| MUGHAL EMPIRE (1526 -1857) – RULER , REIGN, DESCRIPTION |
- The Mughal Empire were descendants of two great lineages of rulers.
- Babur: founder of the Mughal Empire in India was related to Timur from his father’s side and to Chengiz Khan through his mother.
- Babur succeeded his father as the ruler of Farghana (Uzbekistan), but soon lost his kingdom.
- Financial difficulties, apprehension of the Uzbek attack on Kabul and invitation of Rana Sanga to invade India forced Babur to look towards India.
| LIST OF MUGHAL EMPIRE IN INDIA (1526-1857) |
BABUR (1526-1530 AD)
- First Battle of Panipat (1526) – Babur decisively defeated Ibrahim Lodhi. It Replaced the Lodhi and established the Mughal Empire in India.
- Reasons for Babur’s victory: Alternatively resting one wing of Army, Services of two ottoman master gunners – Ustad Ali & Mustafa, Use of Gunpowder, scientific use of cavalry & artillery tactics – Tulughma and the araba, effective use of Cannons.
- Battle of Khanwa (1527) – Babur defeated Rana Sangha and assumed title of Ghazi
- Battle of Chanderi (1528) – Medini Rai was defeated and with this resistance across Rajputana was completely shattered.
- Battle of Ghagra (1529) – Babur defeated Mahmud Lodhi who aspired to the throne of Delhi.
SIGNIFICANCE OF BABUR’S ADVENT INTO INDIA:
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- Kabul and Gandhar became integral parts of the Mughal Empire.
- Security from External invasions for almost 200 yrs.
- Babur popularized gunpowder, cavalry and artillery in India. (Gunpowder used earlier in India, but Babur popularized its use).
- Strengthened India’s foreign trade.
- Babur introduced a new mode of warfare in India.
- Defeating Sangha & Lodi he smashed the balance of power and laid the foundation for all India Mughal Empire.
- He had assumed the title of Padshah.
HUMAYUN (1530-40 & 1555-56)
- Humayun succeeded Babur in 1530.
- He had to deal with the rapid growth of power of the Afghans & and Bahadur shah of Gujrat.
- At the battle of Chausa (1539) & battle of Kanauj (1540) Sher Shah defeated Humayun and forced him to flee India.
- For sometimes he took shelter at the Iranian king. In 1555, following the breakup of Suri Empire he recaptured Delhi but died next year.
- Humayun built a new city at Delhi which he named “Dinpanah”.
- Mosques: Jamali mosque and mosque of Isa Khan at Delhi.
- His widow Amida Benu Begum built Humayun’s tomb (UNESCO site).
- Humayun’s sister, Gul Badan Begum, wrote “Humayun-Nama”.
- The foundation for the Mughal painting was laid by Humayun when he was staying in Persia.
- He brought with him two painters – Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdal Samad to India, who became famous during Akbar’s reign.
SHER SHAH SURI (1540-45)
- Founder of Sur dynasty and second Afghan Empire (after Lodhi).
- Sher Shah’s rule lasted for five years.
ADMINISTRATION:
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- He continued the central administration developed during the Sultanate period.
- Imp officials –
- Diwan –i- Wizarat / Wazir – Revenue and Finance.
- Diwan-i-Ariz – in charge of the Army.
- Diwan-i-Risalat- Foreign Minister.
- Diwan-i-Insha- Minister for Communications.
- Barid – Intelligence
- Sher Shah’s empire was divided into “sarkars”.
- Chief Shiqdar (law and order) & Chief Munsif (judge)à Incharge of the administration in each sarkar.
- Each sarkar was divided into several parganas. Shiqdar (military officer), Amin (land revenue), Fotedar (treasurer), Karkuns (accountants) were in charge of the administration of each pargana.
- Mauza (village) was the lowest level of administration.
- There were also many administrative units called iqtas.
- The land revenue was well organized & revenue officers were called Amils and Qanungo were the officials incharge of maintaining revenue records.
- Land survey was carefully done. He introduced a schedule of crop rates (ray).
- Improved land revenue by adopting zabti-i-har-sal (land assessment every year).
- All cultivable lands were classified into three classes – good, middle and bad. The state’s share was one third of the average produce and it was paid in cash or crop. Land was measured using Sikandari gaz (32 points).
- Introduced Patta (amount each peasant had to pay) and Qabuliyat (deed of agreement).
- Introduced new silver coins called “Dam” and they were in circulation till 1835.
- He built the Shahi (Royal) road from the Indus Valley to the Sonar Valley in Bengal. This road was renamed the Grand Trunk (GT) road during the British period, connecting Calcutta and Peshawar.
- He also built Sarais (lodging) which also served as post office. Many sarais developed into market towns.
- Every Sarai was under the control of a Shahana (custodian).
- He followed the branding of horses from Alauddin Khalji and maintained his personal royal force called Khasa Kail.
AKBAR (1556-1605)
- He succeeded the throne after his father Humayun’s death.
- In 1556, in the second battle of Panipat, he defeated Hemu (Sur’s wazir).
- Between 1556-60, Akbar ruled under Bairam Khan’s regency. Bairam became the Wakil of the kingdom with the title of Khan-i-Khanam.
- Battle of Haldighati (1576)- Akbar defeated Rana Pratap following most of the Rajput rulers accepted Akbar’s suzerainty.
- Akbar defeated Gujarat ruler Muzaffar Shah. To commemorate this victory, he built Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri.
- Akbar gradually enlarged the Mughal Empire to include much of the Indian subcontinent.
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ADMINISTRATION: |
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LOCAL GOVT |
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| LAND REVENUE ADMINISTRATION: |
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| MANSABDARI SYSTEM |
1. Mansabdar – (500 zat / below it) 2. Amir (between – 500-2500 zat) 3. Amir-i-Umda – (above 2500 zat)
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| RELIGIOUS POLICY |
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| COINAGE |
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| AKBAR’S NAVRATNAS | 1. Abul Fazl à wrote Ain-i-Akbari and “Akbar Nama”.
2. Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana à Great poet, Translated Baburnama into Turki 3. Birbal à Was a Hindu advisor and main commander (mukhya senapati) of the army in the court. Akbar gave him the title ’Raja Birbal’. 4. Mirza Aziz Koka à also known as Kotaltash, was the foster brother of Akbar built by Mirza Aziz Koka as a mausoleum for himself, at the time of Jahangir’s reign 5. Faizi à Translated Lilavati into Persian & under his supervision Mahabharata was translated into Persian language. 6. Raja Man Singh à was a mansabdar. 7. Raja Todar Mal à Finance Minister. Akbar bestowed on him the title of Diwan-i-Ashraf. 8. Fakir Azio-Din à one of the Chief advisors of Akbar 9. Tansen à Musician, Hindu of Gwalior. He served to King Ramachandra, who gave him the title of “Tansen”. Akbar gave him the title of “Mian”. |
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| ARCHITECTURE |
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JAHANGIR (1605-1627)
Art and Architecture
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- When Akbar died, Prince Salim succeeded with the title Jahangir (Conqueror of World) in 1605.
- His son Khusrau revolted but was defeated and imprisoned and his supporter Guru Arjun, the fifth Sikh Guru, was beheaded.
- British Visited Machilipatnam during his reign. Captain Hawkins and Thomas Roe visited his court. Thomas Roe got the Farman for setting up an English factory at Surat. Farman was sealed by Shah Jahan.
- His wife Nurjaha had influence over the state affairs.
- Jahangir erected Zanjr-i-adal at Agra fort for the seekers of royal justice
- Mahtab Khan was his military general & had revolted against him
- Autobiography: Tuzuk-i- Jahangiri in Persian
- Faced tough fight of Malik Amber in his expeditions to Ahmednagar
- Introduction of the “du-aspah-sih-aspah” system. It was modified to Mansabdari. Nobles were allowed to maintain a large number of troops without raising their zat ranks.
SHAHJAHAN (1628-1658)
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- Succeeded Jahangir and ascended the throne in 1628.
- Three years after accession, his beloved wife Mumtaj Mahal died in 1631.
- In the north-west, the campaign to seize Balkh from the Uzbegs was unsuccessful and Qandahar was lost to the Safavids.
- His Deccan policy was more successful. He defeated the forces of Ahmadnagar and annexed it. Both Bijapur and Golconda signed a treaty with the emperor.
- The court, army and household moved from Agra to the newly completed imperial capital, Shahjahanabad. It was a new addition to the old residential city of Delhi, with the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk
- Salutation: Under Shah Jahan it was chahar taslim and zaminbos (kissing the ground).
- During his reign a war of succession among his sons broke out.
- Battle of Dharmat, Battle of Samugarh, Battle of Khajwa, and Battle of Deorai took place & Finally Aurangzeb emerged victorious.
- His court historian Abdul Hameed Lohiri wrote “Badshahnama”.
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AURANGZEB (1658-1707)
- Masir – The Alamgiri book written by Mustaid Khan throws light on Aurangzeb’s rule.
- He assumed the title Alamgir, World Conqueror. He was also called Zinda Pir.
- During his reign, the Mughal Empire reached its greatest extent, ruling over nearly the entire Indian subcontinent.
Imp Officials During Mughal Empire
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- He annexed Bijapur (1686) & Golkonda (1687) and extended the Mughal Empire further south.
- He faced a tough fight from Shivaji Maharaj – Maratha king who had carved out an independent state.
- Discontinued Official departments of history.
- He issued Zawabit-i- Alamgir (decrees of Aurangzeb) and appointed Muhtasibs to enforce moral codes given under it.
- Drinking was prohibited & cultivation and use of bhang and other drugs were banned.
- Although he was proficient in playing Veena, Aurangzeb forbade music in the court.
- He discontinued the practice of Jarokha darshan.
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Village Administration
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- He also discontinued the celebration of Dasara & Navroz and royal astronomers and astrologers were also dismissed from service.
- Aurangzeb built Bibi Ka Maqbara (replica of Taj) at Aurangabad, Moti Masjid (Near Red fort, Delhi).
- Initially Aurangazeb banned the construction of new Hindu temples and repair of old temples. Then he began a policy of destroying Hindu temples.
- In 1679, he reimposed Jizya and pilgrim tax.
- He was also not tolerant of other Muslim sects. The celebration of Muharram was stopped.
- He executed the ninth Sikh Guru Tej Bahadur.
- It had also resulted in the rebellions of the Jats of Mathura and the Satnamis of Mewar. Therefore, Aurangzeb was held responsible for the decline of the Mughal Empire.
- In the Mansabdari System he created additional rank Mashrut (conditional), Added one deduction called Khurak-i-dawwab towards meeting the cost for feed of animals.
- Aurangzeb appointed Rajputs to high positions, and under him the Marathas accounted for a sizable number within the body of officers.
- Miraz Mohammad Qasim wrote “Alamgirnama”.
- His religious policy was responsible for turning the Rajputs, the Marathas and Sikhs into the enemies of the Mughal Empire.
JAGIRDARI SYSTEM:
- It is the system of assignment of revenue of a particular territory to the nobles for their services to the state.
- It was an integral part of the Mansabdari system.
| TYPES OF JAGIRS: | |
| Tankha Jagirs | Given in lieu of salary and were transferable every three to four years |
| Mashrut Jagirs | Were given on certain conditions |
| Watan Jagirs | Were assigned to zamindar or rajas in their local dominions. Were hereditary and non-transferable |
| Altamgha Jagirs | Given to Muslim nobles in their family towns or place of birth. |
| Zamindars: |
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| Important terms & meaning |
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LATER MUGHALS AND DECLINE OF MUGHAL EMPIRE
A war of succession broke out among the sons when the Mughal Empire’s father Aurangzeb died in 1701. Muazzam emerged victorious after defeating Muhammad Azam Shah in the Battle of Jajau, marking a crucial chapter in the history of the Mughal Empire.
SUCCESSORS OF AURANGZEB:
| Important Rulers | Important Events |
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Muazzam (Bahadur Shah I) (1707-1712) |
More tolerant towards Hindu.
Never abolished Jizya but didn’t collect the tax strictly. Granted Marathas Sardeshmukhi of Deccan, but failed to grant Chauth. Mughal Empire historians like Khafi khan gave him the title of Shah-i-Bekhabar. |
| Jahandar Shah
(1712-1713) |
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| Farruk Siyar
(1713-1719) |
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| Rafi-ud-Darajat |
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| Muhammad Shah Rangeela
(1719-1748) |
1. Nizam-ul-Mulkà Deccan 2. Saadat Khanà Awadh 3. Murshid Quli Khanà Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
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| Ahmad Shah
(1748-1754) |
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| Alamgir II
(1754-1759) |
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| Shah Alam II/Aligauhar
(1759-1806) |
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| Akbar II |
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Bahadur Shah II (1837-1857) |
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REASONS FOR DECLINE OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE
- Lack of stability after Aurangzeb greatly affected the Mughal Empire.
- Most of the emperors of the Mughal Empire became puppets in the hands of powerful Nobles who often ran administration on their behalf.
- Weal military and political administration as exposed by Nadir Shah and Ahmad Abdali’s invasion, further contributing to the decline of the Mughal Empire.
- Emergence of autonomous states and hence weakening of central power within the Mughal Empire.
- Orthodox policy of Aurangzeb: His attitude towards Marathas, Rajputs and Jats made them his enemy. His religious policies alienated the Hindus, further destabilizing the Mughal Empire.
Also Read: Maratha Empire [1674-1818]: Maratha-Mughal Conflicts
