The Gulbarga Fort is located in Kalaburagi in the Kalaburagi district of North Karnataka. The fort was originally constructed by the Hindu monarch Raja Gulchand, and it was subsequently significantly enlarged in 1347 by Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah of the Bahmani Kingdom after he cut off his ties with the Delhi Sultanate. Islamic monuments such as mosques, palaces, tombs, and other structures were also built later within the refurbished fort. The Jama Masjid, built later within the fort in 1367, is a unique structure built in the Persian architectural style, fully enclosed with elegant domes and arched columns. It was built to commemorate the establishment of the dynastic rule of the Bahmani Kingdom at Gulbarga Fort between 1347 and 1424. It remained the capital of the Bahmani Kingdom until 1424 where after the capital was shifted to Bidar, which had better climatic conditions.

The early history of the region dates back to the 6th century when the Rashtrakutas ruled over the external areas, except Gulbarga. The Chalukyas won back their domain and ruled for over two hundred years. The Kalachuris of Kalyani succeeded them and ruled until the 12th century. At the end of the 12th century, it came under the rule of the Yadavas of Devagiri and the Hoysalas of Halebid. During this period, the Kakatiya dynasty, kings of Warangal, were also powerful and took control of the present-day Kalaburagi district and Raichur district.

The Kakatiya power was subdued in 1321, and the northern Deccan, including the district of Gulbarga, passed under the control of the Delhi Sultanate.

In the early 14th century, the Deccan was under the rule of Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate, whose dominions included Gulbarga. The revolt of the Muslim officers appointed from Delhi resulted in the founding of the Bahmani Sultanate in 1347 by Zafar Khan, who eventually chose Gulbarga (named as 'Ahsenabad' during this period) to be his capital. Gulbarga was the capital of the Bahmani Kingdom (with headquarters at the Gulbarga Fort) until 1424, when the capital was transferred to Bidar. It is said that with the establishment of the Bahmani Kingdom, the Muslim rule took firm roots in the Deccan. Bahmani sultan Ahmad Shah I Wali had inducted immigrants from Iraq, Iran and Central Asia, which changed the social, cultural and religious life in the Deccan but was well amalgamated with Hindu traditions.

The fort was razed to the ground by the Vijayanagara Empire, but was subsequently rebuilt by Yusuf Adil Shah of the Sultanate of Bijapur after Vijayanagara was defeated in 1565 in the Battle of Talikota.

The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707) captured the fort in 1687 and appointed Asaf Jah I ("Nizam-ul-Mulk") as the governor of the Deccan. In 1724, when the Mughal Empire was declining, the Nizam became independent and formed the Hyderabad State, of which Gulbarga area was a part.

The fort and the Gulbarga district were a part of Hyderabad State under the Nizam's rule. After India became independent in August 1947, Hyderabad State was annexed to the Dominion of India in 1948. In 1956, the Indian state of Hyderabad was partitioned among neighbouring states along linguistic lines and renamed as Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana). Most of the Gulbarga district became part of the then Mysore State, later renamed Karnataka, excluding two taluks, which were given to Andhra Pradesh.

Upon entering the Jamia Masjid, inscriptions in Deccani Persian language are found on the left and right walls of the main entrance.