Mughal Leaders Key Points

• Babur:  Descendent of  Genghis Khan and Timur, two great central Asian warriors. Founder of the Islamic Mughal Empire​.
• Humayun: Temporarily lost Babur’s conquests in 1540 but re-established Mughal rule in 1555.  He did help the Mughal empire become an artistic power, starting the great Mughal tradition of miniature painting.​
• Akbar (the Great):  Recovered and extended the Mughal Empire – ruled over 100 million people. Developed strong administration and tax systems.  He believed all religions should be tolerated and that a ruler’s duty was to treat all believers equally.  His government included many Hindus in high positions – the governed were allowed to take part in the governing.​
• Jahangir:  Made limited military conquests, bringing in a period of relative peace.  An opium addict, he allowed his wife Nur Jahan much political influence​.
• Shah Jahan:  Ruled the Mughal empire at its height.  He was more interested in architecture rather than art and is famed for building the Taj Mahal.  He drew many of the craftsmen who built it from the empire but also from other parts of the Islamic world.  However Shah Jahan had to raise taxes considerably to pay for it.​
• Aurangzeb:  His attention was on extending his lands not on art or architecture.  A devout Muslim 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.​
• The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur in 1526 when he defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat. The Mughal Empire lasted until 1857. It covered most of India except the south. At its greatest extent it controlled about one third of the land area of the Indian subcontinent. Its capital city was Delhi.​