The Mughal Empire

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Who were the Mughals?

The Mughals were the descendants of two great lineages of rulers, Genghis Khan and Timur.

Mughal Military Campaigns

Babur (1526-1530)

Babur, the first Mughal emperor, succeeded to the throne of Ferghana in 1494 at age 12.
In 1526 he defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat and captured Delhi and Agra.
In 1527, he defeated Rana Sanga and allies at Khanua.
In 1528, he defeated the Rajputs at Chanderi.
He established control over Agra and Delhi before his death.

Humayun (1530-1540, 1555-1556)

Humayun was defeated by Sher Khan at Chausa in 1539 and Kanauj in 1540.
He recaptured Delhi in 1555 but died the next year after an accident.

Akbar (1556-1605)

Akbar became emperor at age 13.
After 1570, he became independent of Bairam Khan.
He launched campaigns against the Suris, Afghans, Malwa, Gondwana, and Mirza Hakim.
In 1568 Chittor was seized and in 1569 Ranthambhor.
During 1570–1585, campaigns in Gujarat, Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa.
During 1585–1605:
→ Qandahar was seized from the Safavids.
→ Kashmir and Kabul were annexed.
→ Deccan campaigns began; Berar, Khandesh, and parts of Ahmadnagar were annexed.

Jahangir (1605-1627)

Amar Singh of Mewar accepted Mughal service.
Less successful campaigns against Sikhs, Ahoms, and Ahmadnagar.

Shah Jahan (1627-1658)

Deccan campaigns continued.
Khan Jahan Lodi rebelled and was defeated.
Bundelas defeated; Orchha seized.
Campaign in Balkh failed; Qandahar lost to Safavids.
In 1632, Ahmadnagar annexed and Bijapur sued for peace.

Aurangzeb (1658-1707)

Became emperor after killing his brothers and imprisoning Shah Jahan.
→ Ahoms defeated in 1663 but rebelled again in 1680s.
→ Yusufzai and Sikhs defeated temporarily in north-west.
→ Shivaji declared independence and fought Mughals.
→ Bijapur annexed in 1685 and Golconda in 1687.
→ Aurangzeb personally led Deccan campaigns from 1698.
→ Rebellions in north India: Sikhs, Jats, Satnamis; in north-east: Ahoms.
His death led to succession conflict among his sons.

Mughal Traditions of Succession

Mughals followed coparcenary inheritance—division of inheritance among all sons.

Mughal Relations with Other Rulers

Many rulers joined the Mughals voluntarily.

→ But many resisted as well.

They defeated but did not humiliate their opponents, helping them extend influence.

Mansabdars and Jagirdars

Groups from various backgrounds like Iranians, Indian Muslims, Afghans, Rajputs, Marathas joined Mughal service as mansabdars.
Mansabdars had to maintain a specific number of sawar (cavalrymen).
They were paid through jagirs (revenue assignments).

Zabt and Zamindars

Main source of revenue: tax on peasant produce.
Zamindars were intermediaries collecting taxes.
Zabt was a revenue system by Todar Mal who surveyed yields and fixed tax in cash.

Akbar’s Policies

Abul Fazl said empire was divided into subas governed by subadars with political and military powers.
Each province had a financial officer or diwan.
Subadar was assisted by other officers for maintaining order.
Akbar introduced sulh-i kul or “universal peace” promoting tolerance among religions.
This principle was followed by Jahangir and Shah Jahan.

The Mughal Empire in the Seventeenth Century and After

Administrative and military efficiency brought prosperity.
Mansabdars spent on salaries and goods, benefiting artisans and peasants.
By late 17th century, Mughal elite held great wealth and power.
As Mughal authority declined, their servants became regional powers.
By the 18th century, Hyderabad and Awadh emerged as independent political entities.

MCQs

1. When did Humayun re-establish Mughal empire in India?

(a) 1320 BC

(b) 1600 AD

(d) 1324 AD

► (c) 1530 AD

2. Name the new religion founded by Akbar.

(a) Christian-i-illahi

(b) Din-i-Illahi

(d) Hindu-i-illahi

► (b) Din-i-Illahi

3. In Akbar's reign there were ____ mansabdars with a rank of 5,000 zat, by Aurangzeb's reign the number of mansabdars had increased to ____ .

(a) 19,69

(b) 39,49

(d) 45,35

► (c) 29,79

4. Akbar became an emperor at the age of ____ years.

(a) 15

(b) 17

(d) 13

► (d) 13

5. The mother of Shahjahan was a Rathor princess, daughter of the Rajput ruler of ____.

(a) Sandeshwar

(b) Teliwar

(d) Marwar

► (d) Marwar

6. Babur defeated the ______ army in April 1526 AD.

(a) Ghazni

(b) Humayun

(d) Lodhi

► (d) Lodhi

7. A _____ is an individual who is intolerant of other person’s religious beliefs or culture.

(a) bigot

(b) das

(d) bandagan

► (a) bigot

8. Babur was forced to leave his ancestral throne due to the invasion of another Mongol group

(a) Uzbega

(b) Uzbags

(d) Uzbegs

► (d) Uzbegs

9. ________ refused to accept the Mughal authority for a long time.

(a) Sisodiya Rajputs

(b) Ahom Rajputs

(d) Maratha Rajputs

► (a) Sisodiya Rajputs

10. The mother of _______ was a Kachhwaha princess, daughter of the Rajput ruler of Amber.

(a) Abul Fazl

(b) Jahangir

(d) Akbar

► (b) Jahangir

11. Babur defeated the Lodhi army in the battlefield of _____.

(a) Panipat

(b) Kurukshetra

(d) Udaipur

► (a) Panipat

12. Which Mughal emperor was interested in the religion and social customs of different people

(a) Akbar

(b) Shah Jahan

(d) Jahangir

► (a) Akbar

13. What was the original location from where Babar came to India?

(a) Fergana

(b) Foridabad

(d) Khorassan

► (a) Fergana

14. From the latter half of the ____ century Mughals expanded their kingdom from Agra and Delhi

(a) 13th

(b) 14th

(d) 16th

► (d) 16th

15. Sher-Shah Suri was killed in ____.

(a) 1600 BC

(b) 1320 BC

(d) 1455 AD

► (c) 1545 AD

16. Babur succeeded to the throne of Ferghana in

(a) 1494

(b) 1694

(d) 1394

► (a) 1494

17. ______ the ruler of Iran, Iraq and modern-day Turkey

(a) Timur

(b) Balban

(d) Firuz Tughluq

► (a) Timur

18. ____ insulted Shivaji when he came to accept Mughal authority

(a) Aurangzeb

(b) Akbar

(d) Babur

► (a) Aurangzeb