Mughal Empire in the Subcontinent
The Mughal Empire began in 1526, when Babur came from Afghanistan to India through Khyber
Pass and defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the Battle of Panipat. Babur was the son of the Turkish-Indian
Mongol ruler named Timor Chagatai, who was the second son of Genghis Khan.
In the 16 th century, many Muslim rulers were ruling the northern region of India until eventually
the Mughal mobility and armory conquered the place. The existing leaderships were not
removed, instead they were provided an opportunity to have power in their own areas
therefore creating a better system of a centralized government and administration. Babar’s son
Akbar soon came to the throne under whose rule, Islamic culture boomed in the subcontinent.
Agriculture generated major revenue for the government; meanwhile taxes in silver currency
were made mandatory. During the 17 th century, India’s economy and art expanded. India’s
textiles, architecture, painting and other industries also grew.
The provincial and regional governments such as of the Marathas, Sikhs and the Rajputs, gained
military experience and proper recognition under the Mughal rule.
During their peak, the Mughals ruled over majority areas in the Indian subcontinent all the way
from Bengal to Kabul. In that time around 110-150 million people lived in that area and hence,
the Mughals ruled over a quarter of the Earth’s total population at that time. The prime period
of their regime began with the rule of Akbar-e-Azam, or Akbar the Great. Under his rule, India
enjoyed economic growth and religious harmony. Akbar had also made alliances with many
Hindu rulers including the Rajputs, who were a major threat to the Mughal rule. Even though all
the Mughal emperors were Muslims, Akbar and his son Jahangir followed Deen-e-ilahi. This was
a religion formed by Akbar that was intentionally made as a blend of religions and traditions of
the subcontinent.
Shah Jahan then succeeded Jahangir and started the golden age of Architecture in India. He
built several huge monuments of which Taj Mahal is the most famous. He had built Taj Mahal in
the honor of his deceased wife. Along with that, the Moti Masjid in Agra, the Badshahi Masjid
and the Lahore fort in Lahore and the Jama Masjid in Delhi were all masterpieces built in Shah
Jahan’s era of rule.
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