Establish
Empire in India
Chap. 18 Sect. 3
Introduction
Late 15th Century
• Hindu lower classes served Muslim or Hindu
masters
• Nomadic warriors in the Northwest looking for
battle
Early History of the Mughal Empire
• Mughals= Mongols
• Arabs invaded (600’s AD)- Gupta Empire Gone
• Muslim tribes from central Asia created many
small kingdoms
Ongoing Conflicts
• 700’s AD- fighting between Hindus & Muslims
• 1000 AD Mahmud (Turkish) fought &
weakened region
• Sultans treated Hindus as conquered people
• 1200’s 1500’s= many sultans
Babur Founds an Empire
• 1494 inherited Uzbekistan
& Tajikistan (11 years old)
• Built an army & took India
• Laid groundwork for vast
Mughal Empire
• Very sensitive, talented
commander, wrote poetry,
loved art & gardens
Golden Age of Akbar
• Grandson of Babur
• Akbar= “Great One”
• Ruled 1556 1605
with wisdom &
tolerance
Liberal Ruler
• Firmly defended religious freedom
• Eliminated taxes on Hindus & all non- Muslims
• Hindus & Muslims could rise to high office in
government
Military Conqueror
• Root of his strength
• Military power & political wisdom kept
100 million people together (more
than Europe)
Culture
• Mingled art, education, politics & languages of
many cultures
• Persian= language of court & upper class
• Hindu mixed Persian & local language- still used
today
• Urdu= blend of Arabic, Persian & Hindi from
soldiers’ camp- official language of Pakistan today
• Art= miniatures: book illustrations
• Portraits of Mughal emperors had halos like
western saints
Literature & Architecture
• Hindu writing flourished- Indian poem
Ramayana from 4th century BC retold in HindiRamcaritmanas
• Intricate stonework with Hindu themes
Akbar’s Successors
• 1605 he died
• Three powerful emperors followed
1. Jahangir (& Nur Jahan)
•
•
•
•
Weak ruler- affairs of state handled by wife
Nur Jahan- Persian princess who was real ruler from
1611-1622
Both Jahangir & Nur Jahan rejected religious
tolerance & wanted only Islam in their state
Sikhs- nonviolent religious group blended Buddhism,
Hinduism, & Sufism (Islamic mysticism)
•
Sheltered Khusrau who rejected his father Jahngir so Sikhs
were hated
Akbar’s successors cont’d
2. Shah Jahan
• Had all rivals assassinated
• Loved buildings & wife Mumtaz Mahal
• 1631 Mumtaz Mahal died in childbirth (14th)
• Had Taj Mahal built in her memory- very expensive &
elaborate
• Built the Red Fort in Delhi- completed the peacock throne
• People suffered due to drought & taxes that supported
ruler, building, & war.
• 1657 Shah Jahan was ill & his sons fought to take his throne
• Was imprisoned by his 3rd son Aurangzeb who took over
after winning the civil war against his brother
Akbar’s successors cont’d
3. Aurangzeb
• Ruled 1658 to 1707
• Expanded empire to its greatest size but power weakened
due to oppression of the people
• Enforced rigid Islamic laws (no drinking or gambling) & had
censors who policed his subjects’ morals
• Wiped out all gains (rights) that Hindus had under Akbar
• Hindu Raj puts (sons of kings) rebelled & never completely
under control again
• Sikhs became a militant brotherhood & built a state in Punjab
(NW India)
• Aurangzeb needed taxes to fight all of these people so he
added taxes to Hindi merchants who then rebelled
The Empire’s Decline & Decay
• Aurangzeb had drained the empire of its
resources
• Subjects felt no loyalty to him
• Over 2 million people died during a famine while
he was waging war
• Power of local lords grew as the central power
declined
• Mughal emperor became a wealthy figurehead
• During Mughal Empire Europeans were allowed
to establish trading areas