The Mughal Rule in India

The Mughal Empire was established by Babur in 1526. The Mughal reign in India lasted in India for about 200 years. At the Battle of Karnal, the Mughal army was defeated by Nader Shah in 1739. The empire started facing a downfall by 1707 and it finally came to an end with the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

The Mughal rule is marked by the reign of 6 influential emperors. Babur initiated the Mughal rule in India. He captured Delhi and parts of Punjab. After the death of Babur in 1530, his son Humayun took over the throne. But as a ruler, Humayun proved to be ineffective and he was succeeded by his son Akbar. He is considered to be the greatest of the Mughal rulers.

He was known as a benevolent ruler and supported religious toleration. He even married a Hindu princess. The Mughal empire under Akbar spread far south. Jahangir – the son of Akbar succeeded his father in 1605. In 1627, the Mughal empire went under the rule of Shah Jahan, the successor of Jahangir.

Shah Jahan, conquered the Hindu kingdoms in South India and he is known for building a number of monuments that reflect the art, architecture and culture of the Mughals. The colossal monuments that he built during his glorious reign, were the Taj Mahal, the Royal Mosque, the Pearl Mosque and the Red Fort.

Aurangazeb, the next Mughal emperor, imprisoned Shah Jahan and took away the power. He extended his empire to a vast extent but his intolerance soon gave rise to resistance from people. The Mughal emperor brought almost the whole of the subcontinent within the domination of the Mughal power. After his death, his 3 sons fought over the succession of the Mughal throne. But soon the Mughal power shattered as the Europeans began to spread their supremacy over the subcontinent.