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…
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