File:Abdullah Qutb Shah Tomb 26092021.jpg

English: Abdullah Qutb Shah (also transliterated in different ways) was the seventh ruler of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India under the Qutb Shahi dynasty. He ruled from 1626 to 1672.

Abdullah, son of Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah, was a polyglot, and a lover of poetry and music. He invited to his court and respected Kshetrayya, a famous lyric writer. Kshetrayya is known for his romantic poetry. His reign was full of sorrow and trouble. His only success was demolishing decayed Vijayanagara Empire by capturing Vellore, last capital of it in 1652. Aurangzeb under the command from Shah Jahan took over Hyderabad by surprise and restricted Abdullah within the Golconda fort. Abdullah worked hard to negotiate reasonable terms of surrender but the Mughals forced him into accepting severe conditions. However, the severe terms were sweetened by a matrimonial alliance between the two families: Abdullah's second daughter, known as Padshah Bibi Sahiba, was married to Aurangzeb's eldest son, Muhammad Sultan Mirza. She was his first wife, and so the chances of her progeny becoming Mughal emperor were great. However it did not ultimately happen. He was also quite interested in mathematics that although being a Muslim, he favoured many Europeans who excelled in mathematics his unhappy monarch died in 1672 and was succeeded by his son-in-law, Abul Hasan Qutb Shah.

The tomb is also one of the best examples of the blend of Persian and local styles of architecture that Golconda was known for. Look closely, and you’ll see plenty of Hindu influences in the decorations, like the lotus petals at the base of the dome and the temple-like finials at the top of each dome.