Mughal Empire - Timeline

THE MUGHAL EMPIRE (1526–1857) – COMPLETE INTERACTIVE GUIDE

Map of the Mughal Empire at its greatest extent under Aurangzeb (c. 1700)

This comprehensive guide covers every important fact, event, ruler, reform, battle, architecture, administration, policy, foreign embassy, invasion, decline factor, and legacy of the Mughal Empire.

The Mughal Empire was one of the most powerful and influential empires in Indian history, known for its rich cultural heritage, architectural marvels, and administrative innovations. This guide provides exhaustive details suitable for exams, research, videos, blogs, and study material.

I. ORIGIN OF THE MUGHALS

• Descendants of Timur (paternal) and Genghis Khan (maternal).
• Timurid-Persian culture deeply influenced early Mughal art, architecture, language & administration.
• Primary languages: Turki, later Persian (court language).

Babur (1483-1530), founder of the Mughal Empire

II. GEOGRAPHICAL EXTENT AT PEAK (Aurangzeb's Reign)

• North: Kashmir, Kabul, Swat
• South: Jinji, Karnataka
• West: Hindukush, Multan, Kandahar
• East: Bengal, Chittagong, Assam

→ Largest empire in medieval India after Ashoka.

III. FULL LIST OF ALL MUGHAL EMPERORS (WITH DETAILS)

1. BABUR (1526–1530) – Founder

Key Events:

• 1526 – First Battle of Panipat (defeated Ibrahim Lodi)
• 1527 – Battle of Khanwa (defeated Rana Sanga)
• 1528 – Battle of Chanderi (defeated Medini Rai)
• 1529 – Battle of Ghagra (defeated Afghans under Mahmud Lodi)

Contributions:

• Introduced Gunpowder, matchlocks, artillery
• Wrote Tuzuk-i-Baburi (autobiography)
• Built Ram Bagh (Agra) – first Mughal garden
• Loved nature, described flora-fauna in detail

Mnemonic for Babur's Battles: "PHir KhaChaGha" (P = Panipat, Kha = Khanwa, Cha = Chanderi, Gha = Ghagra)

2. HUMAYUN (1530–1540 & 1555–1556)

Key Events:

• 1539 – Battle of Chausa (lost to Sher Shah Suri)
• 1540 – Battle of Kannauj/Bilgram (defeated; empire lost)
• Exiled to Persia — received military aid from Shah Tahmasp I
• 1555 – Regained Delhi with help of Bairam Khan

Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, built by his widow Bega Begum

Contributions:

• Founded Din-Panah (library/observatory)
• Died by falling from Sher Mandal library stairs
• Biography: Humayun-Nama by Gulbadan Begum

3. AKBAR (1556–1605) – Greatest Mughal Emperor

Key Events:

• Second Battle of Panipat (1556) – defeated Hemu
• Conquests: Malwa, Gujarat (1572), Bengal (1576)
• Mewar (Battle of Haldighati 1576 vs Rana Pratap)
• Kashmir, Sindh, Orissa
• Central India: Ranthambore, Kalinjar
• 1598 – Annexed Deccan (Ahmednagar)

Akbar the Great (1542-1605), most powerful Mughal emperor

Administration:

• Mansabdari System (Rank-based military/civil service)
• Zabti/Dahsala System (Todar Mal's revenue reforms)
• Centralised administration, 4 major departments

Mnemonic for Akbar's Policies: "MIZA DAZ" (Mansabdari, Ibadat Khana, Zabti system, Abolition of Jizya, Din-i-Ilahi, Abolition of Pilgrimage tax, Zabti/Dahsala)

Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's capital city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site

4. JAHANGIR (1605–1627) – Patron of Arts

Key Events:

• 1608 – Captain Hawkins visits court
• 1615 – Sir Thomas Roe receives trade permission for British
• Lost Kandahar to Persia (1622)
• Nur Jahan wielded significant power during his reign

Jahangir (1569-1627), known for his patronage of arts and painting

5. SHAH JAHAN (1627–1658) – Golden Age of Architecture

Key Events:

• Built Taj Mahal (1632-1653) in memory of Mumtaz Mahal
• Constructed Red Fort and Jama Masjid in Delhi
• Created Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi)
• Peacock Throne created during his reign

The Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan, one of the Seven Wonders of the World

6. AURANGZEB (1658–1707) – Empire at Maximum Extent

Key Events:

• Reintroduced Jizya tax on non-Muslims (1679)
• Executed Guru Tegh Bahadur (1675)
• Long Deccan Campaigns (Bijapur, Golconda annexed)
• Empire reached its maximum geographical extent

Aurangzeb (1618-1707), last of the great Mughal emperors

IV. DECLINE OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE (1707–1857)

The decline began after Aurangzeb's death in 1707 and accelerated through the 18th century due to multiple factors:

Emperor	Reign	Key Events
Bahadur Shah I	1707–1712	Tried to reconcile with Rajputs, Marathas. Beginning of court factionalism.
Jahandar Shah	1712–1713	Puppet of Zulfiqar Khan. Introduced revenue farming (Ijara).
Farrukhsiyar	1713–1719	Controlled by Syed Brothers. Granted trade concessions to British.
Muhammad Shah Rangeela	1719–1748	1739 – Nadir Shah invades Delhi, takes Peacock Throne & Koh-i-Noor.
Shah Alam II	1760–1806	Lost Battle of Buxar (1764). Gave Diwani Rights to British.
Bahadur Shah Zafar	1837–1857	Last Emperor. Leader of 1857 Revolt. Exiled to Burma.

Bahadur Shah Zafar (1775-1862), last Mughal Emperor

V. IMPORTANT BATTLES OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

Foundational Battles (Babur):

• First Battle of Panipat – 1526
• Battle of Khanwa – 1527
• Battle of Chanderi – 1528
• Battle of Ghagra – 1529

First Battle of Panipat (1526), where Babur established Mughal rule in India

Decline Period Battles:

• 1739 – Nadir Shah invades India
• 1761 – Third Battle of Panipat
• 1764 – Battle of Buxar (decisive British victory)

VI. MUGHAL ADMINISTRATION – FULL STRUCTURE

Central Government:

• Emperor (Padshah)
• Wazir/Diwan-i-Ala – Finance
• Mir Bakshi – Military
• Sadr-us-Sadur – Religion/charities
• Qazi-ul-Qazat – Chief Justice
• Diwan-i-Insha – Communications

Mnemonic for Court Officials: "W–MB–SS–DI" (Wazir, Mir Bakshi, Sadr-us-sadur, Diwan-i-Insha)

Provincial Government:

• Province = Suba
• Head = Subedar/Governor
• Other officers: Diwan, Bakshi, Qazi, Kotwal, Qanungo

VII. ART, ARCHITECTURE & CULTURE

Architectural Evolution:

• Babur → Early Timurid style
• Humayun → Persian influence
• Akbar → Fusion style
• Jahangir → Painting peak
• Shah Jahan → Architectural zenith
• Aurangzeb → Simpler architecture

Red Fort in Delhi, built by Shah Jahan (1639-1648)

Mnemonic for Who Built What: "BRASS-TAB" (Babur→Ram Bagh, Humayun→Humayun's Tomb, Akbar→Fatehpur Sikri, Shah Jahan→Taj Mahal & Shahjahanabad, Aurangzeb→Badshahi Mosque)

VIII. FOREIGN TRAVELLERS TO MUGHAL COURT

• Portuguese: Barbosa
• English: Hawkins, William Finch, Sir Thomas Roe
• French: Bernier, Tavernier
• Italian: Niccolao Manucci
• Dutch: Van Linschoten

Sir Thomas Roe, English ambassador to Jahangir's court (1615-1618)

Mnemonic for Visitors: "HFR–BTM" ("HoFRe BaTMan" - Hawkins, Finch, Roe, Bernier, Tavernier, Manucci)

IX. CAUSES OF MUGHAL DECLINE (FULL LIST)

• Weak successors
• Inefficient later administration
• Costly Deccan wars
• Rise of regional states (Hyderabad, Awadh, Bengal)
• Maratha expansion
• Sikh & Jat uprisings
• Invasion of Nadir Shah (1739)
• Abdali's invasions
• British East India Company expansion
• Loss of revenue (Bengal)
• Corruption & factionalism
• Decline of trade routes

Nadir Shah whose 1739 invasion devastated Delhi and accelerated Mughal decline

Mnemonic for Decline Causes: "DREAM-FAB" (Deccan Wars, Regional Kingdoms rise, European interference, Aurangzeb's policies, Maratha expansion, Factionalism, Afghan & Persian invasions, Bankruptcy)

X. LEGACY OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

• Introduced centralised administration
• Built India's finest architecture
• Shaped language: Persian → Urdu → Hindustani
• Fusion of cultures (Indo-Persian)
• Promoted trade with Europe
• Influenced Indian cuisine, clothing, gardens, music, dance

Jama Masjid in Delhi, one of the lasting architectural legacies of the Mughals

MUGHAL EMPIRE TIMELINE CHART

Period	Emperor	Major Events
1526–1530	Babur	First Battle of Panipat, Establishes Mughal Empire
1556–1605	Akbar	Second Battle of Panipat, Mansabdari System, Din-i-Ilahi
1605–1627	Jahangir	Thomas Roe visits, Peak of Mughal painting
1627–1658	Shah Jahan	Taj Mahal built, Golden Age of Architecture
1658–1707	Aurangzeb	Empire at maximum extent, Reimposes Jizya
1739	Muhammad Shah	Nadir Shah invasion, Peacock Throne taken
1857	Bahadur Shah II	Revolt of 1857, End of Mughal Empire

All Mughal Emperors Mnemonic: "BHAJ–SAJA–RFMA–AABS–B" (Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, Jahandar Shah, Rafi-ud-Darajat, Farrukhsiyar, Muhammad Shah, Ahmad Shah Bahadur, Alamgir II, Akbar Shah II, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Shah Alam II, Bahadur Shah I)

Mughal Empire Complete Interactive Guide • All factual information for educational purposes

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