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Introduction
The
Surat
castle
is
one
of
the
ancient
monuments
of
16th
century
existing
in
the
city
and
bears
a
significant
relevance
to
its
history.
However,
such
a
great
fortification
built
to
provide
the
citizens
of
Surat
with
an
adequate
defence
against
the
attacks
of
the
invaders
seems
to
have
been
forgotten
from
the
minds
of
the
present
generation.
The
Ahmedabad
king
Sultan
Mahmood-III
(1538-1554),
who
was
very
much
annoyed
by
these
frequent
destructions
of
Surat,
ordered
for
building
a
very
strong
castle
and
entrusted
the
work
to
Safi
Agha,
a
Turkish
soldier
who
had
been
ennobled
with
the
title
of
Khudawand
Khan.
The
work
of
building
the
castle
was
completed
in
1546.
After
the
capture
of
Surat
by
the
emperor
Akbar
(1573)
the
fortress
remained
in
the
charge
of
commandants
appointed
from
Delhi
till
it
was
seized
by
the
Sidhi
admiral
of
the
Mugal
fleet
in
1751.
The
Sidhi
did
not
hold
the
castle
for
long
period,
as
it
was
captured
by
the
English
in
1759
with
rest
of
the
city.
Though
from
the
first
practically
independent,
the
English
held
the
castle
nominally
under
the
Mugal.
In
token
of
this
divided
command,
two
flags
waved
from
the
castle
walls,
the
English
ensign
on
the
south-west,
and
the
Moorish
standard
on
the
south-east
bastion.
This
practice
was
continued
till,
in
1842,
on
the
death
of
the
last
of
the
nawabs
of
Surat,
the
English
fleet
was
removed
from
the
Tapi,
and
the
Moorish
standard
taken
down
from
the
castle
walls.
Though,
as
a
defence
against
any
well-equipped
enemy,
they
have
long
been
useless,
the
castle
buildings
initially
were
being
kept
in
repair,
and
until
the
year
1862,
were
garrisoned
by
a
small
body
of
European
and
native
troops.
In
that
year,
as
no
longer
required,
the
force
was
withdrawn,
and
the
vacated
rooms
were
made
over
for
the
accommodation
of
the
various
offices
connected
with
the
revenue
and
police
departments,
in
whose
occupation
the
castle
has
since
remained.
History
Though
in
context
of
the
identity
of
Surat
in
mediaeval
times
many
views
have
been
expressed
by
different
historians,
in
all
the
historical
narratives
Surat
has
emerged
as
one
of
the
major
port
of
international
importance
on
the
map
of
the
world
trade.
A
Portuguese
traveller
named
Barbosa
during
his
visit
to
Gujarat
in
1514
has
described
Surat
as
a
city
of
great
trade
in
all
classes
of
merchandise,
a
very
important
seaport
yielding
a
large
revenue
to
the
king,
and
frequented
by
many
ships
from
Malabar
and
many
other
ports.
Shortly
before
Barbosa
was
in
Gujarat,
Surat
is
said
to
have
been
burnt
by
the
Portuguese
in
1512.
Surat
reportedly
suffered
from
a
wholly
unprovoked,
and
piratical
raid,
in
1530,
a
second
time
by
the
Portuguese
under
the
leadership
of
Antonio
da
Silvaria.
Though
the
assailants
were
opposed
by
a
guard
of
300
horses
and
10000
foot,
but
at
the
first
charge
the
defenders
fled,
and
the
town
was
taken
and
burnt.
As
they
were
still
at
the
war
with
the
Gujarat
King,
the
Portuguese
again
burnt
Surat
in
the
next
year,
1531.
The
Ahmedabad
king
Sultan
Mahmood-III
(1538-1554),
who
was
very
much
annoyed
by
these
frequent
destructions
of
Surat,
ordered
for
building
a
very
strong
castle
and
entrusted
the
work
to
Safi
Agha,
a
Turkish
soldier
who
had
been
ennobled
with
the
title
of
Khudawand
Khan.
He
was
provided
with
substantial
budget
and
was
ordered
to
plan
and
build
a
very
strong
castle.
Khudawand
Khan
initially
selected
three
alternative
sites
for
building
the
castle
Village
Tunki
where
presently
a
tomb
of
Marjan
Shami
is
existing.
'Pani
ni
Bhit'
area
The
bank
of
the
river
out
of
which
the
last
alternative
i.e.
bank
of
the
river
was
selected
and
finalised
by
the
king.
It
has
been
reported
that
during
construction
stage
the
Portuguese
made
several
attempts
to
prevent
Khudawand
Khan
from
completing
the
work
both
by
bribery
as
well
as
by
force
failing
which,
they
came
to
attack
with
several
vessels
armed
with
cannons,
but
could
not
succeed
in
preventing
him
from
building
the
castle.
He
completed
the
construction
of
this
castle
in
the
year
1546.So
that
i
need
to
more
space
for
write
review
on
this
Castle
but
bye.
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