Figure 1.-- |
|
Curiously when the Mongols in the 13th century exploded upon China, the Middle East and Euope, they left the Indian sub-continent unscathed. It was a later Mongol invasion that overwealmed India. Baber or Zahir ud-Din Mohammed (1483-1530), a descendents of Genghis Kahn and Tamerlanre, was a child warrior King at age 11. He began raids into India
for booty (1519-24). He defeated the Sultan of Delhi, taking both Delhi and Agra (1526). Baber founded India's famed Mogul dynasty (1526-1707). He greatly expanded the dominions that had been held by the Sultan of Dwlhi. The Moguls were an Islamic dynasty which governed India for more than 200 years. The Moguls reformed government and promoted the arts. One of their major accomplishments was uniting India. The greatest Mogul ruler was Baber's grandson Akbar (reigning 1556-1605). Akbar significantly expanded the boundaries of the Empire. India was a great challenge for the Islamic Moguls. The subcontinent was populated by a largely Hindu people. Not only did the Mogul's encounter a largely alien religion, but dizzing variety of languages and traditions. Akbar's genius was not only his military conquests but his his toleration toward Hindus, and Christians. Akbar also promoted the arts and learning. The resulting artistic flowering is one of the glories of India, expressed in painting, glass, and carpets. The last of the Mogul rulers was Aurangzeb ( -1707). Unlike Akbar Aurangzeb was intolerant of other religions, resulting in Hindu uprisings which drained the royal treasury.
The Mongols played an enormously important role in world history. Although a relatively small population, the Mongols established the most extensive empire in histoiry, streaching from Korea to Eastern Europe. Only the Japanese suceessfully defied the Mongols. The Mongols also conquered and influenced many of the major world powers, China, Russia, Persia, amd India. The Mongols defeated the Poles and were set to move into Western Europe. Only the death of thir great leader, Geghis Khan prevented this. Curiously when the Mongols in the 13th century exploded upon China, the Middle East and Euope, they left the Indian sub-continent unscathed.
Civilization in the Indian subcontinent first appeared in the Indus River Valley. Indian civilization was affected by the sub-contginent's unique geographicsituation, especially the Himalaya Mountains to the north which tened to isolate the subcontinent from the rest of Asia. Despite the mountain barrier, India experienced waves of invasion. One of those invasions was conducted by the Mongols. While the Mongol outburst of the 13th century spared the sub-continent, a later Mongol invasion suceededed in overwealing India. Baber or Zahir ud-Din Mohammed (1483-1530), a descendents of Genghis Kahn and Tamerlanre, was a child warrior King at age 11. He began raids into India for booty (1519-24). He defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last Sultan of Delhi, at the First Battle of Panipat. He took both Delhi and Agra (1526).
Baber founded India's famed Mogul dynasty (1526-1707).
The name of the Empire comes from Mogul/Mughal which is simply the Persian word for Mongol.
Baber greatly expanded the dominions that had been held by the Sultan of Dwlhi. The Moguls were an Islamic dynasty which governed India for more than 200 years. The Moguls reformed government and promoted the arts. One of their major accomplishments was uniting India. Baber is a fascinating historical figure,. Not only did he defeat the Sultan of Delhi and found a powerful dynasty, but he wrote his memoirs, leaving us a fascinating account of his life and times. The greatest Mogul ruler was Baber's grandson Akbar (reigning 1556-1605). Akbar significantly expanded the boundaries of the Empire. India was a great challenge for the Islamic Moguls.
Akbar is known as Akabar the Great. He is one of the most notable of the great rulers of history. He was a conqueribg warrior, an effective ruler, a fair amnd learned jurist, broad-minded, generous, benevolent, and tolerant. Few rulers are described with such acolades. And Akabar was faced with a staggering challenge. The subcontinent was populated by a largely Hindu people. Not only did the Mogul's encounter a largely alien religion, but dizzing variety of languages and traditions. Akbar's genius was not only his military conquests but his his toleration toward Hindus, and Christians. Akbar also promoted the arts and learning. The last of the Mogul rulers was Aurangzeb ( -1707). Unlike Akbar Aurangzeb was intolerant of other religions, resulting in Hindu uprisings which drained the royal treasury. Aurangzeb's descendents were unable to retain control over relbelious provinces and the territory of the Mogul's steadily shrank in the 18th century. The British and French thus encountered a deeply divided India with a large number of independent principalities. There was no strong central authority capable of effectively resising the Europeans. The British prevailed in a series of land engagements and by the late-18th cenbtury were in a dominant position. The last Mogul was Bahadur Shah II, who began his reign during 1837. He participated in the Sepoy Mutiny (1857) against the British and was subsequently expelled.
Babar, sixth in descent from Timour, consolidated the states of northerm India under a central government. Subsequent Mogul rulers extended the Empire into the south. The Empire eventually dominated the sub-continent, except the extreme south and Ceylon (moder Sri Lanka). The Mogul Empire began to decline in the 18th century with the rise of the Sikhs and Mahrattas.
The Moguls had a powerful impact on the the thoughts and arts of India. The artistic flowering under Akbar is one of the glories of India, expressed in painting, glass, and carpets. And of course one of the architectural treasures of all time is the Taj Mahal near Delhi. The Mogul Empire in the mid 16th century was arguably the greatest empire in the world. Shah Jahan who commissioned the Taj Mahal (1630–1653). It was built as Agra as a tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. She died giving birth to their 14th child and Shah Jahan never fully recovered.
The Moguls by the 16th century were adherents of Islam. Babur anf his successors thus introduced Islam into the presominately Hindu society of India, creating the diverse religious and cultural mix that is today modern India.
Rizvi S.A. The Wonder That was India (Rupa, 1993).
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Topics]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing national pages:
[Return to the Main Indian chronology page]
[Return to the Main countries page]
[Australia]
[Belgium]
[China]
[England]
[France]
[Germany]
[India]
[Indonesia]
[Ireland]
[Italy]
[Japan]
[Korea]
[Malaysia]
[Mexico]
[The Netherlands]
[Pakistan]
[Portugal]
[Scotland]
[Spain]
[United States]