Burhanpur is a historical city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative seat of Burhanpur District. It is situated on the north bank of the Tapti River and 512 kilometres (318 mi) northeast of city of Mumbai , 340 kilometres (211 mi) southwest of the state's capital city of Bhopal. The city is a Municipal Corporation.

Burhanpur was an important town under the Rashtrakuta Dynasty from 753–982. Excavations of the Tapti River and Asirgarh Fort have discovered many coins, goddess idols and temples from the prehistoric era. However, Burhanpur came to prominence during the medieval period.^{[citation needed]}

In 1388, Malik Nasir Khan, the Faruqi dynasty Sultan of Khandesh, discovered Burhanpur, at the behest of Shaikh Zainuddin and named it after a well-known medieval Sufi saint, Burhan-ud-Din. Burhanpur became the capital of the Khandesh sultanate. Later, Miran Adil Khan II (reigned 1457–1501), another sultan of this dynasty, built a citadel and a number of palaces in Burhanpur. During his long reign, Burhanpur was transformed into a major centre for trade and textile production.^{[citation needed]}

In 1601, the Mughal emperor Akbar annexed the Khandesh sultanate and Burhanpur became the capital of Khandesh subah, one of three new top-level provinces in the Mughal empire, added in 1601 (like Berar Subah in 1869 and Ahmadnagar subah in 1601–35) to the initial dozen as he conquered much of the Deccan.^{[citation needed]} The town served as the residence of Khandesh's Mughal governor, Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, during Akbar and Jahangir's rule. He constructed a new water supply for the town, as well as several gardens. In 1609, Mughal emperor Jahangir appointed his second son Parviz to the governorship of the Mughal provinces of the Deccan, and the prince chose Burhanpur as his headquarters and his residence.^{[citation needed]}

Many historical monuments survive in the area around Burhanpur, mainly dating from the rule of the great Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Burhanpur was an important Mughal outpost. Shah Jahan spent a considerable amount of time in this town, and helped add to the Shahi Qila. The Shahi Qila is one majestic palace in Burhanpur, located to the west of the Tapti River. Diwan-i-Aam and Diwan-i-Khas were built on the terrace of the Qila. Little of it remains today, as the Qila is mostly in ruins. However, the parts of the palace that are still standing display exquisite sculpture and carvings. The main attraction at the palace is the hamam or royal bath. It was specifically built for Shah Jahan's wife, Mumtaz Mahal so that she could enjoy a luxurious bath. It is said that she died there while giving birth to her fourteenth child. Even today, the ceiling has many intricate paintings. One of these paintings depicts a monument which is said to have been the inspiration for the Taj Mahal, her final resting place. She was initially buried there for six months before being moved. The original grave called the Aahukhana is in disrepair.

Around 1670 Daud Khan was the Subhadar (Governor) of Khandesh province, under the rule of Aurangzeb.

In the 1720s, the town was taken by the Maratha Peshwa Bajirao during his expedition to Malwa and Delhi. In the 1750s, a Maratha army under Sadashivrao Bhau, who defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad, took control of the town. At the downfall of the Maratha Empire, the town was given to Maratha Sardar Holkar, Scindia, and then finally in 1818 was handed over to the British by the Marathas.

Burhanpur is located on the southwestern border of Madhya Pradesh, near the banks of the Tapti River.