MUGHAL DYNASTY PART -1

BABUR: (1483-1530)
• D.O.B– 1483, – Fergana Valley in present-day Uzbekistan
• Family Origin–He was a descendent of Timur long from his Father Side and
Also a descendent of Genghis Khan from his mother’s Side.
• Epithet– Prince of Auto Biography, Prince of Mughal Garden.
• Babur invaded India 1st time in 1519.
• Daulat Khan Lodi and Alam Khan Lodi invited Babur to attack India.
• Babur invaded India total 5 times.
Important Battles
❖ Panipat (1526) Defeated Ibrahim Lodi, established Mughal rule in India.
❖ Khanwa (1527) Defeated Rana Sanga.
❖ Chanderi (1528) Defeated Medini Rai of Chanderi.
❖ Ghaggara (1529) Defeated Muhammad Lodi, younger son of Sikandar Lodi.

• Babur introduced the use of gunpowder in the First Battle of Panipat.

• He introduced two types of war style Tulguma, Rumi.
• He was only Mughal ruler who was a poet.
• He introduced a new script Khat-i-Babari.
• Architecture — Kabuli Bagh Masjid of Panipath, Aaram Bagh, Jama Masjid in
Sambhal,
➢ Babur’s capital in India was Agra.
➢ He adopted “Padshah” title in 1507 AD.
➢ He wrote Tuzuki Baburi or Babarnama in Chagtai Turki language which
was translated to Persian and English by Abdul Rahim Khan-I- Khanan and
Madam Beveridge respectively.
➢ He died at Agra.
➢ His tomb is at Kabul.
HUMAYUN (1530-40 & 1555-56)
➢ The word Humayun means fortunate.
➢ Epithet - Problem child of Mughal empire.
➢ By the instruction of Babur, he divided the Mughal kingdom among his three
brothers– Askari, Hindal and Kamran.
➢ 1539 (Battle of Chausa): Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah.
➢ 1540: Humayun was again defeated by Sher Shah at Kannauj (Bilgram).
After the defeat, Humayun had no option but to flee India, taking refuge
under Shah Tahmasp 1, the Shah of Persia.
➢ His sister, Gulbadan Begum, wrote his biography Humayun Nama.
➢ In 1555, Humayun defeated Sikandar Sur and captured Sirhind (the battle of
Sirhind). Later he gained control over Delhi and Agra.
➢ Humayun’s tomb known as the earlier of Taj Mahal. It was 1st marble
architecture of Mughal period.
➢ Rani karnavati of Chittor sent a rakhi to Humayun.
➢ Humayun had taken into the service two master painter– Mir Sayed Ali,
Abdus Samad.
➢ Architecture— Din-i-Panah City in Delhi.
➢ The Persian ruler Shah Tahamamps helped Humayun (40k soldier).
➢ Humayun died while climbing down the stairs of his library in 1556.
➢ After his death his widow Haji Begum built his tomb in Delhi.

SHER SHAH (1540-1545)

➢ The real name is Farid Khan.
➢ Father’s name–Hasan Khan.
➢ Bahar Khan Lohani gave him the tittle Sher khan.
➢ Tarik-i-Shersahi written by Abbas Sarwani.
➢ Hindu General–Brahmajit Gaur.
➢ In 1534, Sher Shah Suri defeated the combined forces of the Lohani chiefs of
Bihar and Sultan Mahmud Shah of Bengal at the Battle of Surajgarh.
➢ He divided the Mughal kingdom into 47 Sarkar.
➢ Sher Shah Suri renamed Pataliputra as Patna.
➢ Padmavat was written during his time.
➢ In 1530, he usurps throne as Hazarati Ala.
➢ In 1539, Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah in the battle of Chausa.
➢ In 1540, Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah in the battle of Bilgram.
➢ He gained Chunar by marrying the widow Lad Malika.
➢ He died in 1545 while conquering Kalinjar.
➢ The tomb of Sher Shah is situated at Sasaram (Bihar)
➢ Sher Shah was succeeded by Islam shah.

Revenue System
❖ Land was measured using the Sikandari gaz (a unit of measure introduced by
Sikandar Lodi). One third of the Average was fixed as tax.
❖ The peasant was given a patta (title deed) and a qabuliyat (deed of agreement)
which fixed the peasant's rights and taxes removed and the taxes were directly
collected.
❖ Sher Shah Suri introduced jaribana, a survey charge paid by peasants,
and muhasilana, a tax collection charge.

Currency
❖ He introduced the silver coin Rupaya and copper coin 'Dum".
Public Works
❖ Purana Qila was built along with Grand Trunk Road from Sonargaon (Bengal)
to Attock (NWFP).
❖ He built other three important roads Agra-Jodhpur- Chittor, Lahore-Multan
and Agra- Burhanpur.
AKBAR (1556-1605)
❖ Birth Place: Amarkot (15 October 1542)
❖ He ascended the throne in 1556 at the age of 14 at Kalanaur, Punjab.
❖ Bairam Khan was his tutor or Ataliq, who guided Akbar to win the second
battle of Panipat in 1556.
❖ From 1556 to 1560 AD, Akbar was under Bairam Khan’s regency,
❖ After the death of Bairam Khan, Akbar came under the influence of Maham
Anga, his foster mother who dominated both his personal life and political
decisions for a year (September 1560-November 1561). This period is
known as “Pelticoat Government”. However, modern historians, such as
Satish Chandra, do not accept this view.
❖ Akbar’s capitals Fatehpur Sikri and Agra.
❖ The foundation of Fatehpur Sikri (1571).
Important Years of Akbar
❑ 1560: Bairam khan was suspended
❑ 1562: Akbar abolished slavery system.
❑ 1562: Visited Ajmer first time.
❑ 1563: Abolition of Pilgrimage Tax.
❑ 1564: Abolition of Jaziya.
❑ 1571 : Foundation of Fatehpur Sikri.
❑ 1574 : Mansabadari System introduced.
❑ 1575 : Ibadatkhana was built.
❑ 1578 : Parliament of Religions in Ibadatkhana.
❑ 1579 : Proclamation of 'Mazhar' (written by Faizi).
❑ 1580 : Dahsala Bandobast introduced.
❑ 1581: His step brother mirza Hakim the ruler of Kabul invaded India.
❑ 1582: Din-i-Ilahi/ Tauhid-i-Ilahi.
❑ 1583 : Ilahi Samvat.
 th
❖ Akbar introduced Mansabdari System probably in the 19 year of his reign
(1577). The word Mansab means “rank’ and the holder of the rank was called
Mansabdar. It was necessary for him to organise the nobility as well as his
army in order to expand his empire and maintain his hold over it. He realised
this objective by means of the Mansabdari system. Under this system, every
officer was assigned a rank or Mansab. The lowest rank was 10 and the
highest was 5000 for the nobles. Princes of the blood received higher
mansabs. Towards the end of Akbar’s reign, the highest rank a noble could
attain was raised from 5000 to 7000, and two premier nobi Mirza Aziz Koka
and Raja Man Singh, were honoured with the rank of 7000 cach. The ranks
we two-Zat and Sawar. The word Zat means personal. It fixed the personal
status of a person and also the salary due to him. The Sawar rank indicated
the number of cavalrymen or horsemen a person was required to maintain. In
short, Mansabdari system was a hierarchical administrative system based on
cavalrymen. Mansabdars were equivalent to modern-day high-ranking state
officials or civil servants to some extent.

Revenue System:
➢ The land was divided into four classes according to their productivity
– Polaj, Parauti, Chachar, and Banjar.
➢ Polaj – Throughout the empire, Polaj was the ideal and best type of land.
This land was always cultivated and was never left fallow.
➢ Parauti – This was the land that was temporarily kept out of cultivation in
order to regain its fertility.
➢ Chachar – Chachar was a type of land that was allowed to lie fallow for three
or four years before being cultivated again.
➢ Banjar – Banjar was the worst type of land that had been left uncultivated for
five years or more.

Akbar was a Sunni Muslim. He, therefore displayed the spirit of toleration and
harmony in all his actions and decisions. In 1563, he abolished the Pilgrimage tax,
which was levied on Hindus during their pilgrimages. In 1564, he abolished Jizya
or the poll tax, which was levied on non- muslims. He also established a Translation
Department, which was given the task of translating Hindu religions scriptures, such
as Atharva Veda, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata etc. In 1575, he built Ibadat Khana
at Fatehpur Sikri to engage himself a meaningful dialogue with all religions and
faiths. In 1579, he declared Mahazar, through which he delegated to himself the
power to interpret various Islamic norms, which had so far been the Ulema's domain.
In 1582, he created a new religions doctrine-Din-i- llahi and propagated the concept
of Sulh -i-Kul. Birbal was the first and only Hindu to accept Din-1-Ilahi.
➢ Ralph Fitch (1585) was the first Englishman who visited Akbar's Court.

Nine Gems
➢ Todarmal
• Expert on land revenue and finance minister of Akbar.
• His early career started under Sher shah.
➢ Abul Fazal
• He translated pancha tantra into Persian language.
• Abul Fazal was assassinated in 1602 by Vir Singh Bundela on the
orders of Prince Salim
➢ Faizi
• Court poet of Akbar.
• He translated Lilavati into persian language.
• Akbar read khutba which was composed by Faizi.
➢ Birbal
• Real name –Mahesh Das
• Died fighting Yusuf Shahis on the Northwest frontiers.
➢ Tansen
• Real name Ramtanu Pandey.
• He began his career in the court of the Hindu king of Rewa State,
Ramchandra Baghela.
• The guru of Tansen was Swami Haridas.
• Raga –Megh Malhar, Raga Deepak, Raga Miyan ki Malhar.
➢ Abdul Rahim Khan-i-khnana
• Real name Rahim khan, son of Bairam Khan. Akbar gave him the title
Khan-i-khanan.
• He was the Hindi poet of Akbar Court.
➢ Mulla Do-Piyaza
• He was the legal Advisor of Akbar.
➢ Man Singh
• Chief Rajput general of the battle of Headlight. he got the highest
Mansab.

➢ Fakir Aziao-Din
• Fakir Aziao-Din was a Sufi mystic and a spiritual advisor to Akbar.

➢ Badauni—he translated Ramayana, Mahabharat into persian language.

➢ Akbar was the 1st Indian ruler who started Hajj pilgrimage at the state expense.
➢ Akbar permitted widow remarriage, abolished sati system and fixed the
marriage age 14 years for girls, 16 years for boys.
➢ He introduced the gold coin jalali which led the image of Ram and Sita
➢ Famous painter— Dasawan and Jaswant
➢ The European painting started during his time.
➢ Architecture– Agra Fort, Lahore Fort, Allahabad fort, Panch Mahal, Fatehpur
Sikri
➢ In 1605, Akbar died at Agra.