Indian-history / Indian History NCERT Notes / The Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire

  • Mughals established and maintained one of the largest empires in Indian History. In terms of military power, administrative innovations, cultural developments, economic prosperity, and political consolidation, the Mughal Empire attained new heights. By the latter half of the 16th century, they expanded their kingdom from Agra and Delhi.

The Mughals

  • The Mughal Empire, also known as Gurkani, was a vast realm encompassing significant parts of the Indian subcontinent.
  • Its origins trace back to Babur's triumph over Ibrahim Lodi, with a brief interlude of 15 years when Sher Shah Suri and his successors governed the land. Spanning from AD 1526 to 1707, the Mughal Empire endured for 181 years.

Rulers of the Mughal Dynasty

  • Babur (Jahiruddin Muhammad Babur) (AD 1526-1530)
  • Humayun (AD 1530-1540, AD 1555-1556)
  • Akbar (Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar) (AD 1556-1605)
  • Salim/Jahangir (AD 1605-1627)
  • Shah Jahan (AD 1628-1658)
  • Aurangzeb (AD 1658-1707)

Babur (AD 1526-1530)

  • The founder of the Mughal Empire in India, Babur, traced his ancestry to Timur (on his father's side) and Genghis Khan (on his mother's side).
  •  Born in Farghana in AD 1483, Babur succeeded his father, Umar Sheikh Mirza, at the age of 11 in AD 1494. His early years in Chinese Turkistan exposed him to the novel Tulughma warfare strategy, diverting the enemy's attention by attacking flanking parties to avoid direct clashes with the main forces.
  • Facing hostility in Central Asia, Babur captured Samarkand but soon had to retreat. After years of wandering, he gained control of Kabul in AD 1504.
  •  Proficient in Persian and Arabic, Babur wrote his autobiography, Tuzuk-i-Baburi, in Chugtai Turkish, later translated into Persian and other languages.
  •  Babur introduced the Char Bagh style of architecture in India, constructing mosques at Panipat and Sambhal. He passed away on 26th December AD 1530, initially buried in Aram Bagh, later shifted to Kabul.

Babur's Conquest of India

  • Between AD 1519 and 1523, Babur embarked on four voyages to India with the goal of conquest. Encouraged by Daulat Khan, a powerful noble dissatisfied with Ibrahim Lodi, and with the political situation in North-West India favoring his entry, Babur ventured into India.
  • Rana Sanga, the Rajput monarch of Mewar, sought to expand his influence in North India, providing an opportunity for Babur. Invitations from Rana Sanga and Daulat Khan Lodi may have fueled Babur's ambitions.
  • He seized Bhera, Sialkot, and Lahore between AD 1519 and 1524.

Major Wars Led by Babur

Key battles involving the Mughal Emperor Babur include:

First Battle of Panipat (AD 1526)

  • The First Battle of Panipat took place in AD 1526, where Ibrahim Lodi and Babur's forces finally clashed. Ibrahim's army, with an estimated strength of 1,00,000 soldiers, faced Babur's smaller force of 12,000 warriors.
  • Babur employed distinctive strategies when confronting opponents on the battlefield.
  •  Significantly, the use of cannons in 16th-century warfare played a crucial role, skillfully deployed by Babur in the initial conflict at Panipat.
  • The victory in the First Battle of Panipat effectively ended the Lodi Kingdom in India, as Ibrahim Lodi perished on the battlefield after being abandoned by his feudatories and generals.
  • This triumph laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Mughal Empire in India.
  • Despite conquering Delhi and Agra, Babur still needed to subdue the Rajputs and the Afghans.

Babur's Tactics of Tulughma and Araba

  • Tulughma involved dividing the entire army into various units, including the Left, Right, and the Center.
  •  Further subdivisions of the Left and Right divisions into Forward and Rear divisions allowed a small army to surround the enemy from all sides.
  • Araba
  • The Center forward division was equipped with carts (Araba) placed in rows facing the enemy and tied together with animal hide ropes.

Battle of Khanwa (AD 1527)

  • Rana Sanga of Mewar initially perceived Babur as an invader intending to plunder wealth. However, upon realizing that Babur aimed to establish his rule in India, Rana Sanga considered him a threat to his territory. Consequently, Rana Sanga decided to expel Babur from the country.
  •  Alongside the Rajput clans, Rana Sanga forged a formidable alliance with other Afghan leaders.

Babur devised a defensive strategy that incorporated artillery-equipped fortified camps. Employing infantry and cannons simultaneously, he delivered a powerful blow to his opponents, who lacked firearms.
  • Ultimately, the Battle of Khanwa concluded with the defeat of Rana Sanga.
  • The battle proved decisive and underscored the superiority of Mughal weapons over the Rajputs.

Battle of Chanderi (AD 1528)

  • In AD 1528, the Battle of Chanderi unfolded between Babur and Medini Rai, the ruler of Malwa Rajput. The conflict arose when Babur sought control over the administrative center of the Malwa Kingdom, the fort at Chanderi.
  • Babur, on his journey to Chanderi, proposed offering Shamshabad to Medini Rai in exchange for Chanderi as a peace gesture. However, Rai declined the offer.
  • Following the rejection, a determined Babur captured the outer fort of Chanderi with his army.
  • The Battle of Chanderi marked a significant turning point in the region, leading many Rajput kings to surrender and accept suzerainty under Babur.

Battle of Ghaghra (AD 1529)

  • Fought in AD 1529, the Battle of Ghaghra played a crucial role in the Mughal Empire's quest for the conquest of India.
  • The Battle of Ghaghra took place between the Mughal forces, led by Babur, and the Sultanate of Bengal under Sultan Nusrat Shah.

This battle marked the final major engagement of Babur, who subsequently focused on consolidating power, engaging with Jagirs, and dealing with royal nobles.

Significance of Babur's Invasion

  • The North Indian empire, encompassing Kabul and Kandahar, played a pivotal role in enhancing India's international trade connections with China and the Mediterranean seaports.
  • Babur's victories revived the Central Administrative System of the region. He introduced a governance concept focused on the strength and prestige of the crown, minimizing religious interference.
  • Utilizing powerful artillery, though expensive, reshaped the dynamics of warfare, leading to the decline of small kingdoms that couldn't afford such technology.
  • As the first Muslim Emperor of India, Babur broke the tradition of rulers owing allegiance to the Caliph, elevating the position of the crown. He formally declared himself as Padshah.
  • Pioneering the foundation of a Secular State, Babur set the precedent for a Muslim king in medieval India.
  • Babur's innovative warfare tactics demonstrated a novel approach to Indian chiefs and soldiers, introducing gunpowder, which became extensively used in warfare after the First Battle of Panipat.
  • While Babur's conquests laid the groundwork for a vast empire, his poor administrative skills hindered the consolidation of the territories he acquired.

Humayun (AD 1530-1556)

  • Born in Kabul on 17th March 1508, Humayun succeeded his father, Babur, to the throne in Agra. Having gained battle experience at the pivotal War of Panipat in 1526, a battle that played a crucial role in establishing the Mughal Empire, Humayun faced numerous challenges upon ascending the throne.
  • After becoming emperor, Humayun divided the Mughal territories among his three brothers – Kamran, Askari, and Hindal. The initial years of his rule were marked by administrative instability, a depleted treasury, and the ambitions of the nobles. The financial system was weak, and predatory Afghan forces posed a threat.
  • In 1528, Humayun was appointed the Governor of Badakhshan, a region spanning South Tajikistan and North Afghanistan. Despite initial victories, including capturing the Kalinjar fortress and defeating Sultan Mahmud Lodi and Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, Humayun's success was short-lived due to his weak character.
  • The rising power of Sher Khan (later Sher Shah) in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh prompted Humayun to take action. Despite defeating the Afghans at Daurah in 1532 and besieging the Fort of Chunar, he suffered a significant setback in the Battle of Bilgram (Kannauj) in 1540 against Sher Shah Suri. This defeat compelled Humayun to flee to the Safavid Empire in Persia for refuge.

Humayun sought assistance from the Safavid king, and with their support, he eventually triumphed over his brothers Askari and Kamran. In 1545, he conquered Kandahar and Kabul but refused to cede control of Kandahar to Persia. In 1555, Humayun reclaimed Agra and Delhi after defeating the forces of Sikandar Shah Suri.
  • In AD 1555, Humayun secured victory over the Afghans, only to pass away six months later in AD 1556 due to a fall from the staircase of his library. Despite his kindness and generosity, Humayun was not renowned for his military prowess and leadership. He had a penchant for painting and composed poetry in the Persian language.

Humayun's Military Campaigns

Humayun undertook notable military campaigns, including the following:

Expedition of Kalinjar (AD 1531)

  • Six months into his reign, Humayun besieged the formidable Kalinj