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HISTORY OF INDIA IN 1400S Lush country many cities & temples Hindu lower classes labored for
Muslim/Hindu masters Gupta Empire collapsing 1st Ottomans (Timur the Lame)
conquers New Delhi, then… Huge clash between Hindus (India) & Muslims (Ottomans) Hindus won New Delhi is destroyed and weak
BABUR 1494 – 11 yr. old boy, BABUR, inherits kingdom in N. India But elders drove him away
He moved south & later set groundwork for MUGHAL EMPIRE
Strong & sensitive leader; “Renaissance Man”
Defeated massive RAJPUT army (“sons of kings” or Turkish warlords & moved into New Delhi
Area weak, so nomadic people invade India, called Mughals or “Mongols” (Muslim)
AKBAR: THE GOLDEN AGE
Grandson of Babur; aka “Great One”
1556 – 1605: comes to power, gains land & builds a unified Mughal Empire – Golden Age
He is a Muslim
AKBAR’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS Rules with religious tolerance
Abolishes special taxes on non-Muslims
Bureaucracy of educated officials rules efficiently
Reorganized taxes to represent % of crops (more $)
War-like – armies are equipped with heavy artillery
Employs some potential enemies
AKBAR’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS CONTINUED Cultural diffusion – many
cultures/languages combined Upper class spoke Persian Common people spoke Hindi (Persian &
local language) ; Army people spoke Urdu (Arabic, Persian & Hindi)
book illustrations – miniatures were detailed, colorful stories library & schools architecture – massive, graceful,
decorated with stonework of Hindu themes
JAHANGIR
Akbar dies in 1605; his son rules
aka “Grasper of the World”
weak ruler & relied on his wife, NUR JAHEN
Raises taxes & neglects people
Persecutes Sikhs religion that blends Buddhism, Hinduism, & mysticism
Ended religious toleration
SHAH JAHAN
Secured throne through assassination of all rivals
Greatest accomplishment: built TAJ MAHAL, tomb for his deceased wife, Mumtaz Mahal
BUT country suffered because spent so much time & money to build it increased taxes
AURANGZEB
Shah Jahan sick, so 3rd son, AURANGZEB, takes throne (kills brother & puts S. Jahan in
prison)
EXPANDS MUGHAL EMPIRE TO ITS GREATEST SIZE
BUT empire is weak because of oppression of his people (harsh laws & destroys temples)
EMPIRE’S DECLINE & DECAY Long line of weak rulers
Mughal Emperor now only wealthy figurehead
Empire no longer united because of corruption; now bunch of independent states
EUROPEANS MOVE IN TO TRADE Europeans (Portuguese, Dutch, French,
& English) had trading outposts in Mughal Empire the whole time Mughals not threatened by them
Aurangzeb gave them port of Bombay big mistake , BIG important city for trade in the future.
TRADE: British wanted Indian textiles, mostly COTTON & SPICES