Key Mughal Emperors

• Babur 1526-30: Founder of the Islamic Mughal Empire
• Humayun 1530-40, 1555-56: The second ruler of The Mughal Empire. He helped by becoming an artistic power, starting the great Mughal tradition of miniature painting.
• Akbar (The Great) 1556-1605: Successor of Humayun, recovered and expanded empire, introduced religious tolerance
• Jahangir 1605-27: Son of Akbar, made limited military conquests, bring in a period of relative peace. An opium addict, he allowed his wife Nur Jahan much political influence
• Shah Jahan 1627-57: Son of Jahangir, ruled the Mughal Empire at its height. He was more interested in architecture rather than art and is famed for building the Taj Mahal which was built as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal
• Aurangzeb 1657-1707: Third son of Shah Jahan, he ended the policy of religious tolerance followed by previous emperors. Under Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire reached the peak of its military power but it became unstable, partially because Aurangzeb's religious intolerance and heavy taxation inspired opposition but also the empire had become too big to be successfully governed.