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1526
Babur
The very first Mughal emperor and the founder of the Mughal emperor Babur brought gunpowder to India
He is known for defeating:
Ibrahim Lodhi in the First Battle of Panipat (AD 1526)
Rana Sanga (Sangram Singh) at battle of Khanwa
Medini Rai of Chenderi at Battle of Chanderi (AD 1528)
Mahmud Lodi at Battle of Ghagra (AD 1529)
Babur wrote Tuzuk-i-Baburi in Turkish language
The first Mughal emperor declared Jehad and adopted the title Ghazi -
1530
Humayun
Babur’s son, Humayun, built Dinpanah at Delhi as his second capital
Humayun fought two battles with Sher Shah Suri and was ultimately deafeated:
Battle of Chausa (AD 1539)
Battle of Kannauj (AD 1540)
The second great Mughal emperor passed 15 years in exile and again invaded India in 1555 with the help of his officer Bairam Khan
Humayun died in AD 1556 falling from the stairs of his library building
Humayun-nama was written by his half-sister Gulbadan Begum. -
1556
Akbar
Humayun’s officer Bairam Khan crowned 13-year-old Akbar as the third Mughal emperor
He defeated Hemu at the Second Battle of Panipat (AD 1556) with the help of Bairam Khan
Akbar conquered:
Malwa (AD 1561) after defeating Baz Bahadur followed by Garh-Katanga (ruled by Rani Durgawati), Chittor (AD 1568) Ranthambhor and Kalinjar (AD 1569), Gujarat (AD 1672), Mewar (AD 1576) in the Battle of Haldighati after defeating Rana Pratap, Kashmir (AD 1586), Sindh (AD 1593)Asirgarh (AD 1603) -
Jahangir
Akbar's son Jahangir executed the fifth Sikh Guru, Arjun Dev
His greatest political failure was the loss of Kandahar to Persia in AD 1622
The fourth Mughal emperor Mehr-un-Nisa in AD 1611 and conferred the titles of Nur Jahan on her
Jahangir established Zanjir-i-Adal at Agra Fort for those who sought royal justice
Captain Hawkins and Sir Thomas Roe visited his court
A few famous painters in Jahangir’s court were Abdul Hassan, Ustad Mansur, and Bishandas -
Shah Jahan
Jahangir’s son, Shah Jahan annexed Ahmednagar while Bijapur and Golconda accepted him as their overlord
Shah Jahan secured Kandahar in AD 1639
Shah Jahan’s court was visited by two Frenchmen Bernier and Tavernier, and an Italian adventurer Manucci
Apart from the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan also built the Moti Mahal in Agra, and the Red Fort and Jama Masjid in Delhi
Shah Jahan’s reign is considered the Golden Age of the Mughal empire -
Aurangzeb (Alamgir)
Shah Jahan’s son and the last seriously notable Mughal emperor Aurangzeb secured the Mughal throne after a brutal war of succession with his brothers Dara, Shuja and Murad
Aurangzeb issued a Royal Firman against Sati (in AD 1664 or 1666) and also gave a death penalty to those forcing widows to be burnt
He was called Darvesh or a Zinda Pir
He faced several rebellions during his rule, namely from the Jat Peasantry at Mathura, the Satnami Peasantry in Punjab.