Mughal Empire(1526-1700s)

Pascal Marcktell Francesca Filiberti Halima Tokhi *Akbar the Great* *Nur Jahan* *Aid*

The Establishment of the Mughal Empire• Established in 1526 by Babur, a

Persianate (heavily influenced by Persian culture)

• A product of Central Asian warriors, descendants of Genghis Khan and Timur.

• Extended over large parts of Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan.

• The brutal conquests allowed Mughal emperors to exercise a fragile control over a fragmented subcontinent.

Tolerance and Conquered PeopleAkbar was very tolerant towards all religions, especially Hinduism.

• He incorporated many Hindus into the political-military elite class of the empire, as well as built Hindu temples, mosques, palaces and forts.

• He showed kindness and respect to conquered people.

• Abolished the jizya, a special tax on non-muslims.

• Encouraged intermarriage between Hindus and Muslims

• Reduced religious tension.

• He did not force his three wives to convert to Islam nor did he force the assimilation of the conquered people.

Military• Babur was the first Islamic ruler to use muskets and artillery.

• Akbar considered his military to be one of the roots of his strength.

• The military of the empire was equipped with heavy artillery and with the help of cannons were able to break down walls of cities.

• By appointing possible enemies as officers, Akbar was able to turn enemies into allies allowing him to unite the land of the empire.

Social Mobility and Hierarchy

• Since the majority of the population were Hindus, social mobility was impossible because of the caste system.

• The deeds from your last lifetime determines your place in the caste system.

Muslim Ruler

(Akbar)

Adivasi

Imams

Muslim Population (with own social order)

Hindu Population (with own social order)

Brahmins

System of Communication

• Information was spread throughout the Mughal Empire through gossip in the religious worship center, such as the mosques and temples.

Hindu temple built by Akbar

the Great

Mosque

Written Laws

• Since Akbar gave Hindus positions in government, they were allowed to follow their own laws.

• Akbar instituted the Mansabdari system, ensuring that the people were fairly taxed and the economy was properly administered.

• The system determined the rank of military officials and assigned Mansabdars (appointed by the emperor) civil or military service jobs.

• He established himself as a deity (divine status) of a new religion called the Dīn-i-ilāhī (Divine Faith) which was a mixture of Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian traditions.

Passing Power and Establishing Legitimacy• The power was passed from father to son.

• When there were more than one son, the throne would usually go to the eldest son after the emperor died.

• For example, Akbar gained power after it was passed to him by his father Humayun. Akbar the Great passed the power down to his son, Jahangir.

Akbar the Great

• However, Aurangzeb, the third son of Shah Jahan, came to the throne after a bloody civil war, imprisoning his own father and eliminating his own brothers.

Economic System• The economy of the Mughal Empire was heavily dependant on agriculture and trade.

• Some of the crops grown by the Mughal Empire include millets, oilseeds, cereals, hemp, chilli, sugarcane, cotton, indigo, betel and other cash crops.

• Muslims dominated Indian Ocean trade.

• Many people converted to Islam for economic reasons.

• Rulers along the Maya Peninsula and Indonesia converted to Islam and imposed Islamic Law (to attract traders)

Government• An absolute monarchy; centralized government after Akbar took

over.

• Very well organized.

• There were many emperors including Babur, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurongzeb.

• As emperor, these men were the supreme head of state, commander-in-chief of the army, and the chief judge in all disagreements.

• Their nain jobs were to be responsible for diplomacy (managing internal relations) and foreign affairs.

• Akbar the Great worked to make every religious group and culture feel comfortable in the empire and respected everyone. He gave all people an equal role in society.

Babur

Akbar

Government• Jahangir, Akbar’s successor, kept and added to

most of what his father implemented in the society however, his twentieth wife Nur Jahan made many decisions in his place.

• After Jahangir, Shah Jahan became emperor and built the Taj Mahal.

• Next, Aurangzeb became emperor, and took all that Akbar and Jahangir had established involving tolerance and respect for all cultures and religions was reversed so that Islam would remain the most important.

Nur Jahan

Jahangir

Strengths and Weaknesses

• Unique and Powerful military

• One of the wealthiest empire in the world

• Could not keep up with expanding empires as time went on.

• Since the empire was so big, it was hard to control.

Strengths Weaknesses

Greatest Legacies • One of the longest running empires: lasted over 300 years. • Brough greater brilliance politically, militarily, economically,

and culturally than it had known in earlier centuries of Islam • Blends Persian and Hindu cultures. • Islam spread to Southeast India.

• Provided India with a rare period of relative political unity from 1526-1707.

• The Mughal Empire gave a lot of rich architectural buildings to India and influence over the Indian architecture is immense.

• Some of the finest examples include Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Humayun’s Tomb, Shalimar Gardens and Fatehpur Sikri.

• Shah Jahan - patron of the arts • Blend of Islamic domes, arches, minarets, with Hindu

decorations.

Women• Women had many roles in society.

• Some women were warriors while others were political advisors.

• Nur Jahan, for example, made many political decisions in the place of her husband because her husband was an alcoholic therefore could not make proper decisions. She was given her own coin.

• Women followed many of the Islamic restrictions

Our Expectations • Akbar established a

comfortable environment for the Hindus and the various Muslim groups.

• Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi was against Akbar the Great

• Believed all his policies were against Islam.

• Aurangzeb tried to rid Hindu influences and he brought back the jizya and Islamic

supremacy.

• You can expect tolerance and fairness.

• While Akbar rules, there are no special tax on non-muslims.

• Akbar aims to make everyone feel comfortable in the empire.

• With Aurangzeb in control for 49 years, you can expect no freedom and being targeted unless you are muslim.

Your Expectations

Fun Facts• Jahangir is believed to have poisoned his father, which slowly lead to Akbar's

degrading health and finally death. • Akbar could not read or write because he was dyslexic. This, however, did not

obstruct his search for knowledge because every evening he would have someone read for him.

• The most famous monument of Mughal architecture is the Taj Mahal. It was built in the 17th century by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved wife, Mumtaz-i Mahal, who died in childbirth.