Chapter 4 – Mughals (16th to 17th Centuries)

Chapter 4 – Mughals (16th to 17th Centuries)

 

1. Who were the Mughals? (Who were the Mughals?)

•  The Mughals were descendants of two great ruling dynasties:
  • On Mother’s Side:  They were descendants of  Genghis Khan (Genghis Khan – died 1227), the Mongol ruler of China and Central Asia.
  • On Father’s side: They  were descendants of Iran, Iraq and modern Turkey Timur (Timur – died in 1404), the ruler who conquered Delhi.
• The Mughals did not like to be called Mongols because there were massacres associated with Genghis Khan.
• They preferred to call themselves the descendants of Timur because their ancestor Timur had captured Delhi in  1398.

 

2. Mughal Military Campaigns

• Babur (1526-1530 A.D.):
  • In 1526, Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi (the last Lodi Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate)  at Panipat and captured Delhi and Agra, laying the foundation of the Mughal Empire in India.
  • In 1527 he defeated Rana Sanga and the Rajput kings at Khanwa.
  • In 1528, he defeated the Rajputs at Chanderi.
• Humayun (1530-1540 A.D.) and 1555-1556 A.D.):
  • Son of Babur.
  • Sher Shah Suri  defeated him at Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (1540) and forced him to flee to Iran.
  • In 1555, Humayun defeated Sher Shah’s successors and recaptured Delhi.
• Akbar (1556-1605 A.D.):
  •   He became king at the age of 13.
  • Bairam Khan helped him during his early reign.
  • Second Battle of Panipat (1556): Akbar defeated Hemu.
  • He built a large empire and is known for his religious tolerance.
•  Jahangir (1605-1627 AD):
  • Son of Akbar.
  • His mother’s name was Jodha Bai.
  • His wife Nur Jahan played an important role in his reign.
• Shah Jahan (1627-1658 AD):
  • Son of Jahangir.
  • Known for architecture (Taj Mahal, Red Fort).
• Aurangzeb (Aurangzeb – 1658-1707 AD):
  • Son of Shah Jahan.
  • He carried out the greatest expansion of the empire, but during his reign there were revolts in the Deccan and conflicts with the Sikhs, Marathas and Jats.
  • After that the Mughal Empire began to weaken.

 

3. Mughal Traditions

•  Succession: The Mughals did not follow the rule of primogeniture  (where the eldest son inherits his father’s property).
• They followed the Timurid tradition of paternal inheritance, where the inheritance was divided among all sons. This often led to conflicts for succession.

 

4. Mughal Relations with Other Rulers

• The Mughals took many rulers into their service.
•  Relations with Rajputs:
  • The Mughals married many Rajputs (e.g. Akbar’s marriage to Harkha Bai, princess of Amber).
  • Many Rajput rulers accepted the service of the Mughals and attained high positions.
  • Those who resisted were defeated (like the Sisodia Rajputs of Mewar).

 

5. Mansabdars and Jagirdars

• Mansabdars :
  • The military and civil officers who joined the Mughal Empire  were called Mansabdars.
  • ‘Mansab’ meant a rank or rank.
  • Their rank  was determined by numbers called  Zat  and Sawar.
    • Caste: It used to denote the rank and salary of the mansabdar. The greater the number of castes, the more prestigious his position in the court was and the higher his salary.
    • Riders: It used to denote the number of horsemen that the mansabdar had to maintain.
  • The mansabdars received jagirs  as  salaries, which were similar to iqtas (though unlike iqtadars, mansabdars did not live in their jagirs nor ruled them).
  • The mansabdars collected revenue only from their jagirs, which was collected by their servants.
•  Zabt and Zamindars:
  • Zamindars: In the countryside, local chieftains or powerful chieftains sometimes collected revenue from all the peasants and gave it to the Mughals. Such middlemen were called zamindars.
  •  Zabt: Akbar’s revenue minister Todar Mal  conducted a survey of data on crop yields, prices,  and agricultural fields for a period of  10  years. Based on this data, the tax was fixed in cash for each crop. This revenue system  was called confiscation.
  • This was possible in areas where the Mughal administration had direct control and the revenue officials could survey the land.

 

6. Abul Fazl’s ‘Akbarnama’ and ‘Ain-i Akbari’

• Abul Fazl : Akbar’s court poet and friend.
• He wrote the history of Akbar’s reign in three volumes called ‘Akbarnama‘:
  • First Volume: History of Akbar’s Ancestors.
  • Second Section: Events of Akbar’s Reign.
  • Third Section: Ain-i Akbari:
    • It gives detailed information about Akbar’s administration, army, revenue, geographical location and Indian culture.
    • It also contains statistical details of crops, yields, prices, taxes, and labourers.

 

7. Akbar’s Religious Policy: Sulh-i Kul

• Akbar held religious debates,  especially at  the Ibadat Khana in Fatehpur Sikri  with Brahmins, Jesuit priests, and Zoroastrians.
• These discussions made him realize that religious fanaticism creates divisions in society.
• He developed the policy of Sulh-i Kul, which meant “universal peace“.
• This policy  was based on tolerance and included respect for all religions without religious prejudices.
• This policy ensured justice and peace in the administration.
• Jahangir and Shah Jahan also followed this policy.

 

8. The Mughal Empire in the 17th Century and Aftermath

• In the 17th century, the Mughal Empire reached the zenith of its power and wealth.
• However, after the death of Aurangzeb in the 18th  century,  the empire began to weaken.
• Causes:
  • Aurangzeb’s Policies: His military campaigns depleted financial resources and his long wars in the Deccan weakened the empire.
  • Jagirdari Crisis : The number of mansabdars increased, leading to a shortage of jagirs and problems in revenue collection.
  • Succession Conflicts: Constant Conflicts Between Princes.
  • Rise of Regional Powers: Regional groups (such as Marathas, Sikhs and other Rajput states) were increasing their power.
• These factors eventually led to the decline of the Mughal Empire, and several independent regional kingdoms emerged.