...... MEDIEVAL TOWNS OF INDIA ......

Important medieval towns in India

• Thanjaur
• Surat
• Masulipatnam
• Hampi

1. HAMPI :

 Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century. It was a fortified city. Chronicles left by Persian and European travellers,
  particularly the Portuguese, say that Hampi was a prosperous, wealthy and grand city near the Tungabhadra River, with numerous temples, farms and trading
  markets.This city is famous for its beautiful temples, majestic ruins, glorious history and fascinating mythological tales. 
  The special highlights are Hampi's boulders which unlike most of rock formations were not formed due to volcanism.
  They are a composition of granite and sculpted in beautiful rounded shapes naturallY . 

2 .SURAT :

 The History of Surat dates back hundreds of years. The city was founded in the late medieval period, and gradually became an important port in the Mughal Empire.
  The Maratha rulers defeated the Mughals during the Battle of Surat. Later, the Dutch ruled the area and the city became known as Dutch Suratte.n 1514 the Portuguese traveler Duarte 
 Barbosa described Surat as a leading port. It was burned by the Portuguese (1512 and 1530) and conquered by the Mughals (1573) and was twice sacked by the Maratha king Shivaji (17th century)
 and conquered by the Mughals (1573) and was twice sacked by the Maratha king Shivaji (17th century). Surat thereafter became the emporium of India, exporting cloth and gold. 

3 .MACHLIPATNAM :

 Masulipatnam rose to prominence under the Qutb Shahi kings. The town served as the primary sea port for their dominion,
  the kingdom of Golkonda. It was an outlet for textiles produced in the Godavari Delta.The literal meaning of the word Masulipatnam is a fish port town. The port was an important sea trade centre during the 17th century.
  Complete answer: The port was discovered by the kings of Golconda. Soon by the seventeenth century, it became a major port for trading spices to Europe.Masulipatnam was a hub of trade and commerce in the seventeenth century.
  Both Dutch and English East Indian company tried to control it. The Dutch built the fort located at this place. 

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