Following the dissolution of the
Chalukya empire into four parts in the 11th century, the areas around the present-day Hyderabad and Secunderabad came under the control of the
Kakatiya dynasty (1158–1310), whose seat of power was at
Warangal, northeast of modern Hyderabad. In 1310, the area of present-day Hyderabad and Secunderabad came under the rule of the
Delhi Sultanate after the
capture of Warangal, the
Kakatiya capital. The modern city of Hyderabad was built and founded in 1592 by the
Golconda Sultanate under
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. The modern Secunderabad is also the site where the then
Mughal emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur was defeated in the year 1754 by the
Maratha Empire; the emperor arrived after the death of
Nawab Anwaruddin Khan nearby at the
Battle of Ambur in 1749.
Anwaruddin Khan was the
Nawab of Arcot. The area around Secunderabad changed hands among various rulers, and the area was part of Nizam's Hyderabad by the 18th century. Modern Secunderabad was founded as a British
cantonment after
Nizam Asaf Jah II was defeated by the
British East India Company. He was then forced to sign the 1798
Treaty of Subsidiary Alliance to get the favour of British troops camped in the village of
Ulwul, north-east of
Hussain Sagar, the lake that separates Secunderabad from its twin city Hyderabad. In 1803, Nizam
Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of Hyderabad, changed Ulwul's name to Secunderabad after himself. by the Picket lake in Secunderabad, circa 1890 The drinking water needs of the British army in the cantonment and civilians in the cantonment area (areas now under Marredpally, Bowenpally and Tirumalgherry) were taken from
Picket Lake (also known as Picket Tank), and from a few other water bodies. Picket Lake was located at the entrance of the cantonment. Picket Lake was connected to
Hussainsagar through a channel. Gradually over the years, the channel turned into a municipal drain. The lake was gradually encroached upon and later a
bus station was built in its location. The twin cities are separated by the man-made
Hussain Sagar lake, which was built during the reign of the
Qutb Shahi dynasty in the 16th century. Unlike
Hyderabad, the official language of Secunderabad was English.
Secunderabad Junction railway station, one of the largest in India and the zonal headquarters of
South Central Railway, was established in 1874. The King Edward Memorial Hospital, now known as Gandhi Hospital, was established in 1851. A civil jail (now a
heritage building known as Old Jail complex near
Monda Market) was also established. Originally constructed in 1860 as the country house of the
British Resident at Hyderabad, the Residency House is now known as the
Rashtrapati Nilayam, the official retreat of the
President of India.
Sir Winston Churchill, the prime minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, was posted in Secunderabad during the 1890s as a
subaltern in the British Army.
Sir Ronald Ross conducted his initial research on the cause of
malaria in the city of Secunderabad. The original building is today called the Sir Ronald Ross Institute and is located on Minister Road. Secunderabad Municipality was first formed in 1945. Later in 1950, along with Hyderabad Municipality, it was upgraded to Secunderabad Municipal Corporation under the Hyderabad Corporation Act, 1950. In 1960, by the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act of 1955, Secunderabad Municipal Corporation was merged with Hyderabad Corporation to form a single municipal corporation. Today Secunderabad is part of the
Hyderabad district. Post-Independence, the
Secunderabad Cantonment Board came under the jurisdiction of the Indian Armed forces. Consequently, large military units were established. The neighbourhoods in Secunderabad include
Tarnaka, Paradise Circle,
Trimulgherry, Jawaharnagar colony,
Marredpally, Jeera, General Bazar,
Sitaphalmandi,
Kharkhana,
Ranigunj, Yapral, Kowkur and New Bhoiguda.
Begumpet Airport is close to Secunderabad and served the twin city until early 2008. == Geography ==