The Mughal Empire

Another set of people who just loved being narcissistic

why and when did Babur invade India ?

Babur invaded India for the purpose of trade during 1526

What was India’s condition during 1526 century ?

it was when the Delhi sultanate had broken into pieces and the independent kingdoms of Bengal , Jaunpur , Gujarat , Malwa and Mewar were at constant conflict raising a sense of insecurity . However these kingdoms one by one came under the rule of the Mughal empire

Who wrote Ain -I - Akbari and why is it important ?

Abul Fazl one of the nine gems in Akbar’s court wrote Ain - i - Akbar . It is a precious source of information about the administration and culture during Akbar’s reign.

What is an another name for Ain - i - Akbari?

It is also known as the Administration of Akbar .

What does the fourth book of the Ain - I - Akbari deal with ?

It deals with Hindu Philosophy , social customs , science and literature .

What is does the Taj Mahal Hold ?

It is a mausoleum or it holds the graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal .

Where is the Taj Mahal located?

It is located in Agra on the banks of River Yamuna .

What is the height of Taj Mahals Central Dome ?

The Central Domes height is about 56.1 m .

How are the walls of the Taj Mahal decorated ( by what method ) ?

The walls of the Taj Mahal are decorated with floral designs and semi precious stones and this method of decoration is called Pietra Dura

When was the Taj Mahal declared a UNESCO world heritage site ?

In 1983

which is the largest Mosque in India and who built it ?

The largest Mosque is the Jama Masjid and it was built by Shah Jahan .

describe the Jama Masjid Briefly -

• it was built on a lofty basement with majestic flights of steps leading to the imposing ( large ) gateways .

• there were three gateways in the courtyard 

• there were four towers and two minarets ( sleek towers ) both 40 m in height 

• The Northern gateway had 39 steps , The Eastern gateway had 35 steps and the Southern gateway had 33 steps 

The Red Fort was built by whom and why ?

The Red Fort was built by Shah Jahan when he decided to shift his capital to Delhi

Where is the Red Fort located ?

It is located in Delhi on the banks of the River Yamuna

What is the name of the western gateway and what was it used for ?

the name of the western gateway is the Lahori gate and it was used for the emperors ceremonial purposes

Two impressive building in the Red Fort ?

they are Diwan - i - Aam and Diwan - i - Khas .

which building holds the peacock throne ?

Diwan - i - Khas

Who built the Moti Masjid ?

Aurangzeb

what are the important historical event that occur in the Red Fort ?

The Prime Minister of India hoists the National Flag every year on independence day , the 15th of August

What was Babur’s full name , what lay in his ancestry ?

it was Zahir - ud - din Muhammad Babur , he was a descendent of the Mongol Ruler Timur .

Name the three Important Battles fought by Babur and with whom.

• The First Battle of Panipat was fought between Ibrahim Lodhi and Babur in the year 1526.

• The Battle of Khanwa was fought between Babur and Rana Singh Mewar in the year 1527

• The Battle of Ghagra was fought between the combined forces of Nusrat Shah of Bengal and the Afghans in the year 1529.

when did Akbar ascend the throne and who was his tutor ?

Akbar ascended the throne only when he was 13 years old , his tutor was Bairam Khan .

Why was the Second Battle of Paniapat fought ?

Akbar had to virtually reconquer his empire and the Afghans were regrouping under the leadership of Hemu ( Wazir of Adil Shah), So as a final showdown between the Afghans and the Mughals the Second Battle of Panipat was fought

Why was the Battle of Haldighati fought ?

Akbar subdued all the Rajput princes except for Mewar which was under Maharana Pratap Singh as a result the Battle of Haldighati was fought .

When did Babur die and when did Akbar die ?

Babur died in 1530 and Akbar died in 1605

What was the Rajput policy which Akbar initiated and what did it result in ?

This was Akbar’s greatest policies . he formed a marriage alliance with the younger daughter Harkha Bai of Bhara Mal - the ruler of Amber . Akbar always gave his wives the freedom to practice their religion and also gave honoured  places to the parents and relations in Nobility . This policy ended the centuries old Animosity between the Mughals and The Rajputs resulting in the growth of Composite Culture 

What was one powerful step of integration Akbar took ?

He abolished the poll tax or Jiziyah Tax which non muslim’s were required to pay . He also Abolished the Pilgrim tax on people bathing in Holy places like Benaras and Prayag . He also stopped the forceful conversion of prisoners of war to Islam.

when was the Ibadat Khana built and where was it built ?

It was built in 1575 by Akbar in Fatehpur , Sikri.

How did the religious powers get transferred from the Ulema to Akbar ?

It transferred when Akbar issued the “ Declaration “ or Mahzar .

What was the new Faith Din -i-Illahi ?

Akabr promulgated a new faith called Din-i-Illahi , which was based on the principle of oneness of god .It stressed on the virtues of Loyalty - to the emperor as well , Courage and Justice . Its basic purpose was to promote Universal harmony or Sulh -Kul

What were reforms taken up by Akbar towards women ?

• He asked the Kotwals to check where the forcible practices of Sati which is burning of women on the funeral pyres of their husbands and stopped it . But women who hose to do it were still allowed 

• He legalized widow remarriage 

• A man was allowed to only have one wife unless his first wife was unable to bear children 

Explain initiatives taken in the field of education by the rulers - Akbar , Jahangir and Shah Jahan .

• Akbar revised the educational syllabus and layed more emphasis on moral education as well as secular subjects like agriculture, geometry , astronomy Logic and history

• Jahangir proclaimed that if any man died without an heir his inheritance would be given to the state which would then be used for the development of educational institutes

• Shah Jahan provided Scholarships to assist students

What was known as the Mansabdari system?

The Mansabdari system was a unique administrative feature of the Mughal empire introduced by Akbar . It was where every officer was assigned a rank called Mansab .

what were Jagirs ?

Mansabs received their salaries in the form of revenue assignments called Jagirs .

what were the two ranks ?

The first was Zat which was the personal status and salary of the Mansabs the next was Sawar which was the number of calvary men to be maintained