Indian History: The Mughal Empire — Babur to Aurangzeb

The Mughal Empire (1526-1857) is one of the most important topics for Kerala PSC History questions. Questions focus on rulers, key battles, administrative systems, architecture, and cultural contributions. These notes cover the six Great Mughals and related facts.

The Six Great Mughal Emperors

Emperor	Reign	Key Facts
Babur	1526-1530	Founded Mughal Empire; descended from Timur (father’s side) and Genghis Khan (mother’s side); originally ruler of Fergana (Central Asia)
Humayun	1530-1540, 1555-1556	Lost empire to Sher Shah Suri (1540); spent 15 years in exile; regained Delhi 1555; died falling from stairs of his library (Dinpanah)
Akbar	1556-1605	Greatest Mughal; expanded empire massively; liberal religious policy; abolished Jizya; created Din-i-Ilahi
Jahangir	1605-1627	”Seizer of the World”; patron of painting; Chain of Justice; married Nur Jahan (most powerful queen)
Shah Jahan	1627-1658	”Golden Age of Mughal Architecture”; built Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Jama Masjid; imprisoned by Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb	1658-1707	Last effective Mughal; expanded empire to largest extent; reimposed Jizya; orthodox religious policy; Deccan wars weakened empire

Babur (1526-1530)

Fact	Detail
Full name	Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur
Origin	Fergana, Central Asia (modern Uzbekistan)
Autobiography	Baburnama (Tuzuk-i-Baburi), written in Chagatai Turkish
First Battle of Panipat	1526 — defeated Ibrahim Lodi (last Delhi Sultan); used gunpowder artillery and tulughma tactic
Battle of Khanwa	1527 — defeated Rana Sanga of Mewar; Babur took title “Ghazi”
Battle of Chanderi	1528 — defeated Medini Rai
Battle of Ghaghra	1529 — defeated Afghan chiefs
Death	1530 at Agra; buried first at Agra, later at Kabul (as per his wish)

Humayun (1530-1556)

Fact	Detail
Meaning of name	”Fortunate” (though he was unfortunate in practice)
Lost empire to	Sher Shah Suri at Battle of Chausa (1539) and Battle of Kannauj (1540)
Exile period	1540-1555; took refuge in Persia (Shah Tahmasp helped him)
Regained Delhi	1555
Death	1556; fell from stairs of his library (Sher Mandal, Delhi)
Humayun’s Tomb	Built by his widow Haji Begum in Delhi (1565); first garden tomb in India; precursor to Taj Mahal

Sher Shah Suri Interlude (1540-1555)

Contribution	Detail
Grand Trunk Road	Rebuilt road from Sonargaon (Bangladesh) to Peshawar
Currency reform	Introduced silver Rupiya (basis of modern Rupee)
Revenue system	Land measurement and classification; collected 1/3rd of produce
Administration	Divided empire into 47 Sarkars
Death	1545, at siege of Kalinjar Fort (gunpowder explosion)

Akbar (1556-1605) — The Great

Fact	Detail
Full name	Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar
Coronation	14 February 1556 at Kalanaur (Punjab); aged 13; Bairam Khan as regent
Second Battle of Panipat	1556 — Bairam Khan (for Akbar) defeated Hemu; Hemu was killed
Capital cities	Agra, then Fatehpur Sikri (1571-1585), then Lahore, then Agra again
Rajput policy	Marriage alliances (married Jodha Bai of Amber); Rajputs given high mansabs; Man Singh, Todar Mal served as generals/ministers
Religious policy	Abolished Jizya (1564) and pilgrim tax; Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri (House of Worship, 1575); Mazhar (Infallibility Decree, 1579); Din-i-Ilahi (1582 — syncretic faith, only Birbal converted from Hindus)
Revenue system	Todar Mal’s Bandobast (Dahsala/Zabti system) — land measured, revenue fixed based on 10-year average
Nine Gems (Navratnas)	Abul Fazl, Faizi, Tansen, Birbal, Todar Mal, Raja Man Singh, Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana, Fakir Aziao-Din, Mullah Do-Piaza
Death	1605 at Agra; buried at Sikandra (near Agra)

Akbar’s Administrative System

Feature	Detail
Mansabdari System	Rank system for nobles; dual rank — Zat (personal) and Sawar (cavalry); no hereditary rights
Provinces	Empire divided into Subas (provinces), Sarkars (districts), Parganas, Villages
Provincial governor	Subedar/Sipahsalar
Revenue minister	Diwan
Military intelligence	Waqia-navis (news reporters)

Jahangir (1605-1627)

Fact	Detail
Birth name	Salim
Title meaning	”Seizer of the World”
Chain of Justice (Zanjir-i-Adl)	Golden chain with 60 bells outside Agra Fort; any subject could ring for justice
Nur Jahan	Real name Mehr-un-Nisa; married Jahangir 1611; effectively ruled the empire; coins struck in her name
Painting	Golden age of Mughal painting; Jahangir’s court painter Mansur (Ustad Mansur — nature paintings)
Rebellion	His son Khusrau revolted (supported by Sikh Guru Arjan Dev — Guru was executed)
Memoir	Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri (autobiography)
Captain Hawkins	English envoy from James I visited Jahangir’s court (1608-1611)
Sir Thomas Roe	English ambassador at Jahangir’s court (1615-1619); secured trading rights
Death	1627; buried at Shahdara Bagh, Lahore

Shah Jahan (1627-1658)

Fact	Detail
Birth name	Khurram
Title meaning	”King of the World”
Reign called	Golden Age of Mughal Architecture
Taj Mahal	Built 1632-1653 at Agra; in memory of wife Mumtaz Mahal; architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri; white marble from Makrana (Rajasthan)
Red Fort (Lal Qila)	Built 1639-1648 at Delhi; shifted capital from Agra to Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
Jama Masjid	Delhi; largest mosque in India at that time; completed 1656
Peacock Throne (Takht-i-Taus)	Jewel-encrusted throne; later taken by Nadir Shah (1739)
Moti Masjid	Pearl Mosque inside Agra Fort
War of Succession	Four sons fought: Dara Shikoh, Shuja, Aurangzeb, Murad; Aurangzeb won
Imprisonment	Aurangzeb imprisoned Shah Jahan in Agra Fort (1658-1666); Shah Jahan died looking at the Taj Mahal

Aurangzeb (1658-1707)

Fact	Detail
Full name	Muhi-ud-din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir
Title	Alamgir (“Conqueror of the World”)
Religious policy	Reimposed Jizya (1679); destroyed many temples; banned music at court; orthodox Sunni
Deccan campaigns	Spent last 25 years in Deccan (1682-1707); conquered Bijapur (1686) and Golconda (1687)
Maratha conflict	Long war with Marathas; captured and executed Sambhaji (1689); could not crush Maratha guerrilla warfare
Sikh conflict	Executed Guru Tegh Bahadur (1675); Guru Gobind Singh formed Khalsa (1699)
Rajput conflict	Broke Akbar’s Rajput alliance; war with Marwar and Mewar
Fatwa-i-Alamgiri	Compilation of Islamic law (Hanafi jurisprudence)
Empire extent	Largest in Mughal history — nearly entire Indian subcontinent
Death	1707 at Ahmednagar; buried at Khuldabad (near Aurangabad) in a simple grave

Key Battles of the Mughal Period

Battle	Year	Between	Result
First Battle of Panipat	1526	Babur vs Ibrahim Lodi	Babur won; Mughal Empire founded
Battle of Khanwa	1527	Babur vs Rana Sanga	Babur won; Rajput power broken
Battle of Chausa	1539	Sher Shah vs Humayun	Sher Shah won
Battle of Kannauj	1540	Sher Shah vs Humayun	Humayun lost empire
Second Battle of Panipat	1556	Akbar (Bairam Khan) vs Hemu	Akbar won
Battle of Haldighati	1576	Akbar (Man Singh) vs Rana Pratap	Mughal victory; Rana Pratap escaped
Battle of Samugarh	1658	Aurangzeb vs Dara Shikoh	Aurangzeb won; seized throne

Mughal Architecture

Monument	Builder	Location	Special Feature
Humayun’s Tomb	Haji Begum (wife)	Delhi	First Mughal garden tomb (1565)
Fatehpur Sikri	Akbar	Near Agra	Buland Darwaza (tallest gateway, 54m); Panch Mahal; Diwan-i-Khas
Taj Mahal	Shah Jahan	Agra	White marble; UNESCO World Heritage; took 22 years
Red Fort	Shah Jahan	Delhi	Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-i-Khas; UNESCO site
Jama Masjid	Shah Jahan	Delhi	Largest mosque of that era
Bibi Ka Maqbara	Aurangzeb	Aurangabad	”Poor man’s Taj Mahal”; for wife Dilras Banu
Moti Masjid	Aurangzeb	Red Fort, Delhi	Pearl Mosque in white marble

Mughal Administration — Key Terms

Term	Meaning
Mansabdar	Holder of a mansab (rank); military-bureaucratic nobility
Zat	Personal rank of mansabdar
Sawar	Cavalry rank (horsemen to maintain)
Subedar	Provincial governor
Diwan	Revenue officer/Finance minister
Kotwal	City police officer
Qazi	Judicial officer
Jagir	Land assignment for revenue collection (in lieu of salary)
Khalisa	Crown lands; revenue went directly to emperor
Zabt/Dahsala	Akbar’s revenue system (10-year average assessment by Todar Mal)

Decline of the Mughal Empire

Factor	Detail
Aurangzeb’s policies	Religious intolerance alienated Rajputs, Sikhs, Marathas, Jats
Deccan wars	25 years of draining military campaigns
Weak successors	After 1707, rapid succession of weak rulers
Nadir Shah’s invasion	1739; sacked Delhi; took Peacock Throne and Koh-i-Noor diamond
Ahmad Shah Abdali	Multiple invasions (1748-1767); Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
Rise of regional powers	Marathas, Sikhs, Hyderabad (Nizam), Awadh, Bengal (Nawabs) became independent
British expansion	East India Company gradually took control; last Mughal Bahadur Shah Zafar exiled after 1857 revolt

Quick Revision — PSC Frequently Asked

Question	Answer
Who founded the Mughal Empire?	Babur (1526)
Babur’s autobiography?	Baburnama (Tuzuk-i-Baburi)
Who built Taj Mahal?	Shah Jahan (for Mumtaz Mahal)
Architect of Taj Mahal?	Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
Who introduced Mansabdari system?	Akbar
Akbar’s revenue minister?	Raja Todar Mal
Akbar’s new religion?	Din-i-Ilahi (1582)
Who reimposed Jizya?	Aurangzeb (1679)
Last Mughal Emperor?	Bahadur Shah Zafar (exiled 1858 to Rangoon)
Nadir Shah invaded India in?	1739
Chain of Justice?	Jahangir
Who built Red Fort, Delhi?	Shah Jahan
Sher Shah’s currency?	Silver Rupiya
Grand Trunk Road rebuilt by?	Sher Shah Suri