The Rise of Mughal Empire | Part 1

MUGHAL EMPIRE

(1526-1857)

• The Mughals were originally Turks. They belonged to the Chaghtai branch of the Turkish race.
• Mughal Empire is also known as Timurid Empire because of its relation to Amir Timur.
• There were six main rulers of the Mughal Empire
  • Babur (1526 - 1530)
  • Humayun (1530 - 40 & 1555 - 1556)
  • Akbar - (1556 - 1605)
  • Jahangir (1605 - 1627)
  • Shah Jahan (1628 - 1658)
  • Aurangazeb Alamgir (1658 - 1707)

***Babur (1526-1530)***

• Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, was the fifth descendant of Timur on Father’s side and the fourteenth descendant of Chengizkhan on mothers side.
• Babur was born in Farghana in Turkey on 14 Feb. 1483 as the son of Umer Sheik Mirza and Nigarkhanum.
• Babur’s father Umershiek Mirza was the grandson of Amir Timur and the ruler of Farghana.
• He captured Kabul in 1504. Then Babur attacked India 5 times for want of wealth.
• Babur’s first Attack of India was in 1519. Bhera was the first place captured by Babur.
• In 1523, Daulatkhan, Ibrahim Lodhi’s brother invited Babur to India.
• On 21 April 1526 Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi, the last Lodhi Sultan in the First Battle of Panipat.
• On 16 March 1527, he defeated Rana Sangha of Mewar, in the Battle of Khanwa.
• The Rajputs in 1528 under Medini Raj of Malwa fought against Babur in the Battle of Chanderi, but were defeated.
• In 1529 the Afghans under Muhammed Lodhi fought against Babur in the Battle of Ghaghra but were defeated.
• In 1530 December 26, Babur died and was cremated at Agra but he was later buried at Aram Bagh near Agra.
• Babur was the first to use Artillery in India.
• His memoirs or autobiography ‘Tuzuk-iBaburi or Baburnamah was written in Turkish language, Babur’s mother tongue.

**Humayun**

(1530-1540 and 1555-1556)

• Humayun was born in 1507 in Kabul as the son of Babur and Mahim Sultana.
• He became the Mughal Emperor on 29 December 1530 at the age of 23.
• He divided the empire among his brothers - Askari, Hindal and Kamran.
• The word ‘Humayun’ means ‘fortunate’
• Humayunn was an accomplished mathematician and astronomer.
• In 1539 at the Battle of Chausa, Humayun was defeated for the first time by Shershah Suri.
• In the next year (1540) Shershah completely defeated Humayun in the
  battle of Kanauj(Also Known as battle of Bilgram).
• After the lapse of 15 years Humayun recaptured the Empire by defeating the last Sur ruler Sikandar Shah Suri in the Battle of Macchiwara in 1555.
• After the restoration Humayun ruled for only six months.
• The Purnaqila was constructed by Humayun but its construction was
  completed by Shershah.
• In 1533 Humayun built the city of Dinpanha (world refuge) in Delhi.
• The period from 1540 to 1555 is known as the period of temporary eclipse of the Mughal.
• Humayun died by an accidental fall from the straicase of his Library ‘Shermandal’ at the Purana Qila in Delhi on 24 January
  1556.
• Humayun was buried at Humayun’s Tomb at Delhi which was built by his wife Hameeda Bano Begum.
• The autobiography of Humayun is known as Humayunama and it was written by his sister Gulbadan Begum.

**Akbar (1556-1605)**

• Father - Humayun
• Mother - Hamida Bano Begum
• Guardian - Bairam Khan
• Akbar was born on 15th October 1542 in the Rajput Empire of Amarkot in Pakistan which was ruled by Maharaja Virasala
• Akbar became the king at the age of 13 years in the year 1556 by defeating Hemu at the Second Battle of Panipat with the help of his general Bairam Khan.
• Akbar became an independent ruler at the age of 18 in 1560, after dismissing Bairamkhan.
• Later he married Bairam Khan widow Salima Begum.
• In 1561 he defeated the musician Sultan of Malwa - Baz Bahadur.
• In 1562 Akbar married with Harka Baiwho was a Rajput princess she was later known as Mariam uz Zamani 
• In the year 1563 he abolished the pilgrim taxes
• In 1564, he abolished the religious tax Jaziya. Jaziya was impossed for the first time by Firozshah Tughlaq.
• In 1572 he captured Gujarat and in memory of that he built a new capital city Fathepur sikri (city of Victory) near Agra.
• The early name of Fathepur Sikri was
  city of Sikri. Buland Darwaza is the gate way of Fathepur Sikri, built by Akbar. In 1575 Akbar constructed a prayer house in Fathepur Sikri known as Ibadatkhana.
• He started a new revenue system in India known as Todarmal Bandobast
• He started the famous Mansabdari system in 1571.
• In 1580 the first Jesuit missionaries arrived at the court of Akbar.
• In 1585 Ralph Fitch the first English man to reach India, reached Akbar’s
  court.
• Ralph Fitch is known as pioneer English man or torch bearer Englishman.
• In 1582 Akbar founded a new religion for universal peace and monotheism known as ‘Din Ilahi’ means Divine Faith.