Mughal empire

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MUGHAL EMPIRE IN INDIA

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MUGHAL EMPIRE IN INDIA

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The Mughal era is a historic period of the Mughal Empire in South Asia (mainly Northern India, North Eastern Pakistan and Bangladesh).

It ended in several generations of conflicts between rival warlords.

Introduction

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The imperial family directly descended from two of the world’s greatest conquerors: Genghis Khan, founder of the largest contiguous empire in the history of the world; and the Amir, Taimurlong or Tamerlane the Great.

The direct ancestors of the Mughal emperors, at one point or another, directly ruled all areas from Eastern Europe to the Sea of Japan, and from the Middle East to Russian Plains.

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They also ruled some of the most powerful

states of the medieval world such as Turkey, Persia, India and China.

Their ancestors were further also credited with stabilizing the social, cultural and economic aspects of life between, Europe and Asia and opening the extensive trade route known as the Silk Road that connected various parts of the continent.

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Due to descent from Genghis Khan, the family was called Mughal, or mogul, persianized version of the former's clan(people) name Mongol.

The English word mogul (e.g. media mogul, business mogul) was coined by this dynasty, meaning influential or powerful, or a tycoon.

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From their descent from Tamerlane, also called the Amir, the family used the title of Mirza, shortened Amirzade, literally meaning 'born of the Amir'.

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The Mughal Empire ruled the Indian subcontinent from about 1526 to 1757.

At the height of their power in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, they controlled most of the subcontinent—extending from Bengal in the east to Baluchistan in the west, Kashmir in the north to the Kaveri basin in the south.

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Its population at that time has been estimated as between 110 and 150 million, over a territory of more than 3.2 million square kilometers (1.2 million square miles).

The Mughal Empire was one of the largest centralized states in pre-modern history and was the precursor to the British Indian Empire.

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The Mughal Empire lasted for more than three centuries.

The titles of the first of the six Mughal Emperors receive varying degrees of prominence in present-day Pakistan and India. 

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The burial places of the Emperors illustrate their expanding empire, as the first Emperor Babur, born in Uzbekistan is buried in Afghanistan, his sons and grandsons, namely Akbar the Great and Jahangir in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh respectively and later descendants, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb in Hindustan. The last Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar is buried in Burma.

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They were also a prominent influence of literature in Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali.

Mughal rulers created a powerful empire in which military might and artistic culture flourished.

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They have been continuously portrayed in many films, the most famous of which, multi-million dollar Mughal-e-Azam about Emperor Jahangir's love story; considered an Indian classic and epic film. 

The Bollywood film Jodhaa Akbar about Emperor Akbar's (Emperor Jahangir's father) love story.

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Emperor Jahangir's son was the Prince Khurram who later went on to become Emperor Shah Jahan and built one of the seven Wonders of the World, the famous Taj Mahal to memorialize his love for his wife.

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Babur•Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur (February 14, 1483 – December 26, 1530; sometimes also spelt Baber or Babar) was a conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty in the Indian Subcontinent and became the first Mughal emperor. Babur the first Mughal

Emperor

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Babur’s family tree

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Zahir ad-Din Muhammad (Persian:  ظهيرالدين-also known by his royal titles as al ,محمدṣultānu 'l-ʿazam wa 'l-ḫāqān al-mukkarram bādshāh-e ġāzī), is more commonly known by his nickname, Babur.

According to Stephen Frederic Dale, the name Babur, means “the tiger”, which has been borrowed by Turkish languages of central Asia.

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Babur was the eldest son of Amir Umar Shaykh Mirza, the son of Abu Saʿid Mirza (and grandson of Miran Shah, who was himself son of Timur) and his wife Qutlugh Nigar Khanum, daughter of Younus Khan, the ruler of Moghulistan (and great-great grandson of Abhavh Timur, the son of Esen Buqa II, who was the great-great-great grandson of Chaghatai Khan, the second born son of Genghis Khan).

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  Babur was a direct descendant of Timur

through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother; hence, he identified his lineage as Timurid and Chaghatay-Turkic.

 He was greatly influenced by Persian culture and this affected both his own actions and those of his successors, giving rise to a significant expansion of the  Persianate ethos in the Indian subcontinent.

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Although Babur hailed from the Barlas tribe which was of Mongol origin, his tribe had embraced Turkic and Persian culture, converted to Islam and resided in Turkestan and Khorasan. 

His mother tongue was the Chaghatai language(known to Babur as Turki, "Turkic") and he was equally at home in Persian, the lingua franca of the Timurid elite.

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Hence Babur, though nominally a Mongol (or Moghul), drew much of his support from the local Turkic and Iranian peoples of Central Asia, and his army was diverse in its ethnic makeup, including Tajiks(Sarts as called by Babur), Pashtuns, Arabs, as well as Barlas and Chaghatayid Turco-Mongols from Central Asia.

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  Babur's army also

included Qizilbash fighters, a militant religious order of Shi'a Sufis from Safavid Persia who later became one of the most influential groups in the Mughal court.

Babur is said to have been extremely strong and physically fit.

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He could allegedly carry two men, one on each of his shoulders, and then climb slopes on the run, just for exercise.

Legend holds that Babur swam across every major river he encountered, including twice across the Ganges River in North India. His passions could be equally strong.

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 He quit drinking alcohol before the Battle of Khanwa, only two years before his death for health reasons, and demanded that his court do the same.

 But he did not stop chewing narcotic preparations, and did not lose his sense of irony.

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The Mughal Emperor Babur at hunting expedition alongside his troops.

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After Babur fell seriously ill, Humayun was told of a plot by the senior nobles of Babur's court to bypass the leader's sons and appoint Mahdi Khwaja, Babur's sister's husband, as his successor.

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He rushed to Agra and arrived there to see his father was well enough again, although Mahdi Khwaja had lost all hope of becoming ruler after arrogantly exceeding his authority during Babur's illness.

Upon his arrival in Agra it was Humayun himself who fell ill, and was close to dying.

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Babur treated by doctor during serious illness

Babur is said to have circled the sick-bed, crying to God to take his life and not his son's.

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The traditions that follow this tell that Babur soon fell ill with a fever and Humayun began to get better again.

 His last words apparently being to his son, Humayun, "Do nothing against your brothers, even though they may deserve it."

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He died at the age of 47 on January 5, 1531, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Humayun.

Though he wished to be buried in his favourite garden in Kabul, a city he had always loved, he was first buried in a mausoleum in the capital city of Agra.

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 His remains were later moved to Bagh-e Babur (Babur Gardens) in Kabul, Afghanistan.

 The Persian inscription on his tomb there translates as "If there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this!

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Babur is considered a national hero in Uzbekistan  and Kyrgyzstan, and is held in high esteem in Afghanistan.

In October 2005 the Pakistan military developed the Babur (cruise missile), named in honour of him.

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Humayun

The second Mughal emperor Humayun

Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal emperor.

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The Mughal Empire during the reign of Humayun.

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Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun ( Full name: Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Jam-i-Sultanat-i-haqiqi wa Majazi, Sayyid al-Salatin, Abu'l Muzaffar Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun Padshah Ghazi, Zillu'llah.)

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He was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556.

Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one.

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An image from an album commissioned by Shah Jahan shows Humayun sitting beneath a tree in his garden in India.

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On the eve of his death in 1556, the Mughal empire spanned almost one million square kilometers.

He originally ascended the throne at the age of 22 and was somewhat inexperienced when he came to power.

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Humayun lost Mughal territories to the Pashtun noble, Sher Shah Suri, and, with Persian aid, regained them 15 years later.

Subsequently, in a very short time, Humayun was able to expand the Empire further, leaving a substantial legacy for his son, Akbar.

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His peaceful personality, patience and non-provocative methods of speech earned him the title’Insān-i-Kamil (‘Perfect Man’), among the Mughals.

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The Zamburak (Camel gun) was introduced from Persia as a major weapon in the Mughal Empire by Humayun.

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Humayun was portrayed in the biography Humayun-nama written by his sister Gulbadan Begum, as being extraordinarily lenient, constantly forgiving acts which were deliberately aimed at angering him.

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In one instance the biography records that his youngest brother Hindal killed Humayun's most trusted advisor, an old Sheikh, and then marched an army out of Agra.

Humayun, rather than seek retribution, went straight to his mother's home where Gulbadan Begum was, bearing no grudge against his younger brother, and insisted he return home.

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He was interested in poetry and fascinated by Astrology and the Occult.

Upon his accession as Padishah (Emperor), he began to re-organize the administration upon mystically determined principles.

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The public offices were divided into four distinct groups, for the four elements.

The department of Earth was to be in charge of Agriculture and the agricultural sciences, Fire was to be in charge of the Military, Water was the department of the Canals and waterways while Air seemed to have responsibility for everything else.

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His daily routine was planned in accordance with the movements of the planets, so too was his wardrobe.

He refused to enter a house with his left foot going forward, and if anyone else did they would be told to leave and re-enter.

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His servant, Jauhar, records in the Tadhkirat al-Waqiat that he was known to shoot arrows to the sky marked with either his own name, or that of the Shah of Persia and, depending on how they landed, interpreted this as an indication of which of them would grow more powerful.

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Upon his succession to the throne, Humayun had two major rivals interested in acquiring his lands — Sultan Bahadur of Gujarat to the south west and Sher Shah Suri (Sher Khan) currently settled along the river Ganges in Bihar to the east. 

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Humayun’s first campaign was to confront Sher Khan Suri.

Halfway through the counter offensive Humayun had to abandon it and concentrate on Gujarat, where a threat from Ahmed Shah had to be squelched.

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In this he succeeded and annexed Gujarat and Malwa. Champaner and the great fort of Mandu followed next.

During the first five years of Humayun's reign, these two rulers were quietly extending their rule, although Sultan Bahadur faced pressure in the east from sporadic conflicts with the Portuguese.

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Humayun was made aware that the Sultan of Gujarat was planning an assault on the Mughal territories with Portuguese aid.

Showing an unusual resolve, Humayun gathered an army and marched on Bahadur.

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The Mughal Emperor Humayun, fights Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, in the year 1535.

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His assault was spectacular and within a month he had captured the forts of Mandu and Champaner.

However, instead of pressing his attack and going after the enemy, Humayun ceased the campaign and began to enjoy life in his new forts. Bahadur, meanwhile escaped and took up refuge with the Portuguese.

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Copper coin of Humayun

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Sher Shah Suri

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Shortly after Humayun had marched on Gujarat, Sher Shah saw an opportunity to wrest control of Agra from the Mughals.

He began to gather his army together hoping for a rapid and decisive siege of the Mughal capital.

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Upon hearing this alarming news, Humayun quickly marched his troops back to Agra allowing Bahadur to easily regain control of the territories Humayun had recently taken.

A few months later, however, Bahadur was dead, killed when a botched plan to kidnap the Portuguese viceroy ended in a fire-fight which the Sultan lost.

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Whilst Humayun succeeded in protecting Agra from Sher Shah, the second city of the Empire, Gaur the capital of the vilayat of Bengal, was sacked.

Humayun's troops had been delayed while trying to take Chunar, a fort occupied by Sher Shah's son, in order to protect his troops from an attack from the rear.

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Sher Khan's Army, under the command of Khulas Khan Marwat, then established a monarchy in Delhi with Sher Khan ruling under the title Sher Shah Suri; he ruled from 1540 to 1545.

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Sher Shah Suri consolidate hi realm from Punjab  to Bengal (he was the first conqueror to enter Bengal since Ala-ud-din Khilji; more than two centuries earlier).

He is credited with having organized and administered the government and military in such a manner that future Mughal kings used it as their own models.

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He also added to the fort in Delhi , first started by Humayun, and now known as the Purana Qila (Old Fort).

The Masjid Qila-i-Kuhna inside the fort is a masterpiece of the period, though only parts of it have survived.

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Sher Shah Suri died from a gunpowder explosion during the siege of Kalinjar fort on May 22, 1545 fighting against the Chandel Rajputs.

His charred remains were interred in a tomb at Sasaram (in present day Bihar), midway between Varanasi and Bodh Gaya.

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Although rarely visited, future great Mughal builders such as Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan would emulate the architecture of this tomb.

The massive palace-like mausoleum stands at 37 metres and three stories high.

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Sher Shah’s son Islam Shah held on to power until 1553 but following his death the Sur dynasty lost most of its influence due to strife and famine.

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Humayun was a keen astronomer, and in fact was killed after falling down the stairs of his own library in 1556.

Thus Humayun ruled in India for barely ten years and died at the age of forty-eight, leaving behind the then only thirteen-year-old Akbar as his heir.

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As a tribute to his father, Akbar later built a tomb in Humayun's honour in Delhi (completed in 1571), from red sandstone.

Humayun's Tomb would become the precursor of future Mughal architecture.

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Akbar’s mother and Humayun’s wife Hamida Banu Begum personally supervised the building of the tomb in his birthplace.

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Humayun’s Tomb

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Akbar

Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar also known as Shahanshah Akbar-e-Azam or Akbar the Great (14 October 1542  – 27 October 1605), was the third Mughal Emperor.

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Predecessor: Humayun

Successor :Jahangir

Regent : Bairam Khan (1556–1561)

Spouse : 30 wives including Mariam-uz-Zamani

IssueJahangir, Murad, Danyal, 6 daughters others

Full nameAbu'l-Fath Jalal ud-din Muhammad Akbar I

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House : Timurid

Father : Humayun

Mother : Hamida Banu Begum

Born : 14 October 1542 Umerkot, Sind

Died : 27 October 1605 (aged 63) Fatehpur Sikri, Agra

Burial : Sikandra, Agra

Religion : Din-i-Ilahi

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Mughal Empire at the death of Akbar

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The great Mughal emperor Akbar the great was third most powerful emperor.

He was of Timurid descent; the son of Emperor Humayun, and the grandson of the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India.

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At the end of his reign in 1605 the Mughal empire covered most of northern and central India.

He is most appreciated for having a liberal outlook on all faiths and beliefs and during his era, culture and art reached a zenith as compared to his predecessors.

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Akbar was 13 years old when he ascended the Mughal throne in Delhi (February 1556), following the death of his father Humayun. 

During his reign, he eliminated military threats from the powerful Pashtun descendants of Sher Shah Suri, and at the Second Battle of Panipat he decisively defeated the newly self-declared Hindu king Hemu.

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It took him nearly two more decades to consolidate his power and bring all the parts of northern and central India into his direct realm.

He influenced the whole of the Indian Subcontinent as he ruled a greater part of it as an emperor.

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As an emperor, Akbar solidified his rule by pursuing diplomacy with the powerful Hindu Rajput caste, and by marrying Rajput princesses.

Akbar's reign significantly influenced art and culture in the country.

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He was a great patron of art and architecture. He took a great interest in painting, and had the walls of his palaces adorned with murals.

Besides encouraging the development of the Mughal school, he also patronized the European style of painting.

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He was fond of literature, and had several Sanskrit works translated into Persian and Persian scriptures translated in Sanskrit apart from getting many Persian works illustrated by painters from his court.

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During the early years of his reign, he showed intolerant attitude towards Hindus and other religions, but later exercised tolerance towards non-Islamic faiths by rolling back some of the strict sharia laws.

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His administration included numerous Hindu landlords, courtiers and military generals.

He began a series of religious debates where Muslim scholars would debate religious matters with Hindus, Jains, Zoroastrians and Portuguese Roman Catholic Jesuits.

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He treated these religious leaders with great consideration, irrespective of their faith, and revered them.

He not only granted lands and money for the mosques but the list of the recipients included a huge number Hindu temples in north and central India, Christian churches in Goa.

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Akbar as a boy

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Akbar on a Elephant

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Akbar was known in his own time as a military genius. Due to the constant state of war between the Hindu Rajputs and the Mughal Empire, particularly after the wounding of the Mughal commander Khan Kilan by Rajput nobles in the year 1572, Akbar began to utilize the Kitar alongside the Mughal Talwars in battle.

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The latest Matchlocks were mass produced by the finest craftsmen and effectively employed during various conflicts. Akbar also ordered the manufacture of the finest chain-plate armors other protections that made his war elephants and Sowars invincible in combat.

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Akbar also began to utilize metal cylinder rockets known as bans particularly against war elephants, during the Battle of Sanbal.

Akbar also began to believe that war elephants were the keys to military success, he believed that a single "Armored Elephant" was equal to 500 Sowars at the center of the battlefield.

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Akbar also noted that elephants have the ability to move through the densest of forests clearing through woods and paving way for both the Sepoys, Sowars and

Canons.

 

Akbar personally owned 5000 well trained elephants and recorded the use of almost 40,000 across his Mughal Empire.

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Akbar is also known to have replaced pairs of elephant tusks with a pair of double-curved Tusk Swords.

War elephants were also used to carry out executions of those who fought against the Mughal Emperor.

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Akbar was the first to place advanced swivel guns and cannons atop of Howdahs, thus combining firepower and mobility on the battlefield and sieges.

The Mughal Emperor Akbar also distributed crescent military standards and kettledrums to his finest servicemen.

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The court of young Akbar, age 13, showing his

first imperial act: the arrest of an unruly courtier, who was once a

favorite of Akbar's father.

Illustration from a manuscript of the Akbarnama.

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Great conquests

Akbar decided early in his reign that he should conquer the threat of Sher Shah's dynasty, and decided to lead an army against the strongest of the three, Sikandar Shah Suri, in the Punjab. He left Delhi under the regency of Tardi Baig Khan.

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Sikandar Shah Suri presented no major concern for Akbar, and often withdrew from territory as Akbar approached.

The Hindu king Hemu, however, commanding the Afghan forces, defeated the Mughal Army and captured Delhi on 6 October 1556.

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Urged by Bairam Khan, who remarshalled the Mughal army before Hemu could consolidate his position, Akbar marched on Delhi to reclaim it. 

Akbar's army, led by Bairam Khan, met the larger forces of Hemu on November 5, 1556 at the Second Battle of Panipat, 50 miles (80 km) north of Delhi.

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The battle was going in Hemu's favour when an arrow pierced Hemu's eye, rendering him unconscious. The leaderless army soon capitulated and Hemu was captured and executed.

The victory also left Akbar with over 1,500 war elephants which he used to re-engage Sikandar Shah at the siege of Choopa.

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Sikandar, along with several local chieftains who were assisting him, surrendered and so was spared death.

With this, the whole of Punjab was annexed to the Mughal empire.

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Before returning to Agra, Akbar sent a detachment of his army to Jammu, which defeated the ruler Raja Kapur Chand and captured the kingdom.

 Between 1558 and 1560, after moving the capital from Delhi to Agra, Akbar further expanded the empire by capturing and annexing the kingdoms of Gwalior, northern Rajputana and Jaunpur.

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Akbar’s first major conquest was of Malwa in 1561, an expedition that was led by Adham Khan and carried out with such savage cruelty that it resulted in a backlash from the kingdom enabling its ruler Baz Bahadur to recover the territory while Akbar was dealing with the rebellion of Bairam Khan.

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 Subsequently, Akbar sent another detachment which captured Malwa in 1562, and Baz Bahadur eventually surrendered to the Mughals and was made an administrator by Akbar.

Around the same time, the Mughal army also conquered the kingdom of the Gonds, after a fierce battle between Asaf Khan, the Mughal governor of Allahabad, and Rani Durgavati queen of the Gonds.

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Over the course of Akbar's conquest of Malwa, he brought most of present-day Rajasthan, Gujarat and Bengal under his control, but Akbar believed that Chittorgarh Fort was a major threat to Mughal Empire because it housed Rajputs who were considered sworn enemies of the Mughals, in the year 1567 Akbar began to gather his forces who were briefly interrupted during the Battle of Thanesar, but by autumn Akbar was prepared to mount his siege.

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Chittorgarh Fort was ruled by Udai Singh who often gave refuge to the enemies of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Udai Singh's kingdom was of great strategic importance as it lay on the shortest route from Agra to Gujarat and was also considered a key to central Rajasthan.

Fearing Akbar's impending assault Udai Singh retired to the hills, leaving two warriors Jaimal and Patta in charge of the fort.

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In October 1567, the Mughal army of approximately 5000 men led by Akbar surrounded and besieged 8000 Hindu Rajputs during the Siege of Chittorgarh and within a few months Akbar's ranks expanded to over 50,000 men.

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After an arduous siege Akbar ordered his men and augmented them to lift baskets of earth in order to create a hill in front of the fort by which the Mughal Cannons could be placed. 

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As the Mohur Hill was completed Akbar placed his cannons and mortars near its tip, he then organized his sappers to plant mines under the heavy stone walls of the fortress of Chittor, but the mines exploded prematurely during an assault killing about a hundred Mughal Sowars, as the siege continued it is believed that a shot from Akbar's own Matchlock wounded or killed the commander of the already demoralized Hindu Rajputs.

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The fortress of Chittor finally fell on February 1568 after a siege of four months. The fort was then stormed by the Mughal forces, and a fierce resistance was offered by members of the garrison stationed inside.

Akbar then ordered the heads of his enemies to be displayed upon towers erected throughout the region, in order to demonstrate his authority.

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When the Rajput women were ordered to commit Jauhar (self immolation), Akbar had realized that victory was near and the Mughals launched their final assault over 30,000 inhabitants of Chittorgarh Fort were killed by the victorious Mughal army.

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Silver coin of Akbar with

inscriptions of the Islamic

declaration of faith, the

declaration reads: "There is none worthy of worship but

Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger

of Allah."

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Administration Akbar's system of central government was

based on the system that had evolved since the Delhi Sultanate, but the functions of various departments were carefully reorganized by laying down detailed regulations for their functioning

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The revenue department was headed by a wazir, responsible for all finances and management of jagir and inam lands.

The head of the military was called the mir bakshi, appointed from among the leading nobles of the court. The mir bakshi was in charge of intelligence gathering, and also made recommendations to the emperor for military appointments and promotions.

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The mir saman was in charge of the imperial household, including the harems, and supervised the functioning of the court and royal bodyguard.

The judiciary was a separate organization headed by a chief qazi, who was also responsible for religious

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Square rupee of Akbar

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Din-I-Illahi Akbar was deeply interested in religious and

philosophical matters.

An orthodox Muslim at the outset, he later came to be influenced by Sufi mysticism that was being preached in the country at that time, and moved away from orthodoxy, appointing to his court several talented people with liberal ideas, including Abul Fazl, Faizi and Birbal.

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In 1575, he built a hall called the Ibadat Khana ("House of Worship") at Fatehpur Sikri, to which he invited theologians, mystics and selected courtiers renowned for their intellectual achievements and discussed matters of spirituality with them.

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Akbar holds a religious assembly of different faiths in the Ibadat Khana in Fatehpur Sikri.

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These discussions, initially restricted to Muslims, were acrimonious and resulted in the participants shouting at and abusing each other.

Upset by this, Akbar opened the Ibadat Khana to people of all religions as well as atheists, resulting in the scope of the discussions broadening and extending even into areas such as the validity of the Quran and the nature of God.

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This shocked the orthodox theologians, who sought to discredit Akbar by circulating rumours of his desire to forsake Islam.

Akbar's choices, decisions, decrees, discussions and regulations on religious matters even caused some of his brilliant courtiers like Qutb-ud-din Khan Koka and Shahbaz Khan Kamboh to criticize the emperor in the court.

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It has been argued that the theory of Din-i-Ilahi being a new religion was a misconception which arose due to erroneous translations of Abul Fazl's work by later British historians.

 However, it is also accepted that the policy of sulh-e-kul, which formed the essence of Din-i-Ilahi, was adopted by Akbar not merely for religious purposes, but as a part of general imperial administrative policy.

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Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak presenting Akbarnama to Akbar, Mughal

miniature.

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Death On 3 October 1605, Akbar fell ill with an

attack of dysentery, from which he never recovered.

He is believed to have died on or about 27 October 1605, after which his body was buried at a mausoleum in Sikandra, Agra.

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Gate of Akbar's mausoleum at Sikandra, Agra, 1795.

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Salim Nuruddin Jahangir (full title: Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Khushru-i-Giti Panah, Abu'l-Fath Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi [Jannat-Makaani]).

The

4th

Mug

hal Empe

ror

Jaha

ngir

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Reign: 15 October 1605 – 8 November 1627

Coronation:24 October 1605, Agra

Predecessor: Akbar

Successor: Shah Jahan

Spouse: Manbhawati Bai Taj Bibi Bilqis Makani Nur Jahan

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Issue: Nisar Begum Khusrau Mirza Parwez Bahar Banu Begum Shah Jahan Shahryar Jahandar

House: Timurid

Father: Akbar

Mother: Mariam uz-Zamani

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Born20 September 1569, Fatehpur Sikri

Died8 November 1627 (aged 58)Chingarhsiri

Burial: Tomb of Jahangir

Religion: Islam

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Jahangir was born 20 September 1569 was the fourth ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death in 1627. The name Jahangir is from Persianجهانگیر, meaning "Conqueror of the World".

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Nur-ud-din or Nur al-Din is an Arabic name that means "Light of the Faith". Born as Prince Muhammad Salim and nicknamed Sheykhu Baba, he was the third and eldest surviving son of Mogul Emperor Akbar.

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Akbar's twin sons, Hasan and Hussain, died in infancy.

His mother was the Rajput Princess of Amber, Jodhabai (born Rajkumari Hira Kunwari, eldest daughter of Raja Bihar Mal or Bharmal, Raja of Amber, India). Jahangir was a child of many prayers.

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It is said to be by the blessing of Shaikh Salim Chishti (one of the revered sages of his times) that Akbar's first surviving child, the future Jahangir, was born.

The child was named Salim after the dervish and was affectionately addressed by Akbar as Sheikhu Baba.

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Akbar developed an emotional attachment to the village Sikri (abode of Chishti). Thereafter, he developed the town of Sikri and shifted his imperial court and residence from Agra to Sikri, later renamed as Fatehpur Sikri.

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Shaikh Salim Chishti's daughter was Jahangir's foster mother; this was a gesture of respect and gratitude to the Shaikh. Jahangir's foster brother Nawab Kutb-ud-din Khan was private secretary to the emperor Jahangir and afterwards governor of Bengal.

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Nawab Kutb-ud-din Khan's son Nawab Mohtashim Khan was granted by Jahangir 4,000 bigas of land in Badaun District (United Provinces), where he built a small fort named Sheikhupur, Badaun after Jahangir, who was called Sheikhu-baba in his childhood.

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Emperor Jahangir once said about Kashmir: "Agar Firdaws ba roy-i zamin ast, hamin ast-u hamin ast-u hamin ast,” meaning, “If there is Paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this."

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Heavy rupee of Jahangir

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ReignDuring his reign, there was a significant increase in the size of the Mughal Empire, half a dozen rebellions were crushed, prisoners of war were released, and the work of his father, Akbar, continued to flourish.

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Much like his father, Jahangir was dedicated to the expansion of Mughal held territory through conquest.

During this regime he would target the peoples of Assam near the eastern frontier and bring a series of territories controlled by independent rajas in the Himalayan foothills from Kashmir to Bengal.

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Jahangir would challenge the hegemonic claim over Afghanistan by the Safavid rulers with an eye on Kabul, Peshawar and Kandahar which were important centers of the central Asian trade system that northern India operated within.

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In 1622, Jahangir would send his son Prince Khurram against forces of  Ahmednagar, Bijapur and Golconda. After his victory Khurram would turn against his father and make a bid for power.

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As with the insurrection of his eldest son Khusraw, Jahangir was able to defeat the challenge from within his family and retain power.

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Jahangir in Darbar

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Jahangir promised to protect Islam and granted general amnesty to his opponents. He was also notable for his patronage of the arts, especially of painting.

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During his reign the distinctive style of Mughal painting expanded and blossomed. Jahangir supported a flourishing culture of court painters.

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Jahangir is most famous for his golden "chain of justice." The chain was set up as a link between his people and Jahangir himself.

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Standing outside the castle of Agra with sixty bells, anyone was capable of pulling the chain and having a personal hearing from Jahangir himself.

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Mughal Emperor Jahangir on an elephant, Howdah

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Marriage Salim was made a Mansabdar of ten thousand(Das-Hazari), the highest military rank of the empire, after the emperor.

He independently commanded a regiment in the Kabul campaign of 1581, when he was barely twelve.

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The marriage with Manbhawati Bai took place on 13 February 1585. Manbhawati gave birth to Khusrau Mirza. 

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Thereafter, Salim was allowed to marry, in quick succession, a number of accomplished girls from the aristocratic Mughal and Rajput families.

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One of his favourite wives was a Rajput Princess, known as Jagat Gosain and Princess Manmati, who gave birth to Prince Khurram, the future Shah Jahan, Jahangir's successor to the throne.

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The total number of wives in his harem was more than eight hundred.

Jahangir married the extremely beautiful and intelligent Mehr-ul-Nisa (better known by her subsequent title of Nur Jahan), in May 1611.

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She was the widow of Sher Afghan.

She was witty, intelligent and beautiful, which was what attracted Jahangir to her.

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Before being awarded the title of Nur Jahan ('Light of the World'), she was called Nur Mahal ('Light of the Palace').

Her abilities are said to range from fashion designing to hunting.

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Nur Jahan

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The story of Nur Jahan occupies an important place in the history of Jahangir. She was the widow of a rebel officer, Sher Afghan, of Mughals.

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The story of Nur Jahan occupies an important place in the history of Jahangir. She was the widow of a rebel officer, Sher Afghan, of Mughals.

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But there is no evidence to prove that he was guilty of that crime; in fact most travelers' reports say that he met her after Sher Afghan's death.

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According to poet and author Vidya Dhar Mahajan, Nur Jahan had a piercing intelligence, a versatile temper and sound common sense. She possessed great physical strength and courage.

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She went on hunting tours with her husband, and on more than one occasion shot and killed ferocious tigers.

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She was devoted to Jahangir and he forgot all about the world and entrusted all the work of the government to her.

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The loss of Kandahar was due to Prince Khurram's refusal to obey her orders.

When the Persians besieged Kandahar, Nur Jahan was at the helm of affairs.

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She ordered Prince Khurram to march for Kandahar, but the latter refused to do so.

There is no doubt that the refusal of the prince was due to her behaviour towards him.

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She was favouring her son-in-law, Shahryar, at the expense of Khurram.

Khurram suspected that in his absence, Shahryar might be given promotion and he might die on the battlefield.

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It was this fear which forced Khurram to rebel against his father rather than fight against the Persians and thereby Kandahar was lost to the Persians.

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Nur Jahan struck coins in her own name during the last years of Jahangir's reign when he was taken ill.

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• Jahangir receives Prince Khurram on his return from the Deccan (10 October 1617)

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DeathHe was trying to restore it by visiting Kashmir and Kabul. He went from Kabul to Kashmir but returned to Lahore on account of a severe cold.

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Jahangir died on the way back from Kashmir near Sarai Saadabad in 1627. To preserve his body, the entrails were removed and buried in the Chingus Fort, Kashmir. 

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The body was then transferred to Lahore to be buried in Shahdara Bagh, a suburb of Lahore, Punjab. He was succeeded by his third son, Prince Khurram who took the title of Shah Jahan.

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Jahangir's elegant mausoleum is located in the Shahdara locale of Lahore and is a popular tourist attraction in Lahore.

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Jahangir's Mausoleum in Shahdara, Lahore

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Shah Jahan

The 4th Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.

Shah Jahan  was emperor of the Mughal Empire in South Asia from 1628 until 1658.

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Predecessor: Jahangir Successor: Aurangzeb Spouse: Mumtaz Mahal

Akbarabadi Mahal Kandahari Mahal

Issue: Jahanara Begum Dara Shikoh Shah Shuja Roshanara Begum Aurangzeb Murad Baksh Gauhara Begum

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House: Timurid Father: Jahangir Mother: Taj Bibi Bilqis Makani Born: 5 January 1592 Lahore, Mughal

Empire(now in Pakistan) Died: 22 January 1666 (aged 74)

Agra, Mughal Empire(now In Uttar Pradesh, India) Religion: Islam

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The full title as Emperor of the Mughal Empire was: Shahanshah Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Malik-ul-Sultanat, Ala Hazrat Abu'l-Muzaffar Shahab ud-din Muhammad Shah Jahan I, Sahib-i-Qiran-i-Sani, Padshah Ghazi Zillu'llah, Firdaus-Ashiyani, Shahanshah—E--Sultanant Ul Hindiya Wal Mughaliya

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The name Shah Jahan comes from Persian, meaning "Ruler of Everywhere".

He was the fifth Mughal emperor after Babur, Humayun, Akbar and Jahangir.

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While young, he was the favourite of his legendary grandfather, Akbar the Great.

At a young age, he was chosen as successor to the Mughal throne after the death of Emperor Jahangir.

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He succeeded to the throne upon his father's death in 1627. He is considered to be one of the greatest Mughals.

His reign has been called the Golden Age of the Mughals and one of the most prosperous ages of Indian civilization. 

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Like Akbar, he was eager to expand his vast empire. In 1658, he fell ill and was confined by his son Emperor Aurangzeb in Agra Fort until his death in 1666.

The period of his reign was the golden age of Mughal architecture. 

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Shah Jahan erected many splendid monuments, the most famous of which is the Taj Mahal at Agra, built in 1632-1648 as a tomb for his beloved wife, Empress Mumtaz Mahal.

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The Moti Masjid, Agra and many other buildings in Agra, the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid in Delhi, mosques in Lahore, extensions to Lahor Fort and a mosque in Thatta also commemorate him. 

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The famous Takht-e-Taus or the Peacock Throne, said to be worth millions of dollars by modern estimates, also dates from his reign. He was also the founder of the new imperial capital called Shahjahanabad, now known as Old Delhi.

Other important buildings of Shah Jahan's rule were the Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas in the Red Fort Complex in Delhi and the Moti Masjid in the Lahore Fort.

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Shah Jahan is also believed to have had the most refined of the tastes in the arts and architecture, and is credited with having commissioned about 777 gardens in Kashmir, his favourite summer residence.

A few of these gardens survive, attracting thousands of tourists every year.

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Early years Baadshah Shah Jahan was born as Prince

Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram, on January 5 (Julian), 1592 in Lahore, Pakistan as the third and favourite son of the emperor Jahangir from his Rajput wife Gossaini.

The name Khurram-Persian for 'joyful'-was given by his grandfather Akbar.

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His early years saw him receive a cultured, broad education and he distinguished himself in the martial arts and as a military commander while leading his father's armies in numerous campaigns against Mewar (1615), the Deccan Sultanates (1617 and 1621), Kangra Fort(1618).

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He was responsible for most of the territorial gains during his father's reign. Shah Jahan was also very well known and praised for his bravery, as a young man he is known to have rescued an imperial serviceman from ambushing lions.

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He also demonstrated a precocious talent for building, impressing his father Jahangir at the age of 16 when he built his quarters within his great grandfather the Mughal Emperor Babur's Kabul fort and redesigned buildings within Agra fort. He also carries universally famous titles such as "The builder of marvels ".

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Shah Jahan was also chosen by his father Jahangir to acknowledge the statesmanship and administration in the Mughal Empire.

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Marriage

In 1607, Prince Khurram, also known as Shah Jahan, was betrothed to Arjumand Banu Begum who was just 14 years old at the time. She was also the niece of the famous queen of Nur Mahal. She would become the unquestioned love of his life.

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They would, however, have to wait five years before they were married in 1612, on a date selected by the court astrologers as most conducive to ensuring a happy marriage.

After their wedding celebrations, Khurram "finding her in appearance and character elect among all the women of the time," gave her the title Mumtaz Mahal (Jewel of the Palace).

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Mumtaz Mahal had 14 children. Despite her frequent pregnancies, she travelled with Shah Jahan's entourage throughout his earlier military campaigns and the subsequent rebellion against his father.

Mumtaz Mahal was utterly devoted—she was his constant companion and trusted confidante and their relationship was intense.

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She is portrayed by Shah Jahan's chroniclers as the perfect wife with no aspirations to political power.

This is in direct opposition to how her aunt Nur Jahan had been perceived. Mumtaz died in Burhanpur in 1631, while giving birth to their fourteenth child, a healthy baby girl. 

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She had been accompanying her husband while he was fighting a campaign in the Deccan Plateau.

Her body was temporarily buried at Burhanpur in a walled pleasure garden known as Zainabad, originally constructed by Shah Jahan's uncle Daniyal on the bank of the Tapti River.

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Silver coin’s of shah Jahan

Silver coin of five rupee

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Silver coin of four rupee

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Silver coin of three rupee

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Silver coin of two rupee

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Copper dam

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Contribution to architecture Shah Jahan left behind a grand legacy of

structures constructed during his reign. He was one of the greatest patrons of Islamic architecture.

His most famous building was the Taj Mahal, now a wonder of the world, which he built out of love for his wife the empress Mumtaz Mahal.

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Its structure was drawn with great care and architects from all over the world were called for this purpose.

The building took twenty years to complete and was constructed from white marble underlaid with brick.

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Upon his death, his son Aurangzeb had him interred in it next to Mumtaz Mahal. Among his other constructions are the Red Fort also called the Delhi Fort or Lal Qila in Urdu, large sections of Agra Fort, the Jama Masjid, the Wazir Khan Mosque, the Moti Masjid, the Shalimar Gardens, sections of the Lahore Fort, the Jahangir mausoleum—his father's tomb, the construction of which was overseen by his stepmother Nur Jahan and the Shahjahan Mosque.

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Taj Mahal

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Jama Masjid, Delhi one of the largest mosques in the Mughal Empire was completed during the reign of Shah Jahan.

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The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan died on 22 January, 1666, in Agra.

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Auranzgeb

The sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

Abul Muzaffar Muhiu 'd-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir( Hindi: अबु�ल मु�ज़फ्फर मु�हि�उद्दी�न मु��म्मुद और�गज़�बु आलमुग�र).

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The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb known as “conquer of the world” was the sixth Mughal Emperor, whose reign lasted for 49 years, from 1658 until his death in 1707.

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Aurangzeb was a notable expansionist and was also among the wealthiest of the previous Mughal rulers with an annual yearly tribute of £38,624,680 (in the year 1690), during his lifetime victories in the south expanded the Mughal Empire to more than 1.25 million square miles, he ruled over more than 150 million subjects, constituting nearly one fourth of the world's population.

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Aurangzeb was born the third son and sixth child of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal Dahod on the way to Ujjain. 

Aurangzeb was born when Shah Jahan was a governor of Gujarat suba. In June 1626, after an unsuccessful rebellion by his father, Aurangzeb and his brother Dara Shikoh were kept as hostages under Nur Jahan at their grandfather Jahangir's Lahore court.

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On 26 February 1628, Shah Jahan was officially declared the Mughal Emperor, and Aurangzeb returned to Agra fort to live with his parents. It was here that Aurangzeb received his formal education in Arabic and Persian.

His daily allowance were fixed to  500, and while he spent his allowance on religious education and the study of history he accused his brothers of alcoholism and womanizing.

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Expansion of Mughal Empire

From the start of his reign up until his death, Aurangzeb engaged in almost constant warfare.

He built up a massive army, and began a program of military expansion along all the boundaries of his empire.

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Aurangzeb pushed north-west into the Punjab; he also drove south, conquering three Muslim kingdoms: Nizams of Ahmednagar, Adilshahis of Bijapur and Qutbshahs of Golconda.

These new territories were administered by the Mughal Nawabs loyal to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

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In 1636 while Aurangzeb was the Mughal viceroy of Deccan his forces defeated the Nizam Shahi's of Ahmednagar during various Cavalry skirmishes and finally annexed their capital of Ahmednagar.

Soon after seizing the throne Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb began advancements against the unruly Sultan of Bijapur and during the year 1657, the Mughals are known to have utilized Rockets during the Siege of Bidar, against Sidi Marjan.

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Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb seated on a golden throne holding a Hawk in the Durbar.

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In the year 1663, during his visit to Ladakh, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb established direct control over that part of the empire and loyal subjects such as Deldan Namgyal agreed to pledge tribute and loyalty. Deldan Namgyal is also known to have constructed a Grand Mosque in Leh, which he dedicated to Mughal rule.

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In the year 1664, Shaista Khan (the son of Asaf Khan IV), was appointed the Subedar of Bengal. He immediately eliminated Portuguese and Arakanese pirates from the region, and in 1666 led an army of 70,000 men to recapture the port of Chittagong from the cruel Arakanese king Sanda Thudhamma. Chittagong remained a key port throughout Mughal rule.

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Revenue Administration

Emperor Aurangzeb's exchequer raised a record £100 million in annual revenue through various sources like taxes, customs and land revenue, et al. from 24 provinces. A pound sterling was exchanged at 10 rupees then.

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By the year 1690, Aurangzeb was acknowledged as: "The Mughal Emperor whose realm spanned from Kabul to Cape Comorin".

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Coins Aurangzeb felt that verses from

the Quran should not be stamped on coins, as done in former times, because they were constantly touched by the hands and feet of people.

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His coins had the name of the mint city and the year of issue on one face, and, the following couplet on other:

“King Aurangzeb Alamgir Stamped coins , in the world , like the bright

full moon.”

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Half rupee coin.

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Rupee coin showing full name.

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Rupee with square area

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Copper dam of Aurangzeb

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Death He died in Ahmednagar on

Friday, 20 February 1707 at the age of 88, having outlived many of his children. His modest open-air grave in Khuldabad expresses his deep devotion to his Islamic beliefs. 

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The tomb lies in Khuldabad (Aurangabad, Maharashtra) within the courtyard of the shrine of the Sufi saint Shaikh Burham-u'd-din Gharib (died 1331), who was a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi.

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Aurangzeb's tomb in Khuldabad, in 1890s

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Bahadur Shah II Bahadur Shah

II better known as Bahadur Shah Zafar, (Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar).

The last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah II

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He was the last Mughal emperor and a member of the Timurid Dynasty. Zafar was the son of Akbar Shah II and Lalbai, who was a Hindu Rajput, and became Mughal Emperor when his father died on 28 September 1837.

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He used Zafar, a part of his name, meaning “victory”, as a nom de plume (takhallus) as an Urdu poet and wrote many Urdu ghazals under it. After his involvement in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 the British tried and then exiled him from Delhi and sent him to Rangoon in then-British-controlled Burma.

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Bahadur Shah Zafar was a noted Urdu poet, and wrote a large number of Urdu ghazals. While some part of his opus was lost or destroyed during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a large collection did survive, and was later compiled into the Kulliyyat-i-Zafar. 

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The court that he maintained, although somewhat decadent and arguably pretentious for someone who was effectively a pensioner of the East India Company, was home to several Urdu writers of high standing, including Mirza Ghalib, Dagh, Mumin, and Zauq.

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Even in defeat it is traditionally believed that he said:

“ کی ھندوستان تیغ چلےگی تک لندن کیتخت ایمان تلک جب رھےگی بو میں ”غازیوں

“Ghāzioń méń bū rahegi jab talak imān ki; Takht-e-London tak chalegi tégh Hindustan ki”

“As long as there remains the scent of faith in the hearts of our Ghazis, so long shall the Talwar of Hindustan flash before the throne of London”

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Emperor Bahadur Shah is seen by some in India as a freedom fighter (the mutiny soldiers made him their Commander-In-Chief), fighting for India's independence from the Company. As the last ruling member of the imperial Timurid Dynasty he was surprisingly composed and calm when Major Hodson presented decapitated heads of his own sons to him as Nowruz gifts.

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He is famously remembered to have said: “Praise be to Allah, that descendents

of Timur always come in front of their fathers in this way.”

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Bahadur Shah died in exile on 7 November 1862 in Rangoon . He was buried in Yangon's Dagon Township near the Shwedagon Pagoda, at the site that later became known as Bahadur Shah Zafar Dargah.

 At the time of his hurried burial in 1862, a bamboo fence surrounded his grave, which was grown over by grass in the following years, thus the exact spot was lost for nearly a century.

Death and Burial

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In 1991, during a restoration exercise behind the shrine which was till then believed to be that of the Emperor, the original brick-lined grave was discovered. To the local Myanmar Muslims, he was honoured as a saint and a new shrine was built in the coming years.

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His wife Zeenat Mahal, who died in 1886 and granddaughter Raunaq Zamani are buried along side him.

In a marble enclosure adjoining the dargah of Sufi saint, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki at Mehrauli, an empty grave orSardgah marks the site where he had willed to be buried along with some of his Mughal predecessors, Akbar Shah II, Bahadur Shah I (also known as Shah Alam I) and Shah Alam II.

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Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1858, just after his trial in Delhi and before his departure for exile in Rangoon. This is possibly the only photograph ever taken of a Mughal emperor.

-Yours sincerely by Dewang Agrawal