Key Terms Details Who (if it's a person), what (if it's a place, a thing, or an idea), when (give an approximate period. This can be dates from the textbook, or the name of an era, such as "Eastern Zhou), where (be specific!) and how (for example, how did people use this? If it's a system, how was it implemented? etc.). Significance Why do we care, as historians? How did they (person) or it (place, thing, idea) affect the historical context in which they or it existed? To whom was it relevant: elites? Ordinary people? Both in different ways? Did it help or harm people in power? Did it involve change, or did it help provide stability? How does this help us understand the historical context? Does it relate to any of our PERCS, Religion, or Empire?
Sufi Appear in the 8th century Practice meditation Mystics Muslim Inclusive of other religious traditions Unorthodox/heterodox Organized into brotherhoods, led by saints/masters Emphasized individual relationship to God rather than rules and laws Offered places of rest to travelers along trade routes and ports Akbar welcomed Sufis (and many others) to his court Poetry and songs were used to teach new adherents
Dhimmis A non-muslim protected by the law yet separate from it. “dhimmis”, had to pay Jizyah but were exempt from military service. Included Christianity, Judaism, and other monotheistic religions South Asia extended the dhimmi status to non-monotheists which was highly unorthodox in the Middle East standards. This included Hinduism and Buddhism •Acceptance and inclusivity to other religions. •Lack of hostility based on religion due to this •Difference between Middle Eastern and South Asian standards when it came to the law and who was protected by it
Mughals Members of the Muslim Mughal dynasty, an empire that existed from 1526 to 1857 In South India, the Mughals were the richest and most powerful, allowing them to control most of the country. At its peak, around 1700, the empire controlled most of the Indian peninsula. The Mughal Empire ruled as Muslims and invaded as Muslims. The large Hindu population that they controlled was ironic considering the The Mughal Empire was Muslim. The empire was a large patron to art and learning, their rule leading to cultural, artistic, and linguistic trades and exchanges between people within India. The Mughals also brought Persian art and culture into India, eventually becoming a large part of Indian art. Despite a large Hindu population, the Mughals were vital in connecting the Hindus and Muslims they ruled. The Mughals also brought together most of India under one area. The Mughal Empire relied on the trading of textiles and spices to Europe. Urdu, a language of Persian, Arabic, and Hindi, was created by the Mughal Empire after it invaded and incorporated all of the different cultures.
Akbar Was the third Mughal emperor, reigned from 1556 to 1605. Centralized government Improved tax system by abolishing the poll tax on non-muslims, also known as Dhimmis. It also included other monotheistic religions. Founded the city of Fatehpur Sikri. Akbar also extended the reach of the Mughal dynasty across the Indian subcontinent. Decided to ‘tolerate’ other religions (as in not Islam) in the Mughal Empire Akbar is responsible for the massive (yes massive) growth of the Mughal Empire. He welcomed Sufi and many others to his court. When he extended the Mughal empire, It brought more popularity to the empire thus bringing more merchants for trade. Akbar expanded the Mughal Empire to its largest size. He conquered many parts of India, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bengal, and the Deccan Plateau. His smart military tactics and political skills helped him bring the diverse region of India under control. His reign was marked by significant cultural and religious tolerance, as he sought to integrate diverse peoples and religions into his empire. Akbar abolished oppressive taxes on non-Muslims, promoted a policy of religious dialogue, and even attempted to create a syncretic religion called Din-i Ilahi. His contributions to art, architecture, and the Persian language also left a lasting legacy, making the Mughal Empire a powerful and sophisticated cultural force. Akbar’s leadership style, which blended pragmatism with idealism, earned him the respect of his subjects and solidified his place as one of history’s most remarkable rulers.
Urdu The combined structure of Sanskrit with Persian Arabic, Turiki, and Hindu words Originated in the twelfth century in north India Local variants evolved such as Dakhini spoken in western Deccan Lingua franca among Muslims in the subcontinent unifying language for the Muslim community Rich in literary tradition Cultural and social heritage of Pakistan
Ulema Muslim Scholars Specialist knowledge Focused on sacred law and theology Local Authority Used law-making making Orthodox Institutionalized forms of authority Enforced through punishment and reward Muslim rulers were known for patronizing scholars who opposed these scholars who were rulers. They were not as inclusive in the ways of Islam as the Sufi. They Determined what was Islamic In some situations, the Ulema and Sufis saw past their different beliefs and worked together to build authority
Rajput A Hindu warrior class We're a social category or caste of northern and central India Practiced purdah where women were hidden Mughals began to marry the Rajput women Ancestry was very important to them Organized in a patriarchal way Marrying up to gain power was very powerful Maintained their rights when the Mughals took over Consisted of people whose traditional occupation was warfare and who demonstrated virtues of a courageous death on the battlefield Around 12 million Rajputs existed at this time The members from the Rajput caste were allowed to keep their current power. When they were married into Islamic families they were not expected to convert to the Muslim religion. This shows how the empire that conquered the Rajputs was accepting and open to diversity.
Din-i-ilahi This means “Religion of god” Divine faith Incorporated aspects of Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism into Islam. Syncretic religion developed by Akbar (the emperor) Extremely short-lived, did not even last much after Akbar died. Akbar concluded that “no single religion could claim the monopoly of truth.” Had no sacred scriptures or priestly hierarchy Din-i-Ilahi worship focused on light, with a ritual based on the Yasna, a Zoroastrian worship practice. The religion stressed the importance of good moral behavior, tolerance, and the cultivation of virtues like honesty, patience, and justice. Critics of Din-i Ilahi argue that it lacked a clear and organized doctrine or theological foundation. Some saw it as an attempt by Akbar to assert his authority over religious matters. Added to Akbar’s legacy of openness to other faiths and traditions because of the diverse religions that were incorporated. The goal was to reduce religious conflict and promote harmony between the diverse peoples in Akbar's empire, particularly Hindus and Muslims. Akbar viewed himself as somewhat of a god, and his new religion was centered around him as a deity. Functioned less as a religion and more as an ethical system that discouraged lust and alcohol.
Delhi Sultanate	Late 13th to 14th centuries Succession of Persian Muslim regimes in Northern India Tughluq - embraced ethnic and religious diversity, incorporated Rajputs into his political system Replaced by the Mughal Empire, when defeated by Babur in 1526
Mongols	Mongols are Native to Mongolia, China, and Russia Indians used the term “Mongols” to describe Central Asians In Perso-Arab, the term “mugal” means “the Mongol” or the “Mongolians	Encourages trade making it a period of peace and stability between states Known for advanced military tactics Created new technology advancements Boosted economy
Nur Jahan	A powerful intelligent woman who took care of the empire when Jahangir (her husband) was sick She and her family ruled the Moghul Empire in its last phase Married Jahangir in 1611	Having a woman ruling an empire (even if it was temporary) was strange in this period especially when men were mainly considered more intelligent than women. Having Nur Jahan in a powerful position when her husband was sick instead of another male shows us how this empire thought and treated women.
Shah Jahan	Grandson of Akbar Military centered Ruled for only 12 year Conquered territory in East India and Northwest India Father of Jahangir The Mughal Empire was prosperous, wealthy, and internationally renowned under his rule. Had many military campaigns Had 20 years of peaceful coexistence with the Deccan Sultanates He was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb after a battle of succession	Shah Jahan signed a treaty with the Deccan Sultanates that led to peace among the groups for twenty years. This shows the important relationships and interactions throughout the Indian subcontinent.
Mansabdar	Holder of a position of rank Military unit within the Mughal empire People with a military role	Akbar founded the Mansabdar system and it significantly improved the military used in the Mughal empire because it was more efficient and ensured loyalty through ranks and salaries within the military and improved the overall status of the empire.
Babur	Founder of the Moghul dynasty Descent of Genghis Khan Wandered through cenCentralia and Afghanistan In the battle of Panipat, he defeated the forces of Muslim kings	Babur not only founded the Mughul empire but paved the way with new war tactics and ways to expand his empire.
Aurangzeb	Son of Shah Jahan Killed his brothers Expanded the empire to Deccan Nicknamed “seizer of the world” Took control over all of the Sultans of Deccan to gain his power Created a high-class culture for the aristocrats After he died the empire began to lose power and decline Traditional and orthodox Muslim He was less tolerant of other religions during his rule.	Aurangzeb was credited with substantially expanding the empire during his short rule. After his death, the empire began to fall.
Humayan	Babur’s son who inherited territories, defeated the Afghans and took back the Mughal throne.
Jagirs	The system of assignment of revenue in the Moghuls This system was put in place instead of paying salaries Took surplus revenue from farmers and gave it to the nobles	Once Akbar created the title of mansabdar they received payment through Jagirs
Bhakti - Tori	A new devotion of Hinduism that moves away from fire sacrifice Focuses on love and having a personal relationship with the divine Didn’t hope for a better rebirth but focused more on moksha Recognize that love is more natural than philosophy Allowed women to leave their husbands and homes in search of their divine husbands Sacred texts were primarily poems and hymns	Moved Hinduism away from traditional fire sacrifices Gave more freedom to those who practiced Hinduism. Was more accessible to people of lower castes.
Tamil- Akash & Wyatt & Wes	Tamil is a Dravidian language and is considered one of the oldest surviving classical languages in the world, with a literary tradition spanning over 2,000 years. One of the longest surviving languages from India, and spoken by the Tamil people. Tamil was used for trade merchants for a common language and there were many written records of the language.
Ramanuja	Ramanuja had certain opinions stating that “bhakti” itself appears as feminine He continued that Bhakti’s chief mood is the erotic seen almost entirely from an Indian woman's point of view
Purana	Characters as “the sweetest fruit of the Vedic Tree” Fifth Veda More influential on the ground in India than the Vedas themselves Introduced stories of goddesses across India	Significant to historical and religious value
Vishnu Allie	Known as “The preserver” Has many incarnations Part of the Hindu Trinity
Krishna-morgan	Krishna told the epic poem from the Bhagavad Gita Hindu god. He is the 8th avatar of Vishnu He is sometimes depicted as a child He is the god of compassion, love, and protection
Shiva	Believes he’s everything Hindu God Creator, destroyer, presenter Shaivism is the Hinduism sect based on worshiping Shiva Sometimes depicted as being blue	Shiva is significant because he is one of the major gods in Hinduism. Shiva also had a sect of the Hindu religion based on him.
Mahadevi
Mirabai	A Northern poet-saint, 16th century Had a vision of Krishna; vowed to be a bride for life Became a wandering poet devoted to her spiritual husband Poems criticized institutions of both marriage and renunciation	Challenged social norms, promoted love and devotion, and offered a model of faith and resistance to patriarchy
Chaitanya
Kabir- landon+wes+wyatt	15th-century Indian poet-saint, mystic, and spiritual figure lived between 1440 and 1518 CE Arabic term that refers to pride, ignorance Known as negative traits Kabir was a poet who influenced the bhakti movement with his writings. He was also against another term for the saint. His writing is found in the Sikhism scripture Guru Granth Sahib.	Kabir was a 15th-century who poet challenged the caste system and taught that God is formless and focused on love and personal devotion union His ideas inspired the Bhakti movement and helped change how people saw religion and social equality in India.
Jainism- morgan	-non-violence (not harming any living beings) -truthfulness, non-stealing (won't take anything unless it is willingly given to them) -non-attachment -The goal of Jainism is to achieve liberation of the soul by living rightly and following the three jewels of Jain ethic -samyagdarshana (right faith), samyagjnana (right knowledge), and samyakcharitra (right conduct)
Zoroastrian Allie	Followers of Zoroaster Believed that the world is a battle between good and evil Indian Zoroastrians are called Parsis. Believed people were judged on how well and badly they stood up for the forces of good
Carvaka
Malabar Christians- morgan	Indian Christians from the southwest coast of India are usually called the Malabar Christians.
Jesuits, Grace + Sarah	Portuguese colony of Goa on the West coast of India Roman Catholic Priests Believed to help others and seek God in all things	Work in education, social justice, and ministry
Hinduism	Cycle of life Death, rebirth, life Fueled by Karma Rajput were a large Hindu group during the time of the empire Moghul Dharma is a main component Refers to duty and jobs they must fulfill in the world	Influenced other religions and cultures around the world
Guru Nanak	Founded the religion Sikhism
Sikhism -marin landon elliott	Founded by Guru Nanak Sikh means learner A religion Sikhism is a religious movement started around the sixteenth century. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion Sikhs have many sacred religious texts. Sikhism is now mostly popular in Pakistan and northwestenr India.	Sikhism followed a tumultuous time in Hinduism, as the religion became more divided into specific factions and where personal love for (a specific) god was the main focus.
Adi Granth (Guru Granth).
Taj Mahal- allie	Mausoleum for Shah Jahan’s wife Includes a garden and reflecting pools Red sandstone White marble

UNIT 1: Religion and Art in the Mughal Empire