Mughal Empire

1526-1707Section 3

Babur “The Tiger” (1483-1530)• Who: Babur• What: Founder of the

Mughal Empire • India

• Why:• Built up army & took over

Delhi (1526)– First Gunpowder Empire

• Expanded empire• Laid foundations for great

Mughal Empire

HIS SON WASN’T GREAT.. SO HIS GRANDSON TOOK OVER…

Akbar “The Great” (1556-1605)• Why: • Developed bureaucracy

– Mansab, Mansabars (like regions & governors)• Improved taxes

– Land tax– Jizya – levied non-muslim taxes

• Religious Tolerance:• Hindu-Islam relations• Law codes

– Hindus stayed under their law-Dharmashastra – Muslims – Shari’a Law, Akbar – Court of last resort

• “Divine Faith” (his own religion)

• “Divine Faith”– All the world’s religions

wrapped up into one– Mainly based on Islam– Stressed loyalty to Emperor– Monotheistic– Also had parts of: Jainism,

Zoroastrianism, and Hinduism

The Last Three Emperors

1. Jahangir

• Akbar’s son• His wife was pretty much in charge..• Her dismissal of one of his sons led the son to

become Sikh = religious tension…

“Sikhs” (NC)• Who: religious group the Mughals were against• What: Non-violent religious group that blended

beliefs from Buddhism, Hinduism, & Sufism (Islamic Mysticism)

• Where: India• When: 1600s• Why:

– A Leader is a Guru- Sikhs are their disciples– They formed as a non-violent group that was a blend of

religions which the Islamic Mughals didn’t like = tension!

2. Shah Jahan (1628-1658)

• Why:• Military wars of

conquest– Expanded empire once

again– Put the empire back

together• Moved capital to Delhi• Est. Amazing

monuments... Such as…

The PeacockThrone

Red Fort

Taj Mahal

Where Shah Jahan lived

More on the “Why” to Shah Jahan..

• The monuments took $$$ to make• = people paid more taxes• = people • = famine & suffering!

3. Aurangzeb (1658-1707)• Who: Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan’s 3rd son & successor• What: Mughal leader that imprisoned his father, killed his

brothers & took over; Master at military strategy & aggressive empire builder

• Why:• Wars of conquest

– Empire expanded to greatest limits– too great = too $$$– Last great conqueror of Mughal history

• Oppressive on Hindus– more strict– Replaced Hindu temples– Taxes on Hindus– They had to obey Islamic law

• System started falling apart– Individual states rebelled

THE COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE 3:

The Dynastic State

• All Military creations• Rulers felt: land is their personal possessions• Emperors command the armies• Dismiss who they want at will• Grant land • Religion, ancestors- justify rules

Dynastic Changes

• Compete for succession• Mughals and Safavids kill• Ottomans isolate men in palaces

Economics

• Use crops from the Americas– Maize, potatoes

• Convinced tobacco is good for medicinal purposes

• Coffee houses develop– Moral decline

• Sultan outlaws them– Doesn’t work

Trade

• All had been centers of trade• Ottomans trade esp. w. France and GB• Safavid center= Isfahan• Mughals= traded w. all major Europeans

Population

• India- New crops and growing agricultural economy causes population to grow

• Ottoman Empire– Population skyrockets bc of expanding boundaries– Declines after 1700 bc of loss of territory

What about the Religious Minorities?

• People did not HAVE to convert to Islam• Paid tax (jizya)

– Akbar abolishes this– Auranhzeb reinstates it

• Protected people– Dhimmi

THE END…• Ottomans: Lost territories slowly first in

Egypt then Europeans and Russia got into it ends officially after WWI

• Safavids: Afghans block Isfahan Cannibalism Abdication Execution

• Mughals: Post-Aurangzeb= Rebellions– Invasions British rule