Society during Mughal Rule

The Great Mughal Empire was founded by Babur in 1526, after which it spread its roots in the soil of India thereby making it one of the historically enriched dynasties of India. The middle class constituted a very minor portion of the population, and finally, there existed the poor class. 

History of the Mughal Empire

Mughal rule has its inception in the middle of the 16th century, and it continued till the beginning of the eighteenth century. The Mughal dynasty was taken forward by some of the significant rulers whom history remembers and shows reverence for. Some of the remarkable rulers of significant rulers of the Mughal dynasty are Aurangzeb, Jahangir, Humayun, Shah Jahan, and Akbar. It is important to know the family tree of the Mughal Empire to get an idea regarding the rulers and their achievements associated with imperialism. Babur started the lineage of the Mughal dynasty, as he had five descendants to expand the roots of the family tree. Babur’s son was Humayun, and it was Akbar, Humayun’s son who succeeded to the throne after his death. Jahangir, the son of Akbar came next in the line of succession followed by Shah Jahan. The last Mughal Empire came to an end with Aurangazeb.  

The family tree of the Mughal Empire should be taken into consideration to scrutinize the social history of the Mughal era. Akbar’s impressive military skills and foresight played a significant role in the expansionist policy of the Mughal Empire. The last Mughal Empire in the hands of Aurangzeb also achieved certain heights, however, due to certain reasons he had to keep up with the initial success that he achieved at the beginning of his ruling career. Humayun was quite different from his precedents and antecedents as he had some unique attributes. He was very much enthusiastic about art and paintings, and he took a keen interest in paintings. Shah Jahan was one of the best rulers of the Mughal Empire, whose achievements helped the Mughal Dynasty to revive its lost glory. It needs to be taken into account that Shah Jahan is a popular figure in the family tree of the MughalEmpire for his contribution to building the Taj Mahal in the memory of his beloved wife Muma Mahal.

Interesting facts about the Mughal Empire

The society that existed during the Mughal era can be divided into different classes based on the privileges and financial stability that they enjoyed. The society during the Mughal rule followed a pyramidal structure at the top of which existed the emperor. After the emperor, there was the nobility such as the ministers followed by the middle class. 

The middle class that prevailed during the Mughal era was mainly composed of traders and merchants. They were not very wealthy; however, they were quite successful and led a moderate life that was devoid of poverty. The middle class played an important role in maintaining trade and commerce in the country. The most deprived class was the poor class that led an impoverished life and was subject to various kinds of oppression. They were made to work for long hours in place of which they received minimal wages.

The Mughal dynasty used to patronize education, and the members of the royal families were mostly hired tortured by eminent scholars. TheMughal rulers also established some educational institutions to spread Persian culture and encourage the learning of Islamic culture and art. The Mughals used to keep slaves that were bought from the slave traders. This tradition of slavery was inherited by the Mughals from the Delhi Sultanate. In this context, the vile traditional practices of the society during the Mughal rule should be mentioned. A vast majority of Hindus practice child marriage, Jaguar, and Sati which are unacceptable and unlawful in modern India.

Conclusion

The social structure during the Mughal rule had segregation of classes, and each class had its own way of living life. The Mughals were ardent lovers of art and culture which is quite evident from their rich architecture and unique calligraphic inscriptions. During the Mughal rule, both the Hindus and Muslims tried to exist peacefully without interfering in each other’s social and religious practices. India’s art and culture is representative of the amalgamation of the best elements of Islam or Sufism and Hinduism thereby contributing to the cultural diversity of India.