SUBJECT: SOCIAL STUDIES

GRADE: 7
LESSON- THE MUGHAL EMPIRE
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The Mughals:
The Mughals claimed to be the descendants of Genghis Khan, the ruler of Mongol tribes of China and
Central Asia from their mother’s side. From their father’s side they were fifth-generation descendants
of Timur. The name Mughal was derived from the word Mongol.
Babur (1526 -1530)
• Babur was the first Mughal Emperor, ascended the throne at Farghana.
• He was thrown out of his hometown by Uzbeks. He carved out a fresh territory for himself in
Kabul in 1504.
• The unstable political situation in India after Sikander Lodi's death and invitations from
Daulat Khan Lodi, the governor of Punjab, encouraged Babur to attack India.
• At the First Battle of Panipat in 1526 Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi and
established Mughal rule in India.
• He also defeated Rana Sangha of Mewar and the chieftains in and around Delhi and Agra at
the battle of Khanwa in 1527. In 1528 he defeated the Rajputs at Chanderi.
Humayun ( 1530-1556)
Humayun (1530- 1556 )
• After Babur’s death Humayun succeeded his father in 1530.
• To sustain imperial power and hegemony Humayun had to fight against the Afghans
both in the east and the west.
• He had to face hostilities from his own brothers which weakened his cause against the
Afghans.
• The Afghans united under the leadership of Sher Khan.
• With the help of the Persian King, Shah Tahmasp Humayun conquered Kabul and
Kandahar and captured Delhi and Agra. He re-established the Mughal rule in 1555 but
died in 1556.
Sher Shah
• Sher Khan defeated Humayun, first at the battle of Chausa (1539) and then at Kanauj,
(1540) Humayun fled from India and sought refuge in Persia.
• Sher Shah established the Sur Dynasty with his capital at Delhi. He introduced the
Rupiya, an organized military and postal system.
• With the help of the Persian King, Shah Tahmasp Humayun conquered Kabul and
Kandahar and captured Delhi and Agra.
Akbar
• Two major sources which provide information about Akbar’s period are Akbarnama and Ain-
i-Akbari written by Abul Fazl.
• Akbar's coronation took place in 1556 CE. his tutor Bairam Khan took over as regent.
• He became the wakil of the kingdom with the title of Khan-I Khanan.
• One of the major achievements of his regency period was the defeat of Hemu, and the Afghan
forces in the Second Battle of Panipat in 1556.
• Expansion Policy :
Akbar entered into conflict with different powers like Rajputs, Afghans, Bihar, Bengal and the
Deccan kingdoms like Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmednagar. Between 1570-1585 Akbar
managed to capture the areas of Gujarat, Bihar and Bengal and reduced the power of the
Afghans. Between 1585 and 1591 Akbar also established his control over Kandahar, Kabul,
Kashmir and Sindh.
After 1590 Akbar undertook a planned Deccan Policy to bring these states under Mughal
control.
Akbar and the Rajputs:
• Akbar tried to win over the Rajputs wherever possible and inducted Rajputs kings into
Mughal service.
• Married Jodha Bai, daughter of Raja Bihari Mal of Jaipur in 1562.
• Displayed a secular policy towards Hindus.
• Many Rajput kings helped Akbar in expanding and consolidating the Mughal Empire.
• Akbar recognized their traditional ruling areas such as watan jagir and they were given
additional jagirs outside Rajasthan.
• Battle with Rana Pratap- Captured Chittor in 1568 and Ranthambor in Battle of
• Haldighati was fought between Mughals and Rana Pratap in 1576 near Gogundo(Haldighati)
• Rana Pratap did not submit but re-captured many lost territories back from the
Mughals.

JAHANGIR - (1605-1627 )
▪ Son of Akbar- came to the throne in 1605.
▪ He was known for impartial justice to his people, political stability, brisk economic activity,
beautiful paintings and monumental buildings.
He was a great lover of justice.
Jahangir’s reign:
▪ There were several revolts.
▪ Guru Arjan Singh was martyred during this period.
▪ Jahangir’s son, Prince Khurram rebelled against him in the last years of his reign.
▪ 1608 A.D.-William Hawkins of England visited India. He tried to take trade concessions from
Jahangir but failed and went back.
▪ 1615 A.D.- Sir Thomas Roe was sent as an ambassador, he succeeded in getting trading
facilities for the British traders from the Mughal king and the first English trading post was
established at Surat.
 Shahjahan:
After his father’s death Shahjahan or Prince Khurram ascended the throne in 1628.
He faced two major revolts during the early part of his life by Khan Jahan Lodi and by Juhar Singh
of Bundelkhand.
Abdul Hamid Lahori described in his accounts, the strategies adopted by Shahjahan to control
situations of famine and plague.
The Nizam Shahi Dynasty of Ahmednagar was brought under Mughal control by Shahjahan.
The Deccan Sultanate of Bijapur and Golconda accepted his supremacy in 1636.
He also annexed the region of Kamarupa in Assam.
Shajahan shifted the capital of the Mughal Empire from Agra to Delhi and ruled from the Red Fort.
(Lal Qila)

Aurangzeb:
He imprisoned his own father, Shahjahan and crowned himself at Delhi assuming the title of
Alamgir.
Aurangzeb annexed Bijapur and Golconda. The last 26 years of his life were full of conflicts in the
Deccan and North India.
He faced rebellions from the Marathas under Shivaji, the Jats and Satnamis.
Jazia was reimposed on the Hindus.
The war of succession followed after his death.
Though he ruled longer than any of his predecessors he could not stop the decline of Mughal
empire.

Mughal Administration
Babur and Humayun could not concentrate on establishing a definite system or pattern in
administration. By the end of Akbar’s reign, we find the establishment of elaborate office with
specialised functions assigned to the heads of the officers.
Administrative Officials
• Diwan-i-kul: Incharge of revenue and finance.
• Mir Bakshi: In charge of the military- He passed all orders of appointments of mansabdars, and
their salary papers, branding of horses (dagh), checked the muster roll(chehra) He was assisted by
Bakshi.
• Mir Saman: Incharge of royal karkhanas
• Sadr-us sudur: protected laws of the ‘shari’
• Qazi-ul-quzzat: Head of the judiciary
• kotwal- the town police commander.
• Subadar: governor of the suba, appointed by the emperor for a period of 3 years. He looked after
welfare of the people, and army and maintained law and order in the suba. He was assisted by
Bakshi, sadr, faujdar and kotwal.
• The finances were taken care of by the diwan at the central level.
Akbar’s Mansabdari system Refer Textbook Page-28
Ibadatkhana Refer Textbook Page-30

Mughal Empire Crisis

• The revenue extraction from the peasantry on such a wide scale provided the Mughal Empire with
a rich treasury. These resources helped the emperors to carry out campaigns, build monuments
and for the salaries of their officers, but the scale of revenue left very little in the hands of the
peasants and artisans.
• During the reign of Aurangzeb, due to the increasing financial strain of the Deccan wars and the
dislocation of administration, the jagirdari system began to lose its efficiency.
• A large number of nobles from Deccan were given mansabs by Aurangzeb which created a crisis
of jagir land.
• Jats, Satnamis, Marathas and Sikhs revolted in Northern India against the Mughal Empire.
• Nobles vied for the most profitable jagirs, leading to corruption.
• Powerful Irani, Turani, Deccani and Hindustani blocs also developed in the court also fought for
power.
• Factionalism among nobility after Aurangzeb’s death was another reason for the decline of the
Mughal Empire.
• Nadir Shah’s invasion in 1739 weakened the Mughal power.
• Mughal governors emerged as centres of power in the region. Although many of them continued
to recognize the Mughal emperor in Delhi as their sovereign, they held autonomous command of
provinces like Awadh, Hyderabad, etc.