What the History of Mughal Dynasty?

At the same time Akbar steadily extends the boundaries of the territory which he has inherited.

The ornate architectural features of Mughal buildings and monuments were matched by the exquisitely manicured gardens that surrounded them. The Mughal gardens were heavily influenced by Persian landscaping conventions, which in turn were inspired by references to gardens in the Quran.

At other times, religious zealousness resulted in the destruction of temples and of Hindu images and in the imposition of harsh taxes.

Akbar's normal way of life is to move around with a large army, holding court in a splendid camp laid out like a capital city but composed entirely of tents

The gardens were often quadrilateral in design and contained water features like pools and fountains. One of the most famous Mughal gardens is the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore (in present-day Pakistan), which were commissioned during the reign of Shah Jahan.

His biographer, Abul Fazl, describes this royal progress as being 'for political reasons, and for subduing oppressors, under the veil of indulging in hunting'.

The positive aspect of their legacy still contributes to interfaith harmony in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, but the negative aspect fuels inter-community (communitarian) hatred and even violence. Lessons can be learned from the Mughal legacy on how to govern multi-racial, multi-religious societies.

The Mughal Empire also ushered in a period of proto-industrialization,[32] and around the 17th century, Mughal India became the world's largest economic and manufacturing power

At its peak in the 17th century, the Mughal Empire was the world’s largest economic power. It made up nearly a quarter of the world’s entire GDP.

A great deal of hunting does occur (a favourite version uses trained cheetahs to pursue deer) while the underlying political purpose - of warfare, treaties, marriages - is carried on.

The Mughal Empire is considered "India's last golden age"[36] and one of the three Islamic Gunpowder

Relying on a large workforce, the Empire became one of the world’s leading manufacturing powers and ushered in an era of proto-industrialization—a precursor to the great Industrial Revolution that took place in Britain during the 18th century.

One of Akbar's most unusual ideas regarding religion was Din-i-Ilahi (“Godism” in English), which was an eclectic mix of Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity.

Warfare brings its own booty. Signing a treaty with Akbar, or presenting a wife to his harem (his collection eventually numbers about 300 - see Harems), involves a contribution to the exchequer.

He enjoyed good relations with the emerging Sikh community, and it was proclaimed the state religion until his death.

For its time, the Mughal Empire was highly urbanized. At its peak in the 17th century, 15% of the population resided in major urban centers; a mark that would not be reached in Europe until 200 years later. During the reign of Akbar, there were 120 cities and 3,200 townships. The biggest cities in the Mughal Empire were Agra, Delhi, Lahore, and Dhaka.

As his realm increases, so does his revenue. And Akbar proves himself an inspired adminstrator.

The reign of Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor, between 1628 and 1658, was the zenith of Mughal architecture with famous monuments such as the Taj Mahal and Moti Masjid at Agra, the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, Delhi, and the Lahore Fort.

The empire's growing number of provinces are governed by officials appointed only for a limited term, thus avoiding the emergence of regional warlords.

These actions were later retracted by Aurangzeb, known for his zealotry. Aurangzeb imposed Sharia law, which he codified, re-imposed the jizya, and as had Babur, destroyed temples in order to build mosques. He is known to have treated non-Muslims harshly.

The hookah or waterpipe (also known as shisha) is thought to be a Mughal era invention. It was developed by one of Emperor Akbar’s doctors after the introduction of tobacco to the Mughal Empire by Jesuit missionaries in the 16th century.

Contemporaries referred to the empire founded by Babur as the Timurid empire,[38] which reflected the heritage of his dynasty, and this was the term preferred by the Mughals themselves

And steps are taken to ensure that the tax on peasants varies with local circumstances, instead of a fixed proportion of their produce being automatically levied.

Under Aurangzeb, Mughal court life changed dramatically. According to his interpretation, Islam did not allow music, so he banished court musicians, dancers, and singers.

The Mughal designation for their own dynasty was Gurkani (Persian: گورکانیان‎, Gūrkāniyān, meaning "sons-in-law").