A New Outlook Towards The Forts, After The Introduction Of Gunpowder Technology In Late Medieval Period-A Case Study Of Daulatabad Fort

Abstract

The paper discusses the changes in the design of forts after the evolution of Gunpowder technology. In the earlier period, towns needed fortified walls for protection, fortified walls were required to defend territories during Wars. Considering the invasions and conquests, towns have been fortified since very early times. In the Indus Valley Civilization, towns and forts were walled in. The forts are alive and reverberating; they were witnesses to the great dynasties, bearing witness to brutal succession struggles and regicides, and containing unparalleled glitz and grandeur within their fortifications.(Deloche, 2009)

The introduction of cannons in the fourteenth century made most forts constructed in the medieval design obsolete. The study of forts and the addition of structural elements as per the changes in warfare techniques has not been well documented and studied by researchers in India. The research paper aims to study how Gunpowder technology evolved globally, how the fort pattern changed, and the adaptation of these innovations to secure the lives of the citizens. In addition to the existing research, case study techniques have been used to examine the fort. The study of Daulatabad fort has been carried out to conclude. The study will be helpful to provide great opportunities for scholars, historians to explore and understand the knowledge of the forts, and will create awareness amongst the citizens.