Today, let us step into Golconda Fort in the bustling city of Hyderabad. This fort once housed a vault that safeguarded some of the world"s most famous gems, including the legendary Koh-i-Noor and Hope diamonds. The origins of the fort date back to the 11th century when it was first established as a modest mud fort by Pratāparudra of the Kakatiya Empire. It"s also believed that the Kakatiya ruler Ganapatideva, who reigned from 1199 to 1262, constructed a stone outpost on the hilltop to protect the empire"s western frontier.