siri Fort
Coordinates	28°33′09″N 77°13′25″E / 28.5524°N 77.2235°E / 28.5524; 77.2235
Type	Afghan-Saljuq-styled Fort
Site information
Controlled by	Indian Government
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Ruin
Site history
Built	c. 1303
Built by	Khilji Dynasty
Materials	Stone and Bricks
Demolished	1540 - 1545
Battles/wars	Mongol siege of Delhi

Siri Fort, in the city of New Delhi, was built during the rule of Ala-ud-Din Khalji, the Turkic (Afghan) ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, to defend the city from the onslaught of the Mongols. It was the second of the seven cities of medieval Delhi built around 1303 (stated to be the first entirely constructed by Turks), which at present is seen only in ruins with a few remnants (pictured)

Near the Siri Fort ruins modern auditoriums, the Asian Games Village Complex and residential and commercial establishments fill the modern landscape between the Khel Gaon Marg and the Aurobindo Marg in the heart of South Delhi.

Alaud'din is the best known of the Khilji dynasty because he extended his dominion to Southern India and established the second city of Delhi, Siri. He created Siri between 1297 and 1307 to defend against Mongol invasions of India and Delhi. In response he built Siri Fort, mimicked massive Turkish ones. The Fort served as the seat of his power during his campaigns to enlarge his territory. Due to frequent Mongol invasions of West Asia, the Saljuqs took asylum in Delhi. The craftsmen of Seljuq dynasty are credited with this era's architectural monuments in Delhi.

Targhi, a Mongol ruler, besieged the Siri fort when Ala-ud-din Khalji retreated during the Mongol expedition into India. Targhi could not penetrate the fortifications of the Siri Fort and he finally retreated to his Kingdom in Central Asia. But this attack forced Allauddin to strengthen his defences at the borders, which enabled him to keep the Mongols away – Ali Beg and Tartaq and their army – after they attacked and plundered Punjab and Amroha. Alauddin deputed his two generals Ghazi Malik and Malik Kafur to repel the Mongol attack. The Mongol army was soundly beaten before they could return to Central Asia with their plunder; All the generals and soldiers of the Mongol army were captured and brought to Siri where they were trampled to death by elephants and decapitated. The Mongols tried to attack one last time in 1306 AD but Ghazi Malik (who was the Governor of Punjab) annihilated the entire attacking Mongol army (believed to be 50,000 strong). Subsequent ruthless attacks by Allauddin’s army, deep into Mongol territory in Kandahar, Ghazni and Kabul in Afghanistan ensured that Mongols would never attack India again. His military strategies were thus aimed at building an Indian Empire, which he had mostly succeeded. He consolidated his territory, ruled with military might for 20 years and was considered the “first real Emperor of India”.