Shivaji was born in the fort of Shivneri in 1627 AD, near the city of Junnar in Poona (present Pune) district. He belonged to the Bhonsle family of Pune district. The family acquired military and political prominence in the Ahmednagar kingdom at the close of the 16th century. Shahji Bhonsle, […]
Chapter 06 – The Mughal Empire
1. JAGIRDARI CRISIS In a narrow sense, Jagirdari crisis means crisis in the Jagir system resulting in the attempt of the nobles to corner the most profitable Jagirs for themselves. But in the broader sense, it means a crisis in the economic and social relations of medieval Mughal India, more […]
The central feature of the agrarian system under the Mughals was the distance from the peasant of his surplus produce (produce over and above the subsistence level) in the form of land revenue which was the main source of state’s income. The process of land revenue collection has two stages […]
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION Position of Emperor The Mughal emperors were powerful in administration. They accepted two primary duties for themselves, Jahanbani (protection of the state) and Jahangiri (extension of the empire). Emperor He was the head of the state. He was the law maker, the chief executive, the commander-in-chief of the […]
Aurangzeb ruled for almost 50 years and assumed the title of ‘Alamgir’. His empire stretched from Kashmir in the North to Jinji in the South and from the Hindukush in the West to Chittagong in the East. Within the empire, he had to deal with a number of difficult problems, […]
After his father’s death, Prince Khurram ascended the throne in 1627 AD under the title Shah Jahan which meant King of the World. He came to the throne after killing his blind brother Khusrow and younger brother Shahryar. The Mughal empire at this time, was truly unmatched in military might, […]
Jahangir was the 4th Mughal Emperor. He was the eldest surviving son of Mughal Emperor Akbar. After getting the throne, Jahangir undertook to reverse the religious policy of his father and uphold the cause of Islam. This declaration had its reaction in the Hindu circles, who incited Khusrow, the eldest […]
RAJPUT POLICY OF AKBAR To win over the friendship of Rajput rulers and using their loyalty and bravery to strengthen his own position were the twin pillars of the Rajput Policy of Akbar. Akbar developed special relationship with the Rajput rulers. Rajputs became the important supporters and strength of the […]
Akbar was born at Umerkot (Sindh) in the palace of Rajput chieftain Rana Prasad on 15th October, 1542. He succeeded his father Humayun at the age of 13. At the time of the death of Humayun, Akbar was fighting in the Punjab against the Afghans. Akbar was hastily crowned at […]
RISE OF SHER SHAH SURI (1540-45 AD) Sher Shah Suri was the founder of the Sur empire in North India with its capital at Delhi. An Afghan of humble origin, Sher Shah had risen through military service, so he was well placed to take advantage of temporary Mughal weakness. After […]
Humayun succeeded Babur at the young age of 23 years. He was the second Mughal emperor, who ruled over the territory in what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of Northern India from 1530-1540 AD and again from 1555-1556 AD. When he occupied the throne, he found himself surrounded by […]