The Mughal era has contributed ta fresh articulation with their culture, tradition, ethnicity and artistry to the Indian history. The Mughals invaded India under the leadership of Zahir-ud-Din Babur. The 16th century India portrayed the fragmented picture of rulers both the Muslim and the Hindu. In that turmoil Babur of Farghana state (in Uzbekistan) came to India and initially established his rule in Kabul in 1504. In 1526 the battle of Panipat took place and he defeated the last Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi. The dynasty founded by him endured for more than three centuries. He was determined to expand eastward into Punjab. The Mughals ruled from Kabul to Assam and Kashmir to Tanjaor (Tamilnadu) on vast region of India. Not only they ruled but also they provided a golden age to Indian medieval period, the Mughal Era.

Babar, the first ruler and the founder of the Mughal Empire, was the grandson of Timur Lenk and also related to Chenghis Khan from maternal side. Though he was a Mongol (Mughal in Persian), most of his supporters were Turks and Iranians. At the age of twelve he ascended the throne of Fergana. After the invasion of Kabul he took the title of Badshah. He was a seasoned military Commander. He established one of the largest centralized Mughul Empire during the premodern period of history. His main contenders were the Rajputs and the Afghans.

After death of Babur in 1530, his son Humayun ascended the throne. He was also a soldier. That was a difficult time for him as the renewed assertion of the Afghans for the throne of Delhi started. He made the mistake of trusting his brothers. But as he was addicted to opium, proved to be incompetent ruler. Sher Shah Suri was the only Afghan ruler at that time. Humayun did the first campaign against Sher Shah Suri as he was expanding his territory in the east. Then he concentrated on Gujarat as he received threatening from the ruler Ahmed Shah of Gujrat. He succeeded to capture Gujrat and Malwa. Champaran and the great fort of Mandu were also being captured.

In 1539, battle of Chausa took place between Humayun and Sher Khan Sur, the only Afghan ruler left at that time. Humayun escaped from the battlefield in 1540. Humayun`s brothers did not help him. The Shah of Iran gave him shelter in Persia.

When Humayun died he left behind his thirteen-year-old son Jalal-ud din Akbar as his heir. Akbar built a tomb as tribute to his father. Akbar ascended the throne under the guardianship of regent Bayram Khan, as he was minor then. Akbar has demonstrated his own capacity as an administrator. He was free from the influences of the ministers of his court. He has shown his capability for judgment and leadership. In 1564 he abolished the `Jizya` tax on non-Muslims. His administrative policies were the backbone of the Mughal Empire for more than 200 years. Akbar is thus an important name of the Mughal era. In his court, he created a ranked imperial service based on the person`s ability rather than birth. They were honored with cash. Akbar separated the military and political functions from other functions of the Imperial service. The imperial treasury supervised the revenue collection. In order to administering his Empire and incorporate various ethnic groups into the realm, Akbar adopted two effective approaches. He issued a revenue Schedule aided by Todar Mal, a Rajput king. Revenue was being fixed according to local convention of Cultivation and quality of soil. Revenue demands One-third to one-half of the crop and was paid in cash. Akbar relied on the `Zamindars`. The warrior aristocracy popularly known as `Mansabdar` expresses their service by supplying troops of soldiers and were generally paid from the revenues of transferable `Jagirs`. He introduced the policy of reconciliation and assimilation of Hindus. He rewarded Hindu chiefs with highest ranks in the government. He also encouraged intermarriages between the Rajputs and the Mughals. Personally he participated in the Hindu Festivals. He encouraged widow marriages. The traditional interpreters of Islam, the `ulama` had shown their oppositions against Akbar as he declared himself as the final arbiter in all disputes of law of the Quran. Din-I-Ilahi, the syncretic religion propounded by Akbar intented to merge the best elements of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Jainism and Zoroastrianism. With his new religion Din-I-Ilahi, it is established that he was tolerant of religions other than Islam. He also encouraged debates on Philosophical and religious issues. He constructed `Ibadat Khana` at Fatehpur Sikri as the center of this. Akbar`s reign lasted nearly for fifty years and he established dominion over northern and central India as far as Bengal. He was the first great Mughal who patronised art.

After Akbar, Jahangir ascended the throne in 1605. The Mughal Era under Jahangir and Shah Jahan was remembered for political stability, strong economic activity, monumental buildings and beautiful paintings. Due to Akbar`s organized administration, Jahangir had the unlimited source of Revenue. Jahangir built the famous garden after his name and spent much time relaxing. Jahangir married to a Persian princess Nur Jahan who evolved as the most powerful in the court. It was Nur Jahan along with her father and brother Asaf Khan used to ran the Empire. Jahangir built Akbar`s five tiered tomb in Sikandra. The spotted incident during his reign was the deposition of Arjun Das, the fifth saint guru of the Sikhs. He died in 1627.

Jahangir` third son Khurram born of Hindu Rajput princess Manmati, was his favorite. He was married to Asaf Khan`s daughter Mumtaz Mahal. Prince Khurram ascended the throne after a turbulent battle for the power position of Empire. Prince Khurram took the title of Shah Jahan [the King of the World]. The Mughal kingdom was the richest in the world with the wealth created by Akbar. Shah Jahan built the black marble pavilion at Shalimar Garden in Srinagar. He also built a white marble palace in Ajmer. Shahjanabad the city named after Shah Jahan was also made by him. A tomb in the name of his Father Jahangir also built in Lahore. The famous building Taj Mahal surpassed all the Mughal glory. The Taj Mahal named after Shah Jahan`s Wife Mumtaz Mahal became one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This imaginative quality of Shah Jahan leaved strong impression on history. In Shahjanabad his daughter built a market place called Chadni Chowk. Juma Masjid, the largest masjid in India was also built by him.

The Mughals never ventured into the northwest after a humiliating defeat in Kandahar. In the Deccan Shah Jahan was the first who has defeated at the hands of Malik Amber. Malik Ambar served the Bijapur Sultan. Later he joined Shah Jahan. Two powerful state of South, Golconda and Bijapur were became the vassal state, but they were left to govern themselves. Shah Jahan`s Empire had extended deep into the Deccan.

The third son of Shah Jahan, Aurangazeb imprisoned him and ascended to the throne in 1658. Aurangazeb took the title `Alamgir`. During his reign the Mughal Empire reached to its highest pick. He was a superb general as well as a rigorous administrator. In 1679 Aurangazeb reinforced the `Jizyah` tax on Non-Muslims. The peaceful religion of Sikhism would turn militant when Aurangzeb murdered the ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur. The Jat, Shikh and Rajput in the North and The Marathas in the Deccan revolted against Aurangazeb. Discriminatory measures and taxes led Hindus to rebel. At the cost of legitimacy of Mughal rule the emperor managed to crush the rebellions in the north. In order to campaign against the Marathas, he moved his headquarters to Daulatabad in the Deccan. It was a costly campaign against the Maratha Guerrilla fighter Shivaji. It lasted for twenty-six years. The `Mansabdari` system gave away to the `Zamindari` System. He was not interested to restore the dynasty`s declining glory. He banned music at the court, abolished ceremonies. Under his orthodox the decline of art began although his Pearl mosque in Delhi is worthy of mention. Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh started transforming into a radical group after the murder of Guru Teg Bahadur by Aurangazeb.

After Aurangazeb, Prince Muazzam prevailed and took the title Bahadur Shah I . His reign was short and during that time he was engaged in fighting with Rajasthan and Punjab. Jahandar Shah succeeded after his death. Jahandar Shah was killed in 1713 and then Farrukhsiyar ascended to the throne and restored some glory of the Mughal Era. During his tenure the British came to India with the intention of trading. Shah Jahan II occupied the throne after Farrukhsiyar. Then Muhammad Shah ascended the throne as the Mughal emperor. Nadir Shah and Afgan Ahmad Shah abdali invaded India during this period.. They looted every bit of wealth. Even the emperor`s throne, the famous peacock throne of Shah Jahan. Their repeated incursions led to the disposal of the next two emperors Ahmad Shah and Alamgir II. Marathas constantly attacked Delhi that time. In 1759 Shah Alam II became the ruler.

Shah Alam`s grandson Bahadur Shah Zafar II was the last emperor of Mughals. The glory of the Mughal Era established in 1526 and ended in 1858. It is Akbar who can be credited with the real foundation of the Mughal Empire. The Mughal dynasty was a heterogeneous body. Foreigners from the Muslim counties and Rajputs gained honor from the emperor. There was no caste division in the court of Mughals. This undoubtedly was a remarkable change during the Mughal Era. The Mughal era will be remembered for the price and land reform by Akbar the Great. Scientific gardening was introduced by Babur. A large number of new plants were introduced to India from Portugal during this era.