The city of Bhopal, according to tradition, stand on the site of an old town founded by Raja Bhoj in the 11th century.
It was Dost Mohammad Khan, however, who laid the foundation of the present city in the first half of the 18th century when he built the Fatehgarh Fort.
The city continued to be the capital of Bhopal State during British rule. After the transfer of power, Bhopal became a centrally-administered area.
With the formation of the new Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 1956, Bhopal became the capital of the second largest State in India.