The mughal empire
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Transcript of The mughal empire
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