1.Babur (AD 1526-1530)
He was the descendant of Timur on his father’s side and Changez Khan on his mother’s side. His family belonged to the Chagtai section of the Turkish race and were commonly known as Mughals.
Originally ruled over Ferghana (Afghanistan)
He was invited to attack India by Daulat Khan Lodhi, Subedar of Punjab, Alam Khan Lodhi, uncle of Ibrahim Lodhi and Rana Sanga.
He was successful in his fifth expedition. In the First Battle of Panipat in AD 1526, he finally defeated Ibrahim Lodhi.
Defeated Rana Sanga of Mewar in the Battle of Khanwa in 1527. Babur took the title of ‘Ghazi’ after this.
Defeated another Rajput ruler Medini Rai in the BATTLE OF Chanderi in AD 1528.
In AD 1529, he defeated Muhammad Lodhi (uncle of Ibrahim Lodhi) in the Battle of Ghaghra.
The battle of Ghaghra was the 1st battle which was fought on land and water simultaneously in mediaeval India.
Babur was the first ruler to entitle himself ‘Badshah’.
He wrote Tuzuk-i-Babari or Babarnama in Turkish. It was translated into Persian by Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan and in English by Madam Bebridge.
His victory led to rapid popularisation of gunpowder and artillery in India.
After the Kushanas, he was the first to have brought Kabul and Kandahar into the Indian empire.
He died in AD 1530 and was buried at Aram Bagh in Agra. Later his body was taken to Aram Bagh at Kabul.
Humayun
(AD 1530 – 40 and 1555 - 56)
He was the son of Babur and Maham Anga begum.
Babur had divided his empire among the three brothers of Humayun (Kamran, Hindal and Asakari). So Humayun had to face real problems ascending to the throne.
His first campaign was against Kalinjar.
In AD 1533, the first siege of Chunar and the March of Gaur was stopped by Jalal Khan Sher Khan (Sher Shah) offered nominal submission by sending his son Qutb Khan to Humayun’s court.
The second siege of Chunar was stopped by Jalal Khan, Sher Shah’s son in 1538.Humayun was badly defeated and escaped. He was saved by Nizam.
The Battle of Kannauj (Bilgrama) (1540): Humayun was again defeated by Sher Shah and had to flee.
He spent nearly 15 years in exile. He wandered in Sindh during the reign of Shah Hussain Arghuna, and then reached the Iranian Court.
He got a chance to return in AD 1555. He wandered in Sindh during the reign of Shah Hussain Arghuna, and his son Islam Shah, who ruled up to 1553, had died. Muhammad Adil Shah was fond of pleasure and the entire affairs of his state were governed by Hemu, his minister.
Bairam Khan, his most faithful officer, helped him. The Mughals occupied Lahore without any march towards Delhi. After the Battle of Machhiwara against the Afghans, and Battle of Sirhind against Sikandar Shah, Humayun’s second coronation was organised. In 1556, he fell from the stairs of the library (Sher Mandal, Delhi) and died. Dinapanah was his second capital.
Akbar (AD 1556-1605)
Akbar was born to Hamida Banu Begum at Amarkot in Rana Veersal’s palace in AD 1542.
Akbar was 14 years old when he was crowned at Kalanaur in 1556. Akbar had already shown his calibre at the battle field, when he captured Sirhind from Sikandar Shah, AD 1555.
Bairam Khan represented him in the Second Battle of Panipat in AD 1556 against Muhammad Adil Shah Sur’s Wazir, Hemu. Akabr defeated Hemu and reoccupied Delhi and Agra.
Between 1556 - 1560, Akbar ruled under Bairam Khan’s regency. The forts of Gwalior, Jaunpur, Ajmer and Ranthambore were successfully occupied. Later, Akbar asked Bairam Khan to proceed to Mecca. On the way near Patna, Bairam Khan was murdered.
He also ended the interference from the Petticoat Government, (1560-62) represented by Maham Anga and Adham Khan’s Junta.
Akbar conquered Malwas in AD 1561, defeating Baz Bahadur. He was later made the Mansbdar, to honour his skill as a musician.
Akbar’s earliest campaigns was against Rani Durgawati of Garh-Katanga (Gond and Rajput Principalities)
The two powerful forts of Rajasthan-Ranthambore and Chittor (Rana Udai Singh guarded by Jaimal) were captured by the Mughals.
Akbar’s deccan campaign began with the siege of Ahmednagar (defended by Chand Bibi)
Akbar’s East campaign was against Asigarh, resulting into the annexation of Khandesh (1601)
Akbar followed the policy of reconciliation with the Rajputs. In AD 1562, he married the eldest daughter of Raja Bharmal of Jaipur, Harakha Bai.
In 1570, he married princesses of Bikaner and Jaisalmer, 1584. Prince Salim was married to the daughter of Raja Bhagwan Das.
He won Gujarat in 1572. In order to commemorate his victory in Gujarat, Akbar built Buland Darwaja at Fathepur Sikri.
Raja Maan Singh conquered Bihar, Bengal and Orissa for him.
In 1586, Akbar conquered Kashmir and in 1593, he conquered Sindh.
At the time of Akbar’s death in AD 1605, his empire included Kashmir, Sindh, Kandahar and extended as far as the Godavari in the Deccan.
He was buried at Sikandra near Agra.
NAVRATNAS IN AKBAR’S COURT
JAHANGIR (AD 1605-1627)
Akbar’s eldest son, Prince Salim assumed the title of Nuruddin Muhammad Jahangir and ascended the throne.
He was born at Fatehpur Sikri near Agra in 1569. He was given a proper education by his tutor Rahim Khankhana.
In AD 1585, he married Manbai the daughter of his maternal uncle-Raja Bhagwan Das.
In AD 1587 he married Jodhbaai or Jagat Gosain, the daughter of Udai Singh, who gave birth to prince Khusro (Shahjahan). He mostly lived in Lahore, which he adorned with gardens and buildings.
The eldest son of Jahangir, Khusro revolted against him, but was suppressed. Khusro received patronage of Guru Arjun Dev (5th Sikh Guru) Guru Arjun Dev was executed for his blessings to the rebel prince.
Rana Amar Singh (son of Maharana Pratap) of Mewar, submitted before Jahangir in AD 1615. Rana Amar Singh was made a Mansabdar in the Mughal court.
His greatest failure was the loss of Kandahar to Persia in 1622.
Jahangir’s wife Nurjahan (daughter of Itmad-daulah) exercised tremendous influence over the state affairs. She was made the official Badshah Begum.
Coins were stuck in her name and all royal farmans issued her name.
She got high positions for her father (Itamaduddaulah) and her brother (Asaf Khan)
He restored Muhammad faith and prohibited the sale of Tobacco.
Nurjahan married her daughter (by Sher Afghani her first husband) to Jahangir’s youngest son, Shahryar and she supported him for the heir apparent.
Jahangir’s military general, Mahabat Khan revolted and abducted him but Nurjahan saved him due to her diplomatic efforts.
He was justice loving, a huge bell with a chain of 30 yards was placed at the gate of the royal palace in Agra and anybody who sought justice from the emperor had to strike the bell. This bell is called Zabzir – I - Adil.
Jahangir faced a formidable opponent in Malik Ambar of Ahmednagar.
Captain Hawkins (1608-11) and Sir Thomas Roe (1615-1616) visited Jahangir’s court.
Pietxa Valle, the famous traveller, came during his reign.
Production of Tobacco (brought by the Portuguese) started in his reign.
He was buried at Lahore
He wrote his autobiography, Tuzuk – i – Jahangiri in Persian.
NURJAHAN
Nurjahan’s actual name was Mehrunnisa. She was the widow of Sher Afghani. Jahangir married her and conferred the title ‘Nurjahan to her’.
SHAHJAHAN (1628-1658)
Born to Jodhabhai or Jagat Gosain in Lahore in 1592. His real name was Khurram. He was the youngest prince to be appointed as the Governor of Deccan, at the age of 15.
In 1612, he got married to Arjamand Bano Begum (known as Mumtaz Mahal), daughter of Asaf Khan.
He marched against Khan Jahan Lodhi, the Governor of Deccan and Jujhar Singh Bundela, the independent ruler of Bundelkhand.
Shahjahan’s policy of annexing Deccan was successful. Ahmednagar was annexed while Bijapur and Golconda accepted his suzerainty.
The Portuguese established their control over Satgaon, through a Shai firman. They started misusing their authority. Shahjahan ordered Qasim Khan in 1532 to drive the Portuguese out of Hughli.
In 1639, Shahjahan secured Kandahar and immediately fortified it. But Persia wrested Kandahar from the Mughals in 1649. Shahjahan failed to recover Kandahar.
Shahjahan was the second Indian ruler to invade Central Asia.
Two French travellers: Bernier and Tavendier and the Italian traveller Nicolo Mnaucci visited during his reign. Peter Mundi described the famine that occurred during Shahjahan’s reign. His reign is considered as the Golden age of succession between his four sons.
He was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in Agra fort and died in captivity in AD 1658. He was buried at Taj Mahal (Agra) besides his loving wife.
WAR OF SUCCESSION
Among Shahajahan’s four sons, the eldest son Dara Shikon was the Governor of Punjab, Shuja was Governor of Bengal, Aurangzeb was Governor of Bengal and Murad was Governor of Gujarat.
Battle of Bahadurgarh: February 1658, was fought between Shuja and Dara, Shuja was defeated.
Battle of Dharmat: April 1658, where combined forces of Aurangzeb and Murad, defeated Dara.
Battle of Samugarh: May 1658, Dara led Mughal forces on behalf of Shahjahan against Aurangzeb. In this decisive battle, Shahjahan was put into prison by Aurangzeb in the Agra fort.
Battle of Khajwa: December 1658, between Aurangez and Shuja. Shuja was defeated and fled to Arakan.
In The Battle of Deoral March 1659, Dara was defeated and executed by Aurangzeb. His dead body was paraded on the streets of Delhi.
AURANGZEB (AD 1658-1707)
He was the third son of Shahjahan born in Ujjain.
Aurangzeb, made the victory of Deccan in 1636. Aurangzeb’s first tenure was up to 1644.
Aurangzeb’s second term as Victory in Deccan began in 1653 and continued until 1658.
He took the title of ‘Alamgir’ upon his coronation in 1659. He was called a Zinda pir or the ‘living saint’.
Under him, the Mughal Empire reached its greatest extent and the largest single state ever known in India.
He forbade the inscription of Kalma on the coins, also forbade Sati and Jharokha-darshan. He ended the celebration of Nauroz (singing in the court) and in 1679, reimposed Jaziya.
Muhtasib (regulation of moral conduct) were appointed. He ended the use of almanacks and the weighing of the emperor. Aurangzeb compiled the Fatawa-i-Alamgiri.
The Hindu Mansabdar, however, maintained their high proportions during his rule.
Thus, the Mughal Empire stretched from Kashmir in the North to Jinji in the South and from Hindu Kush in the West to Chittagong in the East.
Aurangzeb died in AD 1707 and was buried at Khuldabad (Daulatabad) near Aurangabad.
He built ‘Bibi ka Maqbara’, similar to Taj Mahal in Aurangabad.
REVOLTS UNDER AURANGZEB
Aurangzeb’s rule can be broadly divided into two periods, in the first 23 years, he concentrated in the North, when Martha powder under Shivaji emerged and the second period (1682-1707) is marked by his pre-occupations with the affairs of Deccan.
Sikhs In 1675, he ordered the arrest and execution of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. Against this, Guru Gobind Singh organised his followers into a military force called Khalsa, but he was also murdered in AD 1708 by an Afghan at Nanded in Deccan. Later, Banda Bairagi continued the war against the Mughals.
Marathas under Shivaji: Shivaji was a powerful king. Aurangzeb conspired with Jai Singh of Amber against Shivaji in 1665. Shivaji visited Mughal court on the request of Jai Singh, but was imprisoned. He managed to escape in 1674 and declared himself an independent monarch.
After his death in 1680, his son and successor, Sambhaji was executed by Aurangzeb in 1689. Later, The Marathas, Rajaram and Tarabai, continued the movement against the Mughals.
The Jats revolted under Gokla, Rajaram and Churaman.
The first Afghan Rebellion was by Yusuf Shahi tribes of Afghanistan of Roshni Sect.
The second Afghan Rebellion was by Ajmal Khan.
Marwar: He annexed Marwar in AD 1678. The campaign was led by Akbar II (Son of Aurangzeb) against Durgadas, General of Ajit Singh (Son of Raja Jaswant Singh). Akbar II died in the battle. This dealt a serious blow to the Rajput Mughal alliance.
Bijapur and Golconda were annexed in AD 1686 and AD 1687, respectively.
Ahoms: In 1662, Mir Jumla Aurangzeb’s ablest general led the expedition against Ahoms.
RELIGIOUS POLICY OF AURANGZEB
Auragzeb was a Sunni orthodox Muslim, who wanted to convert India from Dar-ul-Harb to Dar-ul-Islam. His religious policy was a departure from the policy of tolerance and universal peace followed by Akbar. He replaced the solar calendar by the lunar Hira, dismissed court musicians and royal painters, appointed Muhtasibts (court sensors)
from amongst the Ulema, to enforce sharia.
