Mughal Empire | |
---|---|
1526–1858 | |
Capital |
|
Official languages | |
Religion | Sunni Islam (Official) |
Government | Monarchy |
Emperor[a] | |
• 1526–1530 (first) | Babur |
• 1837–1857 (last) | Bahadur Shah II |
Vakil-i-Mutlaq | |
• 1526–1540 (first) | Mir Khalifa |
• 1795–1818 (last) | Daulat Rao Sindhia |
Grand Vizier | |
• 1526–1540 (first) | Mir Khalifa |
• 1775–1797 (last) | Asaf-ud-Daula |
Establishment | |
• Founding | 1526 |
• Fall | 1858 |
Area | |
1690[7][8] | 4,000,000 km2 (1,500,000 sq mi) |
Population | |
• 1595 | 125,000,000[9] |
• 1700 | 158,000,000[10] |
The Mughal Empire (Urdu: مغلیہ سلطنت, Persian: دولتِ مغل)[b] was a Muslim empire , in South Asia which existed from 1526 to 1858.[13] When it was biggest it ruled most of the subcontinent, including what is now Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.[14] Between 1526 and 1707, It contributed to 24% of the world's GDP[15],It was the world's largest economy and it was well known for having signaled proto-industrialization and for its lavish architecture.[16][17]
The Mughal emperors were Turk-Mongols in origin.[18] Though they later settled in Indian Subcontinent and adapted to the local culture by becoming Indians.[13][19][20] Babur of the Timurid dynasty founded the Mughal Empire (and Mughal dynasty) in 1526 and ruled until 1530. He was followed by Humayun (1530-1540) and (1555-1556), Akbar (1556-1605), Jahangir (1605-1627), Shah Jahan (1628-1658), and Aurangzeb (1658-1707) and several other minor rulers until Bahadur Shah Zafar II (1837-1857). After the death of Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire became weak. It continued until 1857-58. By that time, South Asia had become under the British Raj.
The Mughal Empire was established by able Muslim rulers who came from the present-day Uzbekistan after defeating the Delhi sultanate. The Mughal rule in South Asia saw the region into a united Indian state.[21] Which was being administered under one single powerful ruler, Such unification was not seen since the era of Delhi Sultanate, Guptas and Mauryans. During the Mughal period, art and architecture flourished and many beautiful monuments were constructed. The rulers were skillful warriors and admirers of art as well.[22]
The closest to an official name for the empire was Hindustan, which was documented in the Ain-i-Akbari.[11] Mughal administrative records also refer to the empire as "dominion of Hindustan" (Wilāyat-i-Hindustān),[23] "country of Hind" (Bilād-i-Hind), or "Sultanate of Al-Hind" (Salṭanat(i) al-Hindīyyah) as observed in the epithet of emperor Aurangzeb.[24] Contemporary chronicles from Qing China referred to the empire as Hindustan (Héndūsītǎn).[25] In the west, the term "Mughal emperors|Mughal" was used for the emperor, and by extension, the empire as a whole.[26]
The Mughal designation for their own dynasty was Gurkani (Gūrkāniyān), a reference to their descent from the Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur, who took the title Gūrkān 'son-in-law' after his marriage to a Chinggisid princess.[27] The word Mughal (also spelled Mogul[28] or Moghul in English) is the Indo-Persian form of Mongol. The Mughal dynasty's early followers were Chagatai Turks, and not mongols.[29] although the dynasty claimed descent from Genghis Khan.[30] The term Mughal was applied to them in India by association with the Mongols and to distinguish them from the local Indian and Afghan elite which ruled the Delhi Sultanate.[29] The term gained currency during the 19th century, but remains disputed by Indologists.[31] In Marshall Hodgson's view, the dynasty should be called Timurid/Timuri or Indo-Timuri.[29]
See also: Mughal dynasty |
The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur (reigned 1526–1530), a Central Asian ruler who was descended from the Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur (the founder of the Timurid Empire) on his father's side, and from Genghis Khan on his mother's side.[32] Paternally, Babur belonged to the Turkicized Barlas tribe of Mongol origin.[33] Ousted from his ancestral domains in Central Asia, Babur turned to the subcontinent to satisfy his ambitions.[34] He established himself in Kabul and then pushed steadily southward into India from Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass.[32] Babur's forces defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. Before the battle, Babur sought divine favour by abjuring liquor, breaking the wine vessels and pouring the wine down a well. However, by this time Lodi's empire was already crumbling, and it was the Rajput Confederacy which was the strongest power of Northern India under the capable rule of Rana Sanga of Mewar. He defeated Babur in the Battle of Bayana.[35] However, in the decisive Battle of Khanwa which was fought near Agra, the Timurid forces of Babur defeated the Rajput army of Sanga. This battle was one of the most decisive and historic battles in Indian history, as it sealed the fate of Northern India for the next two centuries.
After the battle, the centre of Mughal power became Agra instead of Kabul. The preoccupation with wars and military campaigns, however, did not allow the new emperor to consolidate the gains he had made in India.[36] The instability of the empire became evident under his son, Humayun (reigned 1530–1556), who was forced into exile in Persia by rebels. The Sur Empire (1540–1555), founded by Sher Shah Suri (reigned 1540–1545), briefly interrupted Mughal rule.[32] Humayun's exile in Persia established diplomatic ties between the Safavid and Mughal Courts, and led to increasing Persian cultural influence in the later restored Mughal Empire.[source?] Humayun's triumphant return from Persia in 1555 restored Mughal rule in some parts of India, but he died in an accident the next year.[32]
Main articles: Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb |
Akbar (reigned 1556–1605) was born Jalal-ud-din Muhammad[37] in the Rajput Umarkot Fort,[38] to Humayun and his wife Hamida Banu Begum, a Persian princess.[39] Akbar succeeded to the throne under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped consolidate the Mughal Empire in India. Through warfare and diplomacy, Akbar was able to extend the empire in all directions and controlled almost the entire Indian subcontinent north of the Godavari River.[source?] He created a new ruling elite loyal to him, implemented a modern administration, and encouraged cultural developments. He increased trade with European trading companies.[32] India developed a strong and stable economy, leading to commercial expansion and economic development.[source?] Akbar allowed freedom of religion at his court and attempted to resolve socio-political and cultural differences in his empire by establishing a new religion, Din-i-Ilahi, with strong characteristics of a ruler cult.[32] He left his son an internally stable state, which was in the midst of its golden age, but before long signs of political weakness would emerge.[32]
Jahangir (born Salim,[40] reigned 1605–1627) was born to Akbar and his wife Mariam-uz-Zamani, an Indian Rajput princess.[41] Salim was named after the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti.[42][43] He "was addicted to opium, neglected the affairs of the state, and came under the influence of rival court cliques".[32] Jahangir distinguished himself from Akbar by making substantial efforts to gain the support of the Islamic religious establishment. One way he did this was by bestowing many more madad-i-ma'ash (tax-free personal land revenue grants given to religiously learned or spiritually worthy individuals) than Akbar had.[44] In contrast to Akbar, Jahangir came into conflict with non-Muslim religious leaders, notably the Sikh guru Arjan, whose execution was the first of many conflicts between the Mughal empire and the Sikh community.[45][46][47]
Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658) was born to Jahangir and his wife Jagat Gosain, a Rajput princess.[40] His reign ushered in the golden age of Mughal architecture.[48] During the reign of Shah Jahan, the splendour of the Mughal court reached its peak, as exemplified by the Taj Mahal. The cost of maintaining the court, however, began to exceed the revenue coming in.[32] His reign was called as "The Golden Age of Mughal Architecture". Shah Jahan extended the Mughal empire to the Deccan by ending the Nizam Shahi dynasty and forcing the Adil Shahis and Qutb Shahis to pay tribute.[49]
Shah Jahan's eldest son, the liberal Dara Shikoh, became regent in 1658, as a result of his father's illness. Dara championed a syncretistic Hindu-Muslim culture, emulating his great-grandfather Akbar.[50] With the support of the Islamic orthodoxy, however, a younger son of Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707), seized the throne. Aurangzeb defeated Dara in 1659 and had him executed.[32] Although Shah Jahan fully recovered from his illness, Aurangzeb kept Shah Jahan imprisoned until he died in 1666.[51]: 68 Aurangzeb oversaw an increase in the Islamicization of the Mughal state. He encouraged conversion to Islam, reinstated the jizya on non-Muslims, and compiled the Fatawa 'Alamgiri, a collection of Islamic law. Aurangzeb also ordered the execution of the Sikh guru Guru Tegh Bahadur, leading to the militarization of the Sikh community.[52][46][47] From the imperial perspective, conversion to Islam integrated local elites into the king's vision of network of shared identity that would join disparate groups throughout the empire in obedience to the Mughal emperor.[53] His campaign to conquer South and Western India nominally increased the size of Mughal Empire but had a ruinous effect on Mughal Empire.[54] This campaign also had a ruinous effect on Mughal Treasury, and Emperor's absence led to a severe decline in Governance in Northern India. Marathas started expanding northwards shortly after the death of Aurangzeb, defeated the Mughals in Delhi and Bhopal, and extended their empire up to Battle of Peshawar.
The Mughal Empire reached across much of the Indian subcontinent during period of Aurangzeb. By the death of Akbar, the third Mughal ruler, the Mughal Empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal and southward to what is now Gujarat state and the northern Deccan region of India.[55]