DEEPAKRAM BETTARAYAN

History Essay: Eastern Empires

The Mughal empire was an empire located in today northern India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and
Pakistan. The Mughals were of Mongol origins and were Muslim rulers. They invaded and captured
India for the fertility of the land and the jewels and gems which India was rich of. India’s was a very
rich land, full of gold and jewels yet the fertile land made it easy to grow crops and made agriculture
easy, an extract from a document states “The whole country of India is full of gold and jewels, and of
the plants which grow there are those fit for making apparel, and aromatic plants and the sugar can,
and the whole aspect of the country is pleasant and delightful. Now, since the inhabitants are chiefly
infidels and idolaters, by the order of God [Allah] and his prophet it is right for us to conquer them.” 1
Also according to the extract these were the reasons/justifications given by Sultan Mahmud for
invading India. Between the period of 997 AD and 1030 AD Sultan Mahmud invaded India 17 times.

Babur, a Muslim Turk invaded India circa 1517 AD, he then later conquered India by 1526 AD and
established the Mughal Empire. Babur was related to both Timur and Genghis Khan, who were both
Mongol leaders and conquerors. The name Mughal comes from the Persian word for Mongol.
“Babur was a wise and kind leader. Like many Mughal emperors who followed him.” 2 Babur’s empire
covered most of northern India and he established a strong empire.

Babur’s grandson took rule of the empire when he was only 13 years old, he went on to become
remembered as the greatest Mughal emperor. His name was Akbar, Akbar’s rule lasted for 49 years
(1556 AD -1605 AD). Akbar expanded the Mughal empire by conquering Afghanistan. Akbar was the
reason that the Mughal empire remained successful for a long period of time.

Akbar was a fair and just emperor, reasons for his admirations are his fair tax systems and he set up
a system where jobs where given with a salary or fixed payment only to qualified/ educated men
regardless of religion. The emperor showed no form of bias, and did not make any “racist laws”
(favouring one religion). “Taxes were lower for those with less productive land. This was fairer than
the old system where every farmer had to pay the same amount” 3. Furthermore what made Akbar
great was he was a diplomat but also a great military leader which was useful because there were
always rebellions to deal with. Akbar allowed all religions in his empire, so in his empire you could
find Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews and others. Akbar invited scholars and educated men of
different religions to his court where he praised and sponsored debates on religion.

Moreover, along with the expansion of the empire both by land and army the culture grew under
the power of Akbar. Since Akbar allowed all religions in his empire this allowed for a wide diversity in
the culture and some of the cultures of the Mughals went on to become part of Indian culture as
well. Akbar saw that there was always going to be a conflict between religions and although he was
just and fair to everyone he thought that the only way to solve this problem was to unify the
religions, to find a new combination.

The Mughal empire settled in India for a while and was a strong empire. Most of its rulers were just
and fair so they were able to stay in India for a long time and not enrage the people by having unfair
taxes and bias laws. Under the rule of Akbar the Mughal empire grew tremendously and trade
opened up and the army grew as well but at the same due to Akbar encouraging artists to perform in
his court, culture also grew vastly under his reign .The Mughal empire affected India’s culture and art

1
Córdova, Jacqueline M. "The Mughal Empire." Across the Centuries. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin, page 178
2
Cordova, page 180
3
Cordova, page 181
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styles and several traditions, it affected India’s trade and most notably gained the attention of the
British East India company which came to India for trade and eventually ended the Mughal empire
and conquered India.

Bibliography
Córdova, Jacqueline M. "The Mughal Empire." Across the Centuries. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin, page 178-185
DEEPAKRAM BETTARAYAN