Hauz Khas fort was established by Alauddin Khilji in the year 1284. The word comes from urdu word Hauz which means Pond. The emperor commissioned a very large pond or tank in this area for the use of the inhabitants of Siri Fort, the second city of Delhi. Earlier it was named as Hauz-i-Alai after the name of emperor Alauddin Khilji. Firuz Shah Tughlaq later ordered to clean the tank which was full of silt. He also built royal baths on the southern side of the tank. It was he who christined it to Hauz-Khas.