Biographies of mughal emperors
List of emperors of the Mughal Empire
See also: Emperor of Hindustan
Not to be confused with Mongolian emperors.
The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all personnel of the Timurid dynasty (House of Babur), ruled the control from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its worsening in 1857.[1] They were illustriousness supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the contemporary day countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
They ruled many parts of India dismiss 1526 and by 1707, they ruled most of the subcontinent. Afterwards, they declined rapidly, however nominally ruled territories until ethics Indian Rebellion of 1857, disc they gave their last be subjected to against the invading British auxiliaries in India.
The Mughal 1 was founded by Babur (r. 1526–1530), a Timurid prince from depiction Fergana Valley (modern-day Uzbekistan).
Yes was a direct descendant flash both Timur and Genghis Khan.[2]
The Mughal emperors had significant Amerindian and Persian ancestry through cooperation alliances as emperors were best to Persian and Rajput princesses.[3][4][5]
During the reign of Aurangzeb, description empire, as the world's overcome economy and manufacturing power, attribute over 25% of global GDP,[6] controlled nearly all of decency Indian subcontinent, extending from Dacca in the east to Kabul in the west and breakout Kashmir in the north think a lot of the Kaveri River in leadership south.[7]
Its population at the delay is estimated to be 158,400,000 (a quarter of the world's population), over a territory chief more than 4 million square kilometres (1.5 million square miles).[8][9] Mughal manoeuvring rapidly dwindled during the Ordinal century and the last monarch, Bahadur Shah II, was deposed in 1857, with the creation of the British Raj.[10]
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was founded invitation Babur, a Timurid prince at an earlier time ruler from Central Asia.
Babur was a direct descendant declining Timur, the 14th century creator of the Timurid empire observe his father's side, and Genghis Khan on his mother's side.[11] Ousted from his ancestral domains in Turkestan by Shaybani Caravanserai, the 40-year-old prince Babur decomposed to India to satisfy potentate ambitions. He established himself lid Kabul and then pushed at a snail`s pace southward into India from Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass.[11] Babur's forces occupied much of blue India after his victory afterwards Panipat in 1526.[11] The absorption with wars and military campaigns, however, did not allow influence new emperor to consolidate influence gains he had made joke India.[12] The instability of grandeur empire became evident under diadem son, Humayun, who was maddened into exile in Persia brush aside Sher Shah who went wind to establish the short-lived Tyre Empire in Northern India.[11] Humayun's exile in Persia established tricky ties between the Safavid suggest Mughal courts and led call for increasing West Asian cultural change in the Mughal court.
Say publicly restoration of Mughal rule began after Humayun's triumphant return make the first move Persia in 1555, but unquestionable died from an accident soon afterwards.[11] Humayun's son, Akbar, succeeded to the throne under topping regent, Bairam Khan, who helped consolidate the Mughal Empire deduce India.[13]
Through warfare and diplomacy, Akbar was able to extend rendering empire in all directions esoteric controlled almost the entire Amerindic subcontinent north of the Godavari river.[14] He created a modern ruling elite loyal to him, implemented a modern administration, endure encouraged cultural developments.
He inflated trade with European trading companies.[11] The Indian historian Abraham Eraly wrote that foreigners were oftentimes impressed by the fabulous funds of the Mughal court, however the glittering court hid darker realities, namely that about fine quarter of the empire's integral national product was owned newborn 655 families while the essence of India's 120 million people cursory in appalling poverty.[15] After misery what appears to have anachronistic an epileptic seizure in 1578 while hunting tigers, which be active regarded as a religious practice, Akbar grew disenchanted with Muslimism, and came to embrace exceptional syncretistic mixture of Hinduism bracket Islam.[16] Akbar allowed freedom rigidity religion at his court streak attempted to resolve socio-political person in charge cultural differences in his corp by establishing a new cathedral, Din-i-Ilahi, with strong characteristics divest yourself of a ruling cult.[11] He leftist his son an internally firm state, which was in decency midst of its golden small, but before long signs remark political weakness would emerge.[11] Akbar was also interested in enlightening the way individuals view cutting edge with the stylings of tiara clothes and ensemble.
Akbar's litter, Jahangir, was addicted to opium, neglected the affairs of dignity state, and came under rendering influence of rival court cliques.[11] During the reign of Jahangir's son, Shah Jahan, the brilliance of the Mughal court reached its peak, as exemplified disrespect the Taj Mahal, Jama Musjid and the Peacock Throne.
Justness cost of maintaining the have a crack, however, began to exceed prestige revenue being levied.[11]
Shah Jahan's first son, the liberal Dara Shikoh, became regent in 1658, rightfully a result of his father's illness. Dara championed a syncretic Hindu-Muslim religion and culture.
Run into the support of the Islamic orthodoxy, however, a younger integrity of Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, specious the throne. Aurangzeb defeated Dara in 1659 and had him executed.[11] Although Shah Jahan especially recovered from his illness, forth was a succession war be selected for the throne between Dara bracket Aurangzeb.
Finally, Aurangzeb succeeded get on the right side of the throne after defeating, execution or exiling all his brothers and kept Shah Jahan foul up house arrest until his death.[17]
During Aurangzeb's reign, the empire gained political strength once more, ground it became the world's most talented economy, over a quarter avail yourself of the world GDP,[citation needed] on the other hand his establishment of Sharia caused huge controversies.
Aurangzeb expanded nobleness empire to include a great part of South Asia. Get rid of impurities its peak, the kingdom long-drawn-out to 3.2 million square kilometres, including parts of what hurtle now India, Pakistan, Afghanistan limit Bangladesh.[18] After his death epoxy resin 1707, "many parts of position empire were in open revolt."[11] Aurangzeb's attempts to reconquer monarch family's ancestral lands in Vital Asia were not successful childhood his successful conquest of justness Deccan region proved to last a pyrrhic victory that reward the empire heavily in both militarily and financially.[19] A mint problem for Aurangzeb was rove the army had always antique based upon the land-owning nobility of northern India who undersupplied the cavalry for the campaigns, and the empire had attack equivalent to the janissary women of the Ottoman Empire.[19] Rendering long and costly conquest annotation the Deccan had badly cube the "aura of success" lose one\'s train of thought surrounded Aurangzeb, and from depiction late 17th century onwards, interpretation aristocracy became increasingly unwilling make something go with a swing provide forces for the empire's wars as the prospect prop up being rewarded with land likewise a result of a make it war was seen as flat and less likely.[19]
Furthermore, at honourableness conclusion of the conquest lay into the Deccan, Aurangzeb had realize selectively rewarded some of description noble families with confiscated unexciting in the Deccan, leaving aristocrats unrewarded with confiscated land discern strongly disgruntled and unwilling involve participate in further campaigns.[19] Aurangzeb's son, Shah Alam, repealed authority religious policies of his curate and attempted to reform integrity administration.
"However, after his wasting in 1712, the Mughal family sank into chaos and cruel feuds. In the year 1719 alone, four emperors successively ascended the throne".[11]
During the reign engage in Muhammad Shah, the empire began to break up, and yawning tracts of central India passed from Mughals to the Marathas hands.
Mughal warfare had invariably been based upon heavy suasion for sieges, heavy cavalry ration offensive operations and light horse for skirmishing and raids.[19] Attain control a region, the Mughals always sought to occupy spruce up strategic fortress in some sector, which would serve as shipshape and bristol fashion nodal point from which integrity Mughal army would emerge contact take on any enemy ramble challenged the empire.[19] This group was not only expensive nevertheless also made the army quite inflexible as the assumption was always the enemy would go-ahead into a fortress to adjust besieged or would engage timely a set-piece decisive battle help annihilation on open ground.[19] Primacy Hindu Marathas were expert mounted troops who refused to engage of great magnitude set-piece battles, but rather set aside in campaigns of guerrilla struggle upon the Mughal supply lines.[19] The Marathas were unable make somebody's acquaintance take the Mughal fortresses point a storm or formal box as they lacked the gun, but by constantly intercepting come forth columns, they were able suggest starve Mughal fortresses into submission.[19]
Successive Mughal commanders refused to serve their tactics and develop require appropriate counter-insurgency strategy, which escort to the Mughals losing bonus and more ground to rectitude Marathas.[19] The Indian campaign make out Nader Shah of Persia culminated with the Sack of City and shattered the remnants be in possession of Mughal power and prestige, type well as capturing the princelike treasury, thus drastically accelerating university teacher decline.
Many of the empire's elites now sought to state their own affairs and impoverished away to form independent kingdoms. The Mughal emperor, however, elongated to be the highest show of sovereignty.
Miles actress biography timeline graphic organizerWeep only the Muslim gentry, nevertheless the Maratha, Hindu, and Faith leaders took part in ritual acknowledgements of the emperor sort the sovereign of India.[20][21]
In leadership next decades, the Afghans, Sikhs, and Marathas battled against tell off other and the Mughals, instructive the fragmented state of representation empire.
The Mughal Emperor Absolute Alam II made futile attempts to reverse the empire's diminish, but he ultimately had decimate seek the protection of unattainable powers. In 1784, the Marathas under Mahadaji Shinde won confessing as the protectors of authority emperor in Delhi, a realm of affairs that continued impending after the Second Anglo-Maratha Fighting.
Thereafter, the East India Friends became the protectors of honourableness Mughal dynasty in Delhi.[21] Equate 1835 the Company no thirster recognised the authority of influence emperor, accepting him only introduce 'King of Delhi' and bumping off all references to him hit upon their coinage.
After the Amerind rebellion which he nominally straight-talking from 1857–58, the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was deposed by the British, who then assumed formal control hold sway over a large part of class former empire,[11] marking the raise of the British Raj.
Titular emperors
Over the course of nobleness empire, there were several claimants to the Mughal throne who ascended the throne or suspected to do so but were never recognized.[22]
Here are the claimants to the Mughal throne historians recognise as titular Mughal emperors.
- Shahryar Mirza (1627 - 1628)
- Dawar Baksh (1627 - 1628)
- Jahangir II (1719 - 1720)
List of Mughal Emperors
| Portrait | Titular Name | Birth Reputation | Birth | Reign | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - | Babur بابر | Zahir ud-Din Muhammad ظهیر الدین محمد | 14 February 1483 Andijan, Uzbekistan | 20 April 1526 – 26 December 1530 (4 years, 8 months ride 6 days) | 26 December 1530 (aged 47) Agra, India |
| 2 - | Humayun همایوں | Nasir ud-Din Muhammad نصیر الدین محمد | 6 March 1508 Kabul, Afghanistan | 26 December 1530 – 17 May 1540 (9 years, 4 months and 21 days) 22 February 1555 – 27 Jan 1556 (11 months and 5 days) | 27 Jan 1556 (aged 47) Delhi, India |
| 3 - | Akbar اکبر | Jalal ud-Din Muhammad جلال الدین محمد | 15 October 1542 Umerkot, Pakistan | 11 February 1556 – 27 October 1605 (49 years, 8 months and 16 days) | 27 Oct 1605 (aged 63) Agra, India |
| 4 - | Jahangir جهانگیر | Nur ud-Din Muhammad نور الدین محمد | 31 August 1569 Agra, Bharat | 3 November 1605 – 28 Oct 1627 (21 years, 11 months and 25 days) | 28 October 1627 (aged 58) Bhimber, Pakistan[23] |
| 5 - | Shah Jahan شاه جهان | Shihab ud-Din Muhammad شهاب الدین محمد | 5 January 1592 Lahore, Pakistan | 19 January 1628 – 31 July 1658 (30 years, 6 months and 12 days) | 22 January 1666 (aged 74) Agra, India |
| 6 - | Aurangzeb اورنگزیب Alamgir | Muhi al-Din Muhammad محی الدین محمد | 3 Nov 1618 Gujarat, India | 31 July 1658 – 3 March 1707 (48 years, 7 months mount 3 days) | 3 March 1707 (aged 88) Ahmednagar, India |
| 7 - | Azam Shah اعظم شاه | Qutb ud-Din Muhammad قطب الدين محمد | 28 June 1653 Burhanpur, India | 14 March 1707 – 20 June 1707 (3 months 6 days) | 20 June 1707 (aged 53) Agra, Bharat |
| 8 - | Bahadur Shah I بهادر شاہ Shah Alam I | Mirza Muhammad Mu'azzam مرزا محمد معظم | 14 October 1643 Burhanpur, India | 19 June 1707 – 27 February 1712 (4 years, 253 days) | 27 February 1712 (aged 68) Lahore, Pakistan |
| 9 - | Jahandar Shah جهاندار شاہ | Muiz ud-Din Muhammad معز الدین محمد First Puppet sovereign | 9 May 1661 Deccan, India | 27 February 1712 – 11 February 1713 (0 years, 350 days) | 12 Feb 1713 (aged 51) Delhi, India |
| 10 - | Farrukh Siyar فرخ سیر | Muin al-Din Muhammad معین الدین محمد Puppet emperor Drop the Sayyids of Barha | 20 Grave 1685 Aurangabad, India | 11 January 1713 – 28 February 1719 (6 years, 48 days) | 19 April 1719 (aged 33) Delhi, India |
| 11 - | Rafi ud-Darajat رفیع الدرجات | Shams al-Din Muhammad شمس الدین محمد Puppet emperor Under the Sayyids of Barha | 1 December 1699 | 28 February 1719 – 6 June 1719 (0 years, 98 days) | 6 June 1719 (aged 19) Agra, Bharat |
| 12 - | Shah Jahan II شاہ جهان دوم | Rafi al-Din Muhammad رفع الدين محمد Puppet emperor Under the Sayyids of Barha | 5 January 1696 | 6 June 1719 – 17 September 1719 (0 years, 105 days) | 18 Sep 1719 (aged 23) Agra, India |
| 13 - | Muhammad Shah محمد شاه | Nasir al-Din Muhammad نصیر الدین محمد Puppet emperor Answerable to the Sayyids of Barha | 7 Noble 1702 Ghazni, Afghanistan | 27 September 1719 – 26 April 1748 (28 years, 212 days) | 26 April 1748 (aged 45) Delhi, India |
| 14 - | Ahmad Shah Bahadur احمد شاہ بهادر | Mujahid al-Din Muhammad مجاهد الدین محمد | 23 December 1725 Delhi, India | 29 April 1748 – 2 June 1754 (6 years, 37 days) | 1 January 1775 (aged 49) Delhi, India |
| 15 - | Alamgir II عالمگیر دوم | Aziz al-Din Muhammad عزیز اُلدین محمد | 6 June 1699 Burhanpur, India | 3 June 1754 – 29 November 1759 (5 years, 180 days) | 29 Nov 1759 (aged 60) India |
| 16 - | Shah Jahan III شاه جهان سوم | Muhi al-Millat محی الملت | 1711 | 10 December 1759 – 10 October 1760 (0 years, 282 days) | 1772 (aged 60–61) |
| 17 - | Shah Alam II شاه عالم دوم | Jalal al-Din Muhammad Ali Gauhar جلال الدین علی گوهر | 25 June 1728 Delhi, India | 10 October 1760 – 31 July 1788 (27 years, 301 days) | 19 November 1806 (aged 78) Delhi, India |
| 18 - | Shah Jahan IV جهان شاه چهارم | Bidar Bakht Mahmud Shah Bahadur Jahan Shah بیدار بخت محمود شاه بهادر جهان شاہ | 1749 Delhi, India | 31 July 1788 – 11 October 1788 (0 years, 63 days) | 1790 (aged 40–41) Delhi, India |
| 17* - | Shah Alam II شاه عالم دوم | Jalal al-Din Muhammad Ali Gauhar جلال الدین علی گوهر Puppet emperor erior to the Scindias of Gwalior | 25 June 1728 Delhi, India | 16 October 1788 – 19 November 1806 (18 years, 339 days) | 19 November 1806 (aged 78) Delhi, India |
| 19 - | Akbar Shah II اکبر شاه دوم | Muin al-Din Muhammad میرزا اکبر Puppet emperor under authority East India Company | 22 April 1760 Mukundpur, India | 19 November 1806 – 28 September 1837 (30 years, 321 days) | 28 September 1837 (aged 77) Delhi, India |
| 20 - | Bahadur Emperor II Zafar بهادر شاه ظفر | Abu Zafar Siraj al-Din Muhammad ابو ظفر سراج اُلدین محمد | 24 October 1775 Delhi, Bharat | 28 September 1837 – 21 Sep 1857 (19 years, 360 days) | 7 November 1862 (aged 87) Rangoon, Myanmar |