Agra Fort is located (270 10'N $ 780 1'22"E) on the right bank of the river yamuna in the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the most important and rebustly built stronghold of the Mughals, embelled with number of richly decorated buildings encompassing the imposing Mughal style of the art and architecture. It was constructed by the third Mughal emporer Akbar on the remains of an ancient site known as Badalgarh. Sikandar Lodi (1487 - 1517) was the first sultan of Delhi to shift his capital from Delhi to Agr. After Sikander Lodi who died in 1517, his son Ibrahim Lodi held the fort for 9 years until he was defeated and killed in the battle of Panipat in 1526.Several palaces, wells and a mosque were built in the fort during Lodi period. When Babur sent his son Humayun to Agra, he captured the fort and seized the vast treasure, Babur buit a baoli (step wall) here. Humayun was coronated here in 1530. Nazam a water carrier ( saqqa), who had saved Humayun from drowing. was crowned here as an emporer for half a day. After Humayun's defeat at Bilgram in 1540. Sher Shah of the Sur dynasty occupied Agra Fort and garrisoned it.
Akbar arrived in Agra in 1558. He ordered to renovate the Fort with red stand stone. Some 4000 builders daily worked on it and it was completed in eight years (1565-1573).
The Fort, semi-circular on plan, is surrounded by 21.4 m high fortification wall. Double ramparts have been provided here with board massive circular bastions at regular intervals. There are four gates on its four sides, one of the gates was called "Khizri-gate" (the water gate) which open to the river front,where ghats were provided. The Fort has survived through the onslaught of time, nature and men. The Fort spreads over an area of about 94 acres of land. At present, there exists more than two dozen of monunents in the Fort .
Abul Fazal, a court historian of Akbar, records records that 5000 buildings were so beautifully designed in Bengalli and Gujarati style. Most of these buildings are now disappered. Shah Jahan himself demolished some of these buildings in order to make room for his white marble palaces. Later the Britishers destroyed most of the buildings for raising barracks. Hardly 30 mughal building survivedon the south eastern side. Of these the "Delhi Gate", "Akbari Gate" and "Bengali Mahal", are representatives of buildings raised during the reign of Akbar.
Jahangir mostly resided in lahore and in Kashmir though he visited agra regularly and lived in th fort. Shah Jahan a great builder, raised raised white marble palaces here. He also built three white mosques in it: Moti Masjid, Nagina Masjid, and Mina Masjid.
Aurangzeb imprisoned shah Jahan his own father, in the fort for 8 years until he died in 1666 and was buried in the Taj Mahal. The barbicans around the gates and on the river sided were built by Aurangzeb to strengthens its defence
Though Shah Jahan had formally transfered his capital to Delhi, in 1638, he continued to live here. But after his death, Agra lost its grandeur. Aurangzeb remained busy in regional conflicts and wars. Yet , time and again, he lived here and held the durbar. Shivaji came to Agra in 1666 and met Aurangzeb in Diwan-i-Khas. Aurangzeb died in 1707 and 18th century history of Agra Fort is a saga sieges and plunder during which it was held by the Jats and the Marathas and finally the British captured it from the latter on 1803.
