The Mughal Empire

A Vast Empire….

Ruling vast empire was just an Imagination

Mughal did that for a long period of time

Almost whole Indian Subcontinent

Who were the Mughals?

Mughals

Mother

Father

TIMUR GREAT GREAT

GREAT GRAND FATHER OF

BABUR

TIMUR Miran Shah Great

Great G. Father Abu Said G. Father

Sultan Muhammad Mirza Great G. Father

Umar Shaikh

Babur

Akbar

Shah Jahan

Humayu

Jahangir

Aurangzeb

TimurG.G.G.GrandFather

MuhammadMirzaGreatGrandFather

ABUSaidGrandFather

UmarShaikhFather

Babur Humayu Akbar Jahangir ShahJahan Aurangzeb

MiranShahG.GGrandFather

Mughal Military Campaigns

Babur, the first Mughal emperor succeeded to the throne if Ferghana in 1494.

He was forced to live his ancestral throne due to the invasion of Uzbegs.

In 1526, he defeated the Sultan of Delhi in the First battle of Panipat

BABUR 1526-1530

1526- defeated Ibrahim Lodi and his Afghan supporter at Panipat

1527- Defeated Rana Sanga at Khanua

1528 - Defeated the Rajputs at Chanderi

HUMAYUN 1530-1540 and 1555-1556

Divided his kingdom among his brother

Became weak against Afghan competitors.

Sher Khan defeated Humanyun at 1539 Chausa and 1540 Kanuj

Fled to Iran

Exile to Iran

HUMANYUN received the help of his friend Safavid Khan

Captured Delhi again in 1555.

AKBAR 1556-1605

He was only 13 years old when he became emperor

Barium Khan and supported him

Military campaign against Suris, Afghans, Malwa and Gondwana

Suppress revolt of his half brother Mirza Hakim and Uzbeks.

1568 - Sisodiya capital of CHittor

1569 - Ratambhor

1570 - 1585 - Military campaigns in Gujarat then in the east in Bihar, Bengal and Orissa

1585 - 1605 - Campaign in North West. Kandahar from Safavids,

Kashmir and Kabul

Campaign in Deccan - unto Ahmedanagar

In last few years his son Salim distracted.

Jahangir 1605 - 1627

Military campaigns were continued

The Sisodiya ruler and Amar Singh accepted Mughal service

Not effective against - Sikhs, the Ahoms and Ahmadnagar

Prince Khurram - Shah Jahan rebelled in the last years of his reign

Shah Jahan 1627-1658

Mughal campaigns continued in the Deccan

Khan Jahan Lodi rebelled and defeated

Campaigns against Ahmadnagar, achieved in 1632

Bundles were defeated and Orchha seized.

Qandhaw was lost to Safavids

In 1657-1658, Conflict over succession amongst Shah Jahan’s sons.

Aurangzeb was victorious

His three brothers - Dara Shukoh were killed

Shah Jahan was imprisoned in Agra.

Aurangzeb 1658-1707

Ahoms in NE were defeated in 1663

NW Successful temporarily against Yusufzai and Sikhs

Campaign against the Maratha - Shivaji

Prince Akbar rebelled against Aurangzeb

Sent armies to Deccan

Conquered Bijapur in 1685 and Golconda in 1687

1698 he personally managed the campaign in Deccan against the Marathas (Guerrilla warfare)

Rebellion in North India of the Sikhs, Jats and Satnamis

Conflict after his death among his sons.

Mughal Traditions of Succession

The Mughals did not believe in the rule of primogeniture

They followed the Mughal and Timurid custom of coparcenary

Division of the inheritance amongst all the sons

Mughal Relations with other rulers

Only campaign against those who refused to accept their authority.

As Mughal got power other rulers joined them

Many of them married their daughter in the Mughal families and received high positions.

Many resisted

The Sisodiya Rajputs refused to accept Mughal authority

Defeated, they were treated honorably

Balance of defeating but no humiliation policy with their opponents enabled the Mughals to extend their influence over many kings and chiefs.

Mansabdars and Jagirdars

Started recruiting Turkish, Iranians, Indian Muslims, Afghans, Rajputs, Maraths and other groups

Those who joined Mughal service were enrolled as Mansabdars.

Mans = Position or rank

They had grading system to to fix rank, salary, and military responsibilities

Grading System

Rank and salary were determined by a numerical value called zat.

Higer the zat, the more prestigious was the noble’s position in the court and the larger his salary.

Mansabdar’s Salary

Revenue assignments called Jagirs = iqtas

But they did not decide their Jagirs like iqtadars

They only had rights to the revenue of their assignments

Akbar carefully assessed the size of the jagirs so that mansabdars can get equal salary

Aurangzeb did not continue this system

increase in the number of mansabdars

Many jagirdars tried to extract as much revenue as possible while they has a jaguar

Aurangzeb was unable to control this

Peasants suffered tremendously.

Zat Ranking

Nobles with 5000 sat were ranked higher than 1000

In Akbar’s reign there were 29 mansabdars with a rank of 5,000 sat:

In Aurangzeb’s reign it increased from 29 to 79

Zabt and Zamindars

Main source of income available to Mughal was tax

Peasants paid taxes through rural elites / local chieftains /headman

All were called zamindars who collect the tax

Zabt and Zamindars Todar Mal

Todal Mal carried out a careful survey of crop yields, prices and areas cultivated for a ten - year period.

1570-1580, on the basis of data the tax was carried out

Each province was divided into revenue circles with its own schedule of revenue rates for individual crops

This revenue system is called zabt

Later in the end of 17th century sometimes peasants and zamindars allied in rebelling against Mughal authority

Akbar Nama and Ain -i Akbari

Akbar told his friend to write a history of his reign - Abul - Fazal

He wrote a three volume book titled. Akbar Nama

Three Volumes of Akbar Nama

1st volume - Akbar’s ancestors

2nd - volume - Events of Akbar’s reign

3rd volume - Ain - i Akbar deals with Akbar’s administration, household, army, revenue and geography of his empire,

Culture and traditions, of people

It has rich statistical details about things as diverse as crops, yields, prices, wages and revenues.

Akbar’s Policies

Military

Empire was divided into provinces called - Subas - Subadar

Subadar look after both political and military functions

Each provinces had a financial officer or Diwan

To support Subadar

Paymaster (bakhshi)

Minister in charge of religious and charitable patronage (Sadr)

Military commanders (Faujdars)

Town police commander (Kotwal)

They were loyal to Mughals until the end of 17th century

Religious

In 1570s he started religious discussion with the ulama, Brahmans, Jesuit priests from Roman Catholics, and Zoroastrians

Discussion at ibadat khana

He was interested knowing culture, social customs of different people.

He realized that religious scholars have dogma which were often bigots

Sulh-i kul

Universal peace

This idea of tolerant does not discriminate religions in his realm

His religion focused on Ethics, Honesty, Justice, Peace - that was universally applicable

The Mughal empire in the 17th century and after

Fabled land of wealth

Poverty existed side by side with the greatest opulence

During Shah Jahan’s reign out of 8,000 mansabdars only 445 were getting 61.5 % of revenue

Mughal emperors and mansabdars spent a lot on goods

Benefited artisans and peasantry who supplied goods and produce.

Scale of revenue collection left very little for investment in the hands of the primary producers

Artisans and peasant just had hand to mouth

Mughal elite became powerful eventually

As the authority of the Mughal emperor slowly declined these groups emerged as powerful centers of power in the regions

New dynasties were formed i.e. Awadh, Hyderabad,