Mughal India

Timur (Tamerlane)

• 1307-1405

• Mongol born in Chagatai Khanate

• Opportunity for Timur after Mongol Khanates collapse (no central authority)

• With military + political capabilities → gained following

• 1370: Marries into Chagatai family → becomes Amir + Samarkand new capital

• By 1405: conquered other khanates, turks, and invading India

  • Ilkhanate, Golden Horde, Baghdad, Ottoman Turks

• 1398-1399: Destroyed Delhi → Delhi Sultanate doesn’t recover → break apart into separate states (significantly weakened)

  • Delhi Sultanate: Muslim rule in (most of) subcontinent India with capital in Delhi

• Timur’s impact on India: made rise of Mughal Empire possible

• 1399-1526: 17 major states in India + multiple smaller ones

  • Meant India divided when Mughals + Europeans arrive

Babur and Humayun

• Mughals: Mongols from Central Asia (adopted Islam)

• Babur Mongol descendant of Genghis Khan + Timur

  • Inspired by their legacy of conquering, wanted to conquer subcontinent India

• 1504: captures Kabul (capital of new kingdom) by Khyber Pass

  • Meant easier access/route to India

• 1523: invades India through Khyber Pass

  • Entitled to Delhi since “ancestral claim” through Timur

• 1526: Battle of Panipat against Delhi Sultanate (Babur vs Ibrahim Lodi)

  • Babur outnumbered by nearly 100x (120,000 Delhi Sultanate vs 12,000 Mughals)

  • Mughal victory: Mongol cavalry + gun, cannons + good strategy

  • Babur strategy: behind thick walls + defense + guns, cannons

    • Fire guns/cannons when enemy close; slaughtered unprepared soldiers; cavalry clean up rest

    • Ibrahim strategy: charged whole army towards Babur’s position

  • Ibrahim + Delhi Sultanate destroyed

Babur and Humayun

• son of Babur rules as Padishah

• 1540: civil war + Afghan invasion → Humayun flee to Persia (given asylum + support by Persian Shah Tamasp I)

  • Guest of Persia → years of begging for support

  • In return, give Shah money + convert to Shia Islam (Mughals Sunni Muslims)

• 1555: returns to India → military victories re-establishes Mughal Dynasty

  • Paid back Persia, but didn’t convert to Shia Islam (remained Sunni Muslims)

Akbar

• 1556-1605

• Greatest Mughal ruler (through army, imperial administration, religion + religious tolerations)

  • Laid foundation for future rulers

• Military power → conquered independent states + expanded Mughal Empire from northern India to central India

  • Extremely large army + skilled soldiers = success

  • Snowball effect: conquer → more subjects → more soldiers → more conquer → repeat

• Imperial administration effectively ran India

  • Collect taxes efficiently without alienating people

    • Held census (knew everything about land/people)

    • Made him well-liked, no revolts

  • Rotated government officials → never able to build enough power for revolt

• Religion: Akbar made caliph (1579)

  • Leader of Muslims in India → made religious decisions for Miuslims

• Religious toleration for Hindus + others = ability to worship freely without fear of persecution

  • Gained loyalty among Hindu population (little unrest/rebellion)

Classical Age of Mughals

• 1605-1627: Jahangir (Akbar son)

  • early reign: Strengthened central control over empire

  • later reign: wife Nur Jahan took control (grip began to weaken)

• 1627-1657: Shah Jahan (Akbar grandson)

  • Failed to deal with domestic problems (finances)

    • Majority of subjects impoverished

  • Continued military campaigns + expensive projects despite heavy strain on finances

  • Built most famous structures in India despite low treasury (Red Fort, Taj Mahal)

• 1658-1707: Aurangzeb (Akbar great grandson)

  • Greatest territorial extent (nearly entire subcontinent)

  • Mughal Empire/India one of most wealthy/powerful state

  • More conservative → not tolerant of other religions (mainly Hindus) + reimposed taxes → discord + strife within India → Hindu rebellions + resentment

• India now wealthiest/most powerful state during this period