Mughal Period in India

Mughal Period (1526-40 and 1555-1857)

Babur (1526 – 30)

• He was the founder of Mughal Rule in India.
• First Battle of Panipat (1526) fought between Ibrahim Lodi and Babur. Babur got victory and established Mughal Dynasty.
• Battle of Khanva (1527) fought between Rana Sanga and Babur. Babur got Victory.
• Battle of Chanderi (1528) fought between Medini Rai of Chanderi and Babur. Babur got victory.
• Battle of Ghaghra (1529) fough between Muhammad Lodhi (Uncle of Ibrahim Lodhi) and Babur. Babur got victory.
• He got the title of Kalandar for generous nature.
• He got the title of Ghazi after the Battle of Khanwa.
• He adopted Tughluma and flanking party system and first to use gunpowder and artillery in India.
• He wrote his autobiography Tuzuk-i-Baburi in Turkish language. It was translated in Persian language (named Baburnama) by Abdur Rahim Khanekhana and in English by Madam Bebridge.
• He compiled two anthologies of poems, Diwan (Turk) and Mubaiyan (persian). He also wrote Risal-i-Usaz.

Humayun (1530-40 and 1555-56)

• He was son of Babur.
• He fought two battles against Sher Shah Suri. It was Battle of Chausa (1539) and Battle of Bilgram/ Kannauj (1540) and was completely defeated by him.
• He escaped to Iran where he passed 12 years of his life in exile.
• After the death of Sher Shah Suri, He was invaded India in 1555 and defeated his brothers the Afghans. He became the ruler of India once again.
• He built Din Panah at Delhi as his second capital.
• He died in 1556 by accidentally and buried in Delhi.
• His sister, Gulbadan Begum wrote his biography Humayunama.
• Qanun-i-Humayun written by Khwand Amair.

Suri Empire (Second Afghan Empire) – 1540 – 55

Sher Shah Suri (1540-45)

• He was the son of Hassan Khan, the Jagirdar of Sasaram. Ibrahim Lodhi transferred his father’s jagir to him.
• Sher Shah usurps throne as Hazarat-i-Ala. He gained Chunar by marrying Lad Malika, the widow of governor of Chunar Fort.
• He defeated Humayun in battle of Chausa and Bilgram.
• As an Emperor, He conquested Malwa (1542), Ranthambhor (1542), Raisin (1543), Rajputana-annexation of Marwar (1542), Chittor (1544), and Kalinjar (1545). He died in 1545 while conquesting Kalinjar.
• He issued the coin (Rupiya)
• He built Grand Trunk Road (G.T. Road), that runs from Calcutta to Peshawar.
• He introduced the principle of local responsibility for local crimes. Muqaddams were punished for failure to find culprits.
• Land was measured and 1/3^rd of the average was fixed as land tax. The peasant was given a patta (title deed) and qubuliyat (agreement deed) which fixed the peasant’s rights and taxes. Zamindar were removed and the taxes were directly collected.
• He built Purana Quila at Delhi.
• He was buried in Sasaram.
• He was succeded by Islam Shah (1545-54) then Islam Shah succeeded by Muhammad Adil Shah (1545-1555).

Akbar (1556-1605)

• He was eldest son Humayun.
• He ascended the throne under the title of Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar Badshah Ghazi at the young age of 14 at Kalanaur, Punjab and his tutor Bairam khan was appointed as the regent.
• 2^nd Battle of Panipat (1556) fought between Hemu (the Hindu general of Muhammad Adil Shah) and Bairam Khan (Regent of Akbar). Mughal got the victory.
• The Rajputa Kingdom of Mewar put up a fierce defence under Rana Uday Singh (1537-72) and his son Rana Pratap (1572-97).
• Akbar tried to win over the Rajputas wherever possible and inducted Rajputa Kings into Mughal Service and treated them at par with Mughal nobility. By Marrying Harakha Bai, daughter of Bharmal/Biharimal (Kutchhwaha Rajputa ruler of Ajmer, Capital- Jaipur) in 1562. Akbar displayed his secular policy with the Hindus. Most of the Rajputa Kings recognized the superemacy of Akbar except Rana Pratap Singh and his son Amar Singh (Sisodiya rajputa of Mewar, Capital- Chittor).
• Battle of Haldighati (1576) fought between Rana Pratap of Mewar and Mughal Army led by Man Singh of Amer. Rana Pratap was defeated but he did not submit and continued the struggle.

Year	Province	From
1560-62	Malwa	Baz Bahadur
1561	Chunar	Afghan
1562	Merata	Jaimal
1564	Gondwana	Rani Durgawati (regent of Bir Narayan)
1568	Chittor	Rana Uday Singh
1569	Ranthambhor	Surjan Hada
1570	Kalinjar	Ram Chandra
1572	Gujarat	Bahadur Shah
1574-76	Bengal-Bihar	Daud Khan Karrani
1576	Haldighati	Rana Pratap
1581	Kabul	Mirza Hakim
1585-86	Kashmir	Yusuf Khan and Yakub Khan
1590-91	Sindh	Jani Beg Mirza
1590-92	Orissa	Kutul Khan and Nisar Khan
1591	Khandesh	Ali Khan
1595	Baluchistan	Yusufzai Tribes
1595	Kandhar	Muzaffar Husain Mirza
1597-1600	Ahmadnagar	Chand Bibi (regent of Bahadur Shah)
1601	Asirgarh	Miran Bahadur Khan

Important Years of Akbar

1562	Visited Ajmer first time
1562	Ban on forcible conversion of war-prisoners into slaves.
1563	Abolition of Pilgrimage Tax
1564	Abolition of Jajiya
1571	Foundation of Fatehpur Sikri
1574	Mansabdari System introduced
1575	Built Ibadatkhana
1578	Parliament of Religions in Ibadatkhana
1579	Proclamation of ‘Mazhar’ (written by Faizi)
1580	Dahsala Bandobast Introduced
1582	Din-i-Ilahi/ Tauhid-i-Ilahi
1584	Ilahi Samvat (Calender)
1587	Ilahi Gaz (Yard)

• He built Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort, Lahore Fort, and Allahabad Fort and Humayun Tomb at Delhi.
• Akbar shifted court from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri.
• Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari written by Abul Fazl.
• Tobaqat-i-akbari written by Khwajah Nizamuddin Ahmed Baksh.
• Tulsidas (Ramcharitmanas) also lived during Akbar’s Period.
• After Death, he was buried at Sikandra near Agra.
• Akbar considered ‘the real founder of Mughal Empire’ in India.
• He was first Mughal ruler who divorced religion from politics.
• Birbal was killed in the battle with Yusufzai Tribe (1586).
• Abul Fazal was murdered by Bir Singh Bundela (1601).

Navratnas (Nine Gems of Akbar's Court):

1. Birbal (administrator)

2. Abul Faizal (scholar and statesman)

3. Faizi (scholar and statesman)

4. Todarmal (Finance Minister, Dahsala Bandobast/jabti)

5. Fakir Aziao-Din (Mystic & Chief Advisor)

6. Man Singh (Mansabdar, grandson of Bharmal)

7. Tansen (Musician)

8. Abdur Rahim Khanekhana (Statesman,Hindu Poet)

9. Mulla Do-piyaza 

Jahangir (1605-27)

• He was son of Akbar.
• His nickname was ‘Salim’.
• He is known as strict administration of justice. He established Zanjir-i-Adal (i.e. Chain of Justice) at Agra Fort for the seekers of royal justice.
• He was married to Mihar-un-nisa, widow of Sher Afghan, a Persian nobleman of Bengal. Later on she was given the title Nurjahan.She exercised tremendous influence over the state affairs She was made the official Padshah Begum.
• Mother of Nurjahan, Asmat Begum discovered perfume of Rose.
• Jahangir made the Shahi Diwan to Gyas Beg (father of Nurjahan) and gave the title Itmad-ud-daulah.
• He also married Manmati/Jagat gosai of Marwar and a Kutchhwaha Princess.
• In 1608, Captain William Hawkins, a representatives of East India Company came to Jahangir’s Court. He was given the Mansab of 400.
• In 1615, Sir Thomas Roe, an ambassador of King James Iof England also came to his court. Though initially Jahangir resisted, later on he granted permission to the English to establish a trading port to Surat.
• A political triumph during Jahangir reign was the submission of Rana Amar Singh of Mewar (1615). Jahangir captured the strong fort of Kangara (1620). The Part of Ahmadnagar was also annexed. Malik Amber ceded back to the Mughal the territory of Balaghat (Maharashtra).
• His reign was marked by several revolts. His son Khusrau, who received patronage of 5^th Sikh Guru Arjun Dev, revolted against Jahangir (1605).
• Arjun Dev, was later sentenced to death for his blessing to the rebel prince (1606). During his last period, Khurram (Shahjahan), son of Jahangir and Mahavat Khan, Militry General of Jahangir also revolted. (Khurram : 1622-25 and Mahavat Khan : 1626-27)
• He wrote his memoirs Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri in Persian.
• Iqbalnama-i-jahangiri written by Muhammad khan.
• He was buried in Lahore.
• Nurjahan built Itmad-ud-daulah tomb and Jahangir Tomb.

Shahjahan (1627-57)

• He was son of Jahangir and Jagat Gosai.
• Shahjahan ascended the throne in 1628 after his father’s death.
• He got the title Abul Muzaffar Shahabuddin Muhammad Sahib Kiran-e-sani.
• Asaf Khan got the title of Wazir and Mahavat Khan got the title of Khanekhana by Shahjahan.
• He gave the pension of Rs 2Lakh/year to Nurjahan and sent to Lahore where she was death in 1645.
• He built Tajmahal in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It was architect by Ustad Ahmed Lahori.
• He built peacock throne. It was designed by Be Badal Khan.   
• The Time Period of Shahjahan known as Golden period of Architecture.
• He built Red Fort (Delhi), Diwan-i-aam, Deewan-i-khas, Jama Masjid (Delhi), Moti Masjid (Agra), Taj Mahal (Agra).
• He shifted capital Agra to Delhi and established Shahjahanbad near bank of the river yamuna.
• Famous painter of his court was Muhammad Fakir and Mir Kasim.
• Famous Sanskrit poet of his court was Vanshidhar Mishra and Harinarayana Mishr.
• He gave the title Gun Samandar to Musician Lal Khan.
• Sahajahan’s failing health set off the war of Succession among his 4 sons.Aurangzeb emerged the victor who crowned himself in 1657.
• Sahajahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in the Agra Fort where he died in captivity in 1666. He was buried at Taj Mahal, Agra.

Litretures

Padshah Namah – Abdul Hamid lahori

Padshah Namah – Mumahad Waris

Shahjahan Namah – Muhammad Salih

Shahjahan Namah – Inyat khan

Sirr-i- Akbar (Upanishad in Urdu) – Dara Shikoh

Safinat-ul-Auliya – Dara Shikoh

Majma-ul-Bahrain – Dara Shikoh

Succession’s war

• Battle of Bahadurpur (1658) fought between Dara and Shah Sujha at near Banaras, U.P.
• Battle of Dharmat (1658) fought between Dara and Aurangzeb- Murad at near Ujjain. Aurangzeb got victory.
• Battle of Samugarh (1658) fought between Dara and Aurangzeb- Murad at near Agra. Aurangzeb got victory.
• Battle of Khajua (1658) fought between Aurangzeb and Shah Sujah at near Allahabad.
• Battle of Deorai (1659) fought between Aurangzeb and Dara Sikoh at near Ajmer. Aurangzeb got victory.

Auragzeb (1658-1707)

• After victories in battle, He was crowned at Delhi under the titled Alamgir.
• The Guru of Aurangzeb was Mir Muhammad Hakim.
• He was known as Zinda Pir.
• He captured Guru Teg Bahadur, the 9^th Guru of Sikhs in 1675 and executed him when he refused to embrace Islam. The 10^th and last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, son of Guru Tegh Bahadur, organized his followers into militant force called Khalsa to fight the Muslim tyranny and avenge the murder of his father. Guru Gobind Singh was, however murdered in 1708 by an Afghan at Nandar in Deccan. Banda Bairagi, the military successor of Guru Gobind Singh continued the war against Mughals.   
• He left the North in 1682 and for the next 25 years (1682-1707) made desperate bids to crush the Marathas.
• Shivaji was the most powerful Maratha King and an arch enemy of Aurangzeb. When Aurangzeb could not eliminate him, conspired in 1665 with Jai Singh, Shivaji visited Aurangzeb’s court. Shivaji was imprisoned by Aurangzeb but he managed to escape and in 1674 proclaimed himself and independent monarch. He died in 1680 and was succeeded by Sambhaji, who was executed by Aurangzeb in 1689. Sambhaji was succeeded by Rajaram and after his death in 1700, his widow Tarabai carried on the movements.
• The Mughal conquests reached a climax during Aurangzeb’s reign as Bijapur and Golconda were annexed in 1686 and 1687 respectively.
• He re-introduced Jajiya.
• During his reign, Hindu Mansabdars maintained their high proportion.
• He banned Music in the court.
• He was died in 1707 and buried at Khuldabad (Daulatabad).

Revolt’s during Aurangzeb’s Reign

Revolts	Year of Beginning	Leaders	Causes
I. North India (1658-81)
Jat	1669	Gokula, Rajaram, Churamani	Agrarian Policy
Bundela	1671	Champat Rai, Chhatrasal	Political and Religious
Satnami	1673	Followers of Satnami Sect	Religious Suppression
Sikh	1675	Teg Bahadur, Gobind Singh	Religious
Rajput: Rathore (Marwar)	1678	Durgadas (General of Ajit Singh)	Succession to throne of Marwar
II. South India (1682-1707)
Annexation of Bijapur	1686	Sikandar Adil Shah	Violation of Treaty
Annexation of Golconda	1687	Abul hasan Kutub Shah	Helping Attitude to Maratha
Mughal- Maratha Struggle	1689	Sambhaji, Rajaram, Tarabai	Rising Aspiration of Maratha nationalism

Important Years of Aurangzeb’s religious policy

1659 – Forbade inscription of Kalama on the coins, celebration of Navroj festival, appointment of Muhatasib (Regulator of moral character)

1663 – Ban on Sati Custom

1668 – Ban Hindu Festival

1669 – Ban on Jharokha darshan, Forbade music in the court.

1670 – Ban on Tuladan (weighing of the emperor)

1679 – Re-introduction of Jajiya

Literatures

Alamgir-nama – Munshi Mirza Muhamma Kazin

Massir-i-Alamgiri – Saqi Mustaid khan

Waqt-i-Hyderabad – Nimat Khan Ali

Futuhat-i-Alamgiri – Ishwar Das

Nuskha-i-Dilkusha – Bhimsen Saxena

Khulasat-ul-Tawarikh – Sujan raj Khatri

Hamlai- Haidri – Muhammad Rafi Khan

Namah-e-Alamgiri – Aquil Khan Zafar

Raqqat-e-Alamgiri – Aurangzeb

Bahadur Shah I (1707-12)

Original Name – Muazzam

Title – Shah Alam I

Jahandarshah (1712-13) – Ascended the throne with the help of Zulfikar Khan. He abolished Jajiya.

Farrukh Siyar (1713-19) – Ascended the throne with the help of Sayyid brothers – Abdull Khan and Hussain Khan.

Muhammad Shah (1719-48) – In 1738-39, Nadir Shah raided India and took away Thakt-i-Taus (the peacock throne) and Kohinoor Diamond.

Ahmed Shah (1748-54) – Ahmad Shah Abdali (General of Nadir Shah marched towards Delhi and Mughals ceded Punjab and Multan.

Alamgir II (1754-59) – Ahmed Shah occupied Delhi. Later, Delhi was plundered by Marathas.

Shah Alam II (1759-1806) – Nazib Khan became very powerful in Delhi so much so that he could not enter Delhi for 12 years.

Akbar II (1806-1837) – Pensioner of East India Company.

Bahadur Shah II (1837-57) – He was the last mughal emperor who was made premier during 1857 revolt. He was deported to Rangoon (Burma, now Mayanmar) in 1858 where he died in 1862.   

Mughal Administration

Administrative Unit	Incharge
Suba (Province)	Sipahsalar/Subedar/Nizam – The Head executive Diwan- Incharge of revenue department.
Sarakar (District)	Fauzdar – Administrative head Amal/Amalguzar – Revenue collection
Pargana (Taluka)	Siqdar-Administrative Head Amin, Qanungo – Revenue Officials.
Gram (Village)	Muqaddam – Headman, Patwari- Accountant

• Territorial Unit – Khalisa (royal land), Jagirs (autonomous rajyas) and Inams (gifted lands, mainly waste lands)
• 15 subas under Akbar which later increased to 20 under Aurangzeb’s reign.
• Akbar introduced Mansabdari System. The term Mansab indicates rank of its holder. Mansabdari was both civil and military.Almost the whole nobility, bureaucracy and military hold Mansabs.
• Mughal Mansab was dual i.e. Zat (personal rank and pay status)and Sawar (number of horsemen to maintain)
• They were 3 categories i.e. Mansabdars, Amirs and Amir-i-umda.
• Pay mode were 2 types i.e. Naqdi (cash) and Jagirdars (Jagirs)
• Duaspah Sih- aspah system was added by Jahangir i.e. one’s Sawar rank can be raised without raising his Zat Rank.
• Jama-Dami / Mahana Zagir system was added by Shahjahan i.e. Mothly Scale.
• Methods of Revenue Collections: - Kankut (estimate), Rai (yield per unit area) and Zabti (based on yields of crops)
• Dahsala Bandobast or Zabti :- A standard method of collection based on rates of crops determined after 10 years assessment. Todar Mal (Finance Minister) pioneered it.
• Madad-i-mash/Suyur ghal/ Inam were land grants to people of religious assignment.

Mughal Architectures

• Humayun Tomb (Delhi) built by his widow Haji Begum.
• Mariam’s Palace, Diwan-i-aam, Diwan-i-khas at Fatehpur Sikri.
• Buland Darwaza (built after Gujarat Victory), formed the main entrance to Fatehpur Sikri.
• Salim Chisti Tomb (redone in Marble by Jahangir) is the first Mughalbuilding in pure marble.Palace of Birbal, Palace of Tansen are also inside the Fatehpur Sikri.
• Sikandra began built by Akbar and completed by Jahangir.
• Itmad-ud-daula built by Nurjahan in Agra.
• Moti Masjid built by Jahangir in Lahore.
• Taj Mahal and Jama Masjid built by Shahjahan.
• Bibi ka Makbara associated with Aurangzeb. It was the tomb of his wife Rabbia-ud-daura in Aurangabad.
• Badshahi Masjid built by Aurangzeb in Lahore.

Painters

• Humayun’s court – Mir Syed Ali and Abdus Samad
• Akbar’s court – Daswant and Basawan
• Jahangir’s court – Abdul Hassan, Ustad Mansur and Bishandas