Mughal Empire and Cultural Encounters in South Asia

The ruling dynasty and about 20 percent of the population were Muslims, while the majority practiced some form of Hinduism.

The Central Asian warriors were Muslims in religion and Turkic in culture, claiming descent from Chinggis Khan and Timur.

After conquering the warrior-based Hindu Rajputs, Akbar married several of their princesses but did not require them to convert to Islam.

<p>The conquests provided India with a rare period of relative political unity (1526–1707).</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Encouraging the remarriage of widows, discouraging child marriages and sati, and persuading merchants to set aside special market days for women.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Nur Jahan was the twentieth and favorite wife of Emperor Jahangir. She was widely regarded as the power behind the throne of her husband, giving audiences to visiting dignitaries, consulting with ministers, and even having a coin issued in her name.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Akbar imposed a policy of toleration by deliberately restraining the more militantly Islamic ulama (religious scholars) and removing the special tax (jizya) on non-Muslims.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Akbar created a state cult, a religious faith aimed at the Mughal elite, drawing on Islam, Hinduism, and Zoroastrianism, and emphasizing loyalty to the emperor himself.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The overall style of the Mughal Empire was that of a blended elite culture in which both Hindus and various Muslim groups could feel comfortable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The philosopher Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi strongly objected to the cultural synthesis, claiming that it represented impure intrusions of Sufi Islam or Hinduism. He believed these deviations were introduced primarily by women.</p> Signup and view all the answers