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Mughal Empire- Introduction

The Mughal Empire was an empire in northern and central India. It was founded in 1526, and at its peak, it covered territory that included most of Afghanistan & parts of Persia

Mughals were the descendants of two great lineages of rulers. Babur, who was the founding father of the Mughal empire in India was associated with Timur from his father’s side and to Chengiz khan from his mother’s side. Within the medieval period, it had been very difficult for one ruler to rule the entire undivided India all by themselves.

But the Mughals changed this attitude completely by expanding their empire to almost 70% of the country over only three centuries. The expansion started within the middle of the 16th century. By the tip of the 17th century, Mughals had brought most of the provinces under their reign. The prime reasons for such a successful and glorious empire expansion were apt governance, administrative rules and regulations, and also a cunning political legacy.

The Mughal Empire- Introduction will describe more about the historic milestones achieved by the emperors.

Babur (1526-1530 AD)

The first battle of Panipat (1526): Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi and established the Mughal era in India
Battle of Khandwa (1527): Rana Sanga was defeated by Babur and Babur assumed the title of Ghazi
Battle of Chanderi (1528): Medini Rai was defeated and together with this Rajputana was completely shattered
Battle of Ghagra ( 1529): Mahmud Lodhi, who aspired to the throne of Delhi was defeated by Babur

Ancestors

The lineages of Mughals are associated with the primary king, Babur – Zahiruddin Muhammad who conquered Delhi and overthrew Ibrahim Lodi

Their paternal ancestor hailed from the dynasty of Timur who ruled over present-day Iraq, Iran, and middle-east Asia
On their maternal side, Genghis Khan was their ancestor who ruled the Mongolian empire

Despite being an element of the Mongols, Babur wanted his own identity. Another reason was the fact that their ancestor, Genghis Khan is often considered as a mass murderer and a traitor who joined the Uzbeks

But it’s believed that the Mughals, especially Babur – Zahiruddin Muhammad loved and respected the members from Timur’s side because, in 1398, it absolutely was Timur who sat on the Delhi throne

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Brief Timeline

In 1526, Babur established the Mughal Empire in India after fighting and winning a series of military conquests

Babur overthrew Ibrahim Lodi within the First Battle of Panipat and established his reign in India

However, it is said that the imperial and regal structure of the Mughal empire was seen during the reign of Babur’s grandson, Akbar

He also fought several military conquests together with his family members, the Rajputs, and other smaller tribes growing in southern India

One of these major battles was with Rana Sangha

After Aurangzeb died in 1720, the imperial structure started to break as his successors were not capable enough of ruling the country from the central position

Finally, in 1857, the Sepoy Mutiny put an end to the Mughal rule in India officially and the throne was removed by the British

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Mughal Administration

Since Mughals hailed from the-then Persia, their administrative and political agendas represented the Persian-Arabic style

After Babur defeated Lodi successors in the First Battle of Panipat along with the Rajput ruler, Rana Sangha, he divided the empire into Subas, also known as provinces

When Akbar ascended the throne, he reorganized this administrative and judicial system in a new manner

The head of the revenue department was termed Wazir and he was responsible for managing the Jagirs

Mir Bakshi was the title given to the military head

Mir Saman was in charge of the harem, and other parts of the imperial empire

For handling the religious matters, a Qazi was appointed in the Mughal court

A wazir or a normal minister from the Mughal court could be assigned as the Wakil whose role was to be the Naib of the empire

At the Pargana structure, the two most renowned revenue officers were Khakori and Amil

In the Mughal empire, a feudalistic system existed also known as the Mansabdari

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Conclusion

The Mughals ruled India from 1526-to 1761, constituting the main developments in fields like music, painting, literature, painting, art and architecture. The Mughals lead a lavishing life but, in some of the areas, people went through torture and suffering.

The Mughals emerged in Central Asia and were the descendants of the Mongol rulers Changez Khan and Timur. A magnificent empire was constructed during the reign of Akbar as he not only drew Hindu rajas as loyal supporters but accorded them the status of being partners in the kingdom. It absolutely was a distinguished period in Indian history. It also yielded a rare sequence of proficient rulers and was notable for its control over most of India for its administrative organization and for the potential of its rulers who retained a record of surprising talent. Some distinctions set the Mughal dynasty apart from the other ones. One such was the initiative of the Mughals to integrate Hindus and Muslims into a united empire.

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