Summary

This document provides an overview of the Mughal Empire founded in 1526 by Babur. It details key events like the First Battle of Panipat and the Battle of Khanwa, and the rise and decline of the empire. It discusses leaders like Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Aurangzeb, highlighting their contributions and challenges in consolidating and expanding their empire.

Full Transcript

The Mughal Empire. The Mughal Dynasty The Mughal Empire is conventionally said to have been founded in 1526 by Babur, a chieftain from what is today Uzbekistan, who employed aid from the neighbouring Safavid and Ottoman Empires, also known as (Turkish empire) to defeat the Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim...

The Mughal Empire. The Mughal Dynasty The Mughal Empire is conventionally said to have been founded in 1526 by Babur, a chieftain from what is today Uzbekistan, who employed aid from the neighbouring Safavid and Ottoman Empires, also known as (Turkish empire) to defeat the Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodi, in the First Battle of Panipat, and to sweep down the plains of North India. The Mughal imperial structure, however, is sometimes dated to 1600, to the rule of Babur's grandson, Akbar. This imperial structure lasted until 1720, until shortly after the death of the last major emperor, Aurangzeb. THE GREAT MUGHAL EMPERORS ALWAYS IN THE ZONE OF WAR BABUR (1526 CE - 1530 CE) The Mughals were descendants of two lineages of rulers - Genghis Khan, the Mongol ruler who ruled over parts of China and Central Asia. (died 1227) from their mother’s side, and Timur, the ruler of Iran, Iraq and modern-day Turkey (died 1404) from their father's side. The Mughals did not appreciate being called Mongol because Genghis Khan's memory was linked with the carnage of numerous people. Conversely, they were proud of their Timurid ancestry, as their great ancestor had captured Delhi. Zahir-ud-din Babur, also known as Muhammad Babur, was the founder of the great Mughal Empire. He was a descendant of both Chenghiz Khan and Timur. In 1494 CE, Babur succeeded his father Omar Sheikh Mirza, as the ruler of Fargana, at the age of eleven. In 1497 CE, Babur attacked the Uzbek city of Samarkand and captured it. However, within a short span of time, he lost both Fargana and Samarkand. In the meanwhile, Daulat Khan Lodi, the governor of Punjab, was discontented with Ibrahim Lodi, the then sultan. So he invited Babur to invade India. Rana Sanga, the ruler of Mewar also wanted to end the rule of the Lodis. So, he too agreed to help Babur. Both Daulat Khan Lodi and Rana Sanga, thought that Babur would leave India after defeating Ibrahim Lodi, leaving the Sultanate in their hands. At the time when Babur received the invite, he had been defeated and driven away from his kingdom, Farghana and was left without a kingdom. He turned towards the east and conquered Kabul in 1504 CE. He grabbed the opportunity and entered India. First Battle of Panipat On hearing that Babur was marching towards Delhi, Ibrahim Lodi set out with a huge army to meet his enemy. On 21 April 1526 CE, Babur met Ibrahim Lodi at the battlefield of Panipat. After a fierce battle, Lodi was defeated and killed and his army was routed. Babur was successful on account of the following reasons: Babur's army was well-trained and disciplined which easily routed Lodi's huge but disorganised and undisciplined army. Babur used artillery, which was unknown To Lodi's army. He also used cannons in warfare for the first time in India. The long practiced tactics of Central Asian cavalry proved fatal for the unwieldy army. Proper planning and superior weapons helped Babur to overthrow Ibrahim Lodi’s army easily and he became the ruler of Delhi and Agra. The Battle of Khanwa Babur next had to fight the most powerful and a more formidable opponent, Rana Sanga, the Rajput ruler of Mewar. When Babur came to defeat Lodi, Rana Sanga thought that like Timur, he too would plunder and leave with the loot, which would give him a chance to capture his much coveted regions. But, when Rana Sanga realised that Babur intended to stay in India, he started to build a coalition of the Rajput kings and the Afghans against Babur, so that he could drive him out of India. On 16 th March 1527 CE, the battle took place at Khanwa, a village near Agra. Rana Sanga came with a huge army compared to Babur but the Rajputs were defeated by the skilled, tactical and organized army of Babur. This victory gave Babur complete control over Central India, weakening the Rajput power to a great extent. Achievements Babur was not only an excellent general but also a great leader. He could write in Persian and composed beautiful verses in Turki. He wrote his autobiography, Baburnama or Tuzuk-i-Baburi in Turki. He has laid down many gardens and orchards in India as well as Kabul. He was very fond of music. Babur also loved to play polo. His greatest achievement was establishing one of the greatest empires in the history of India. But Babur did not have the time in his brief reign to consolidate his gains. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Nasir-ud-din Humayun when he was 23, in 1530 CE. HUMAYUN’S TOMB, DELHI HUMAYUN (1530-40 & 1555-56 CE) Humayun had many problems facing him as he ascended the throne. The Mughal army under Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah's army. After escaping from the battlefield, Humayun again raised an army and fought Sher Shah in Kanauj in 1540 CE. Humayun was not only defeated but also driven out of his own kingdom. Sher Shah occupied Delhi and Agra and established the ‘Sur’ Dynasty. Humayun escaped and went to Persia and wandered in exile for 15 years (1540 - 1555 CE). Humayun had some admirable qualities. He was a man of letters and culture. He knew many languages and was well versed in mathematics, philosophy and astronomy. He was a brave soldier and a great general. However, he lacked the resolve to consolidate the empire. AKBAR 1556 CE-1605 CE: Akbar holds a religious assembly hIS reign can be divided into of different faiths in the Ibadat three periods. Khana in Fatehpur Sikri. Akbar took the position of an independent ruler from his regent - Bairam Khan. With that, he launched military campaigns against the Suris and other Afghans, against the neighbouring kingdoms of Malwa and Gondwana, and to suppress the revolt of his half-brother Mirza Haklin and the Uzbegs. In 1568CE the Sisodiya capital of Chittor was seized and in 1569 Ranthambore. 1570CE-1585CE - The military campaigns in Gujarat were followed by campaigns in the east of Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. These campaigns were complicated by the 1579-1580 CE revolt in support of Mirza Hakim. 1585CE - 1605CE - This period was devoted by the emperor to the conquests and expansion of his empire. Campaigns were launched in the north-west. Qandahar was seized from the Safavids, Kashmir was annexed, as was Kabul, after the death of Mirza Hakim. The campaigns in the Deccan resulted in the annexation of Berar, Khandesh and parts of Ahmadnagar. In the last year of his reign Akbar was distracted by the rebellion of Prince Salim, the future Emperor Jahangir. Mansabdars and Jagirdars The Mansabdari System was the chief feature introduced by Akbar in his army administration. The word ‘Mansab’ means rank. Thus, a Mansabdar was a person who held a particular rank, which in turn determined his salary and responsibilities. Rank and salary were determined by a numerical value called Zat (indicating the number of soldiers under a Mansabdar). The higher the Zat, the more prestigious was the noble's position in court and the larger his salary. The mansabdar's military responsibilities required him to maintain a specified number of Sawar or cavalrymen. The mansabdar brought his cavalrymen for review, got them registered, their horses branded and then received money to pay them as salary. Zabt and Zamindars The main source of income available to Mughal rulers was tax on the production of agricultural products. In most places, peasants paid taxes through the rural elites, that is, the headman or the local chieftain. The Mughals used one term - zamindars to describe all intermediaries, whether they were local headmen of villages or powerful chieftains. Akbar Nama and Ain-i-Akbari Akbar commissioned Abul Fazl, one of his close friends and courtiers, to chronicle the history of his reign. The latter wrote a three volume history of Akbar's reign, called Akbar Nama. While the first volume dealt with Akbar's ancestors, the second volume recorded the events of his reign. The third volume is the Ain-i-Akbari, which deals with Akbar's administration, household, army, the revenues and the geography of his empire. Along with that it also provides rich details about the traditions and culture of the people living in India. The following are the number of measures taken by Akbar to establish the principle of Sulh-i-Kul - Akbar abolished the practice of enslaving the prisoners of war. He abolished the pilgrim tax that was levied on Hindus, who took pilgrimages to their holy places. He abolished the Jizya tax levied on Hindus. He permitted the Hindus to build temples and gave grants for the construction of the same. He participated in Hindu festivals like Holi, Diwali, and Raksha Bandhan. He got many Hindu sacred books translated into Persian. Social Reforms To dissolve some of the evil practices of the society, Akbar introduced a number of social reforms. He prohibited Sati. He discouraged child marriage and laid emphasis on the consent of the bride and the groom before marriage. The minimum age of marriage for girls was raised to 14 years and for boys 16 years. He condemned female infanticide. Architecture Architecture was a blend of Indo-Persian style resonating with his spirit of tolerance in the buildings. His masons created wonders with red sandstone. The significant buildings of Akbar’s reign are - the Buland Darwaza, the Panch Mahal, and the forts of Agra and Allahabad. AGRA FORT PANCH MAHAL - FATEHPUR SIKRI JEHANGIR (1605 -1627 CE) EMPRESS NUR JAHAN Nuruddin Muhammad Salim was born in 1569 CE. On ascending the throne in 1605 CE, he took on the title of Jahangir, which means Conqueror of the World. Military Campaigns Jahangir continued with Akbar’s policy of consolidation of the Mughal Empire. Jahangir carried on Akbar’s conquest of the South. The fort of Ahmednagar and the territories which Akbar had captured was taken by Malik Ambar, the chief minister of Ahmadnagar, during the reign of Akbar. So Jahangir sent an expedition under Prince Khurram, who managed to recapture the fort of Ahmednagar. Prince Khurram was honoured with the title of Shah Jahan. Jahangir led a campaign in 1620 against the fort of Kangra. After a siege of 12 months, the fort succumbed to the might of the Mughal Empire. In the east, Jahangir strengthened the hold of the Mughal Empire over Awadh and Bengal. In the north-west, Jahangir lost Kandahar in 1622 to the Persians, This was a great setback for the Mughals as it affected trade between India and Central Asia. Nur Jahan's influence in Jahangir's court Mehrunnisa married the Emperor Jahangir 1611CE and received the title Nur Jahan. She remained extremely loyal and supportive to the monarch. As a mark of honour, Jahangir struck silver coins bearing his own titles on one side and on the other the inscription "struck in the name of Queen Begum , Nur Jahan”. Jahangir as a Ruler Jahangir, like his father, was a people’s ruler and looked after their well-being. He installed a system of justice called the Chain of Justice outside his palace. Whoever had any complaint about any official could come and ring the bell and the emperor would speak to the person directly. He also maintained a friendly relations with the Rajputs by marrying into their families and employing Rajputs in his court. He was also fond of paintings and Mughal paintings reached great heights during his reign. Jahangir was a devout Muslim, but he did not let his personal beliefs dictate his State Policies. He continued with Akbar’s policy of religious tolerance. After the death of Jahangir, Shah Jahan occupied the throne. Shah Jahan’s reign has been described as the ‘Golden Age’ in the history of Medieval India. He patronised literature, architecture and painting. Along with Persian, Shah Jahan was a great patron of Hindi literature. Jagannath Pandit and Sundar are two of the greatest poets and authors of his reign. Shah Jahan (1627-1656) and his wife Mumtaz Mahal Military Campaigns Mughal campaigns continued in the Deccan under Shah Jahan. The Afghan noble - Khan Jahan Lodi rebelled against Shah Jahan but was defeated. Campaigns were launched against the ruler of Ahmednagar for helping Khan Jahan Lodi. Ahmednagar was then annexed to the Mughal empire. Shah Jahan also made attempts to reconquer Kandahar from the Shah of Persia but was unsuccessful even after three attempts. In 1657-1658, there was conflict over succession amongst Shah Jahan’s sons. Aurangazeb was victorious, and his three brothers were killed. Shah Jahan was imprisoned for the rest of his life in Agra. Architecture Known as the ‘Engineer Emperor’, Shah Jahan’s reign is explicitly famous for the splendid work done in the field of architecture. The buildings of his peridot are extremely beautiful with perfect symmetry of design. The most famous monuments constructed by Shah Jahan are - He married Mumtaz Mahal and upon her death he built the Taj Mahal in her memory as a symbol of undying love. The Taj Mahal, made of pure white marble and semi precious, is one of the finest examples of flawless design and execution It still retains its position among the new Seven Wonders of the World. Shah Jahan had such a passion for white marble that he reconstructed many of the earlier sandstone structures and replaced them with marble ones. The Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) at Agra Fort is considered to be the most perfect of Shah Jahan’s buildings. Shah Jahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi and built a new city called Shahjahanabad (now known as Old Delhi). Within the walls of this city, he built the massive and magnificent Red Fort with red sandstone. The Jama Masjid is a simple and dignified monument. THE TAJ MAHAL THE JAMA MASJID THE MOTI MASJID Shah Jahan was succeeded by his son Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb Alamgir, meaning ‘Conqueror of the World', was the last of the Great Mughals. The empire covered nearly the whole of India. The vast empire couldn’t be managed efficiently. AURANGZEB 1658 - 1707 CE BADSHAHI MOSQUE IN LAHORE LARGEST IN THE WORLD 1671-73 The reign of Aurangzeb, witnessed many rebellions in several parts of the empire. The tenth Sikh Guru, Govind Singh was determined to revolt against the atrocities of Aurangazeb and he organized the sikhs into a force called Khalsa. There were fierce battles between the Sikhs and the Mughals. The Marathas became powerful under the leadership and guidance of Shivaji who laid the foundation for the powerful Maratha Kingdom. Aurangazeb considered Shivaji as his greatest threat. The last twenty five years of his reign was spent in suppressing the Marthas. His campaigns against the Deccan drained the treasury, led to the loss of soldiers and trade and commerce. His constant attention towards the Deccan kept the north unattended. This situation gave rise to many revolts and soon many regions started declaring their independence. This led to the disintegration of the empire. Aurangzeb as a Ruler Aurangzeb was a devout Muslim and lived an ascetic life. He avoided all forms of luxury and ostentation. He banned music, dancing and intake of wine in the royal court. He built the Badshahi Masjid (Alamgir Mosque in Labore and added a massive gate to the Lahore Fort. He also added a small marble mosque known as Moti Masjid to the Red Fort complex in Delhi. One of the greatest errors that Aurangazeb committed was to reimpose the Jizya and the pilgrimage tax on the Hindus. The Rajputs were already unhappy with the orthodox religious policies. The relation further grew worse when Raja Jaswant Singh of Marwar died and Aurangazeb supported Indra Singh, the Raja's grand nephew to be the next ruler. This angered the Rajput nobles who rose against Aurangazeb in support of the Raja's son Ajit Singh. The conflict that ensued henceforth was a long drawn one and continued even after Aurangazep's death. Reasons for the Decline of Mughal Empire: Differences between the nobles in the mughal court. Foreign Invasions Wars of Succession Weak successors Religious Intolerance Aurangazeb failed to realise religious tolerance is important for such a vast empire which would in turn help the people to be supportive and united. Weak Military Organisation Increase in the number of mansabdars led to the corruption and inefficiency in the system. This led to the decline of the military strength. *************************************************************

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