Mughal Empire and Summary
Overview
Statewide Dual Credit Modern World History: Unit 5, Lesson 3
Discussion of the Mughal Empire, founded by Babur in 1526, which was a vast and powerful empire that ruled over much of India. The empire reached its peak under Akbar, who implemented policies of religious tolerance and centralized administration. However, the empire eventually declined due to overexpansion, religious intolerance, and internal conflicts.
In 1504, Babur (1483-1530), a fearsome military leader, captured Kabul. Claiming descent from both Genghis Khan (r. 1206 -1227) and Timur (r. 1370-1405), Babur sought out distant lands to conquer. This sense of adventure and desire for wealth drew Babur to India. In 1526, at the battle of Panipat, Babur’s forces defeated the Sultan of Delhi. This led to the establishment of the Mughal Empire (Persian for Mongol), an empire that, at its height, extended over one million square miles and ruled over 100 million people. A warrior poet, Babur composed an autobiography which recounts his conquests and tells us of his wide-ranging interests, including swimming, eating fruit, and the difficulties he had in giving up wine. Under his son, Humayun (r. 1530-1540 and 1555-1556), the Mughals lost much of their territories in Afghanistan. Humayun’s most significant impact may be his deep appreciation for Persian culture, a passion he passed on to his children. It fell to Humayun’s son Akbar (r. 1556-1605) to restore glory to the Mughal Empire.
Although only thirteen when he ascended to the throne, Akbar was a shrewd and capable individual. He was a warrior king, and soon the independent kingdoms of Northern India fell under his grasp. To rule over these extensive regions, add stability and ensure loyalty, Akbar created a vast government structure. Showing little bias toward any ethnic group or faith, Akbar’s government invited all those with talent to participate. Akbar understood that dividing power among multiple groups would ensure that no one in the empire could challenge him. Akbar married Hindu princesses, thus aligning himself and his government with key Hindu families. He also eliminated discriminatory taxes, including the jizya, a tax levied on non-Muslims. Religious toleration enabled Akbar to harness all his subjects’ energies and abilities. Akbar enjoyed learning about different religions and often invited those of other faiths to discuss theology.
Akbar’s son and successor, Jahangir (r. 1605-1628), expanded the Mughal Empire by consolidating Mughal rule in Bengal. War brought riches and prestige, but new territories often brought new sets of difficulties. Jahangir’s son, Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658), is best known for the construction of the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb (r. 1658-1707), deposed his father, confining him to a small room. A devout Muslim, Aurangzeb expanded the empire, especially in the south. While Aurangzeb ruled over more territory than any of his predecessors, his reign marked the beginning of Mughal decline. He had over-extended the empire with his costly wars, and his decision to end the period of religious tolerance angered many of his subjects. The Mughals went from being an empire of toleration to one that tried to force religious laws onto its people.
Spotlight On | THE TAJ MAHAL
Commissioned in 1632 by Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal (1593-1631), who died in labor while pregnant with their 14th child, the Taj Mahal is an example of the sophistication, scale and grandeur of Mughal architecture. Completed around 1653, the 42-acre complex contained intricate gardens, a mosque and an ornate guest house. The most famous building, the ivory-white marble mausoleum, had been largely completed by 1643. Set in what is today Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, it is believed that tens of thousands of laborers were needed to complete the project. After Shah Jahan’s death in 1666, his body was interred next to Mumtaz Mahal in the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal remains one of the most recognizable buildings in the world and stands as a lasting reminder of Mughal wealth, grandeur and power.
SUMMARY
All three of these Muslim empires were more powerful and secure in the 16th century than at the beginning of the 18th. Each empire struggled to rule the vast lands and the people they had conquered. They had internal pressures, often from the groups that had helped expand their empire. Conquered groups also fought back, sapping the attention and resources of the centralized state. As administration size and costs ballooned, none of these empires had the revenues needed to meet these demands. External pressures came from other empires that had successfully modernized. By the beginning of the 18th century, all three Islamic empires faced the realities of decline as each one struggled to reconcile past successes with current realities.