The Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire:

In 1526, a central Asian leader named Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last sultan of Delhi, at the Battle of Panipat. Babur, a descendant of both Timur and the Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan, then established the Mughal Empire in India. Babur ruled until 1530 and conquered much of northern India.

Babur's grandson Akbar became the greatest Mughal emperor. He ruled from 1556 to 1605. He expanded his empire as far west as what is now Afghanistan and as far south as the Godavari River. Akbar was a tolerant ruler. A Muslim, he won over the Hindus of India by making many of their leaders government admnistrators and military commanders, and by giving them honors. The Mughal Empire under Akbar was among the most powerful in the world at that time.

Akbar's grandson Shah Jahan, who ruled from 1628 to 1658, built a new capital in Delhi. He was also responsible for the construction of the Taj Mahal at Agra and many other great buildings.

Aurangzeb, one of Shah Jahan's sons, became head of the Mughal Empire in 1658. Aurangzeb was a strict Muslim and a harsh ruler. He reimposed a tax on Hindus that had been abolished by Akbar. Hindus hold him responsible for destroying many Hindu temples and trying to forcibly convert Hindus to Islam. His policies caused many revolts. Under the Hindu leader Shivaji Bhonsle, the Marathas of western India launched attacks against Aurangzeb's empire. Many local leaders in the south also rebelled. Partly as a result of Aurangzeb's rule and his costly wars, the Mughal Empire began to fall apart.