THE MUGHAL EMPIRE1500-1700 (India)

HISTORY OF INDIA IN 1400S Lush country many cities & temples Hindu lower classes labored for

Muslim/Hindu masters Gupta Empire collapsing 1st Ottomans (Timur the Lame)

conquers New Delhi, then… Huge clash between Hindus (India) & Muslims (Ottomans) Hindus won New Delhi is destroyed and weak

BABUR 1494 – 11 yr. old boy, BABUR, inherits kingdom in N. India But elders drove him away

He moved south & later set groundwork for MUGHAL EMPIRE

Strong & sensitive leader; “Renaissance Man”

Defeated massive RAJPUT army (“sons of kings” or Turkish warlords & moved into New Delhi

Area weak, so nomadic people invade India, called Mughals or “Mongols” (Muslim)

AKBAR: THE GOLDEN AGE

Grandson of Babur; aka “Great One”

1556 – 1605: comes to power, gains land & builds a unified Mughal Empire – Golden Age

He is a Muslim

AKBAR’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS Rules with religious tolerance

Abolishes special taxes on non-Muslims

Bureaucracy of educated officials rules efficiently

Reorganized taxes to represent % of crops (more $)

War-like – armies are equipped with heavy artillery

Employs some potential enemies

AKBAR’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS CONTINUED Cultural diffusion – many

cultures/languages combined Upper class spoke Persian Common people spoke Hindi (Persian &

local language) ; Army people spoke Urdu (Arabic, Persian & Hindi)

book illustrations – miniatures were detailed, colorful stories library & schools architecture – massive, graceful,

decorated with stonework of Hindu themes

JAHANGIR

Akbar dies in 1605; his son rules

aka “Grasper of the World”

weak ruler & relied on his wife, NUR JAHEN

Raises taxes & neglects people

Persecutes Sikhs religion that blends Buddhism, Hinduism, & mysticism

Ended religious toleration

SHAH JAHAN

Secured throne through assassination of all rivals

Greatest accomplishment: built TAJ MAHAL, tomb for his deceased wife, Mumtaz Mahal

BUT country suffered because spent so much time & money to build it increased taxes

TAJ MAHAL

AURANGZEB

Shah Jahan sick, so 3rd son, AURANGZEB, takes throne (kills brother & puts S. Jahan in

prison)

EXPANDS MUGHAL EMPIRE TO ITS GREATEST SIZE

BUT empire is weak because of oppression of his people (harsh laws & destroys temples)

EMPIRE’S DECLINE & DECAY Long line of weak rulers

Mughal Emperor now only wealthy figurehead

Empire no longer united because of corruption; now bunch of independent states

EUROPEANS MOVE IN TO TRADE Europeans (Portuguese, Dutch, French,

& English) had trading outposts in Mughal Empire the whole time Mughals not threatened by them

Aurangzeb gave them port of Bombay big mistake , BIG important city for trade in the future.

TRADE: British wanted Indian textiles, mostly COTTON & SPICES