The Mughal Empire was a large Islamic empire in south Asia that controlled much of the Indian subcontinent. It lasted from the early 16th century to the 19th. The empire became very rich as the demand for Indian goods (such as spices) soared. The Mughals also sponsored many building projects around their domains, the most famous being the Taj Mahal, which still stands today.
The empire's founder was Babur, a descendant of Timur, a central Asian warlord who conquered Iran. He was ousted from his original home in Uzbekistan and turned south to Afghanistan. He used Kabul as a base to strike deeper into India. Babur also defeated Ibrahim Lodi's kingdom at Panipat. Lodi died during this battle, and a huge chunk of his kingdom was absorbed into the Mughal Empire. In case you are wondering, the word Mughal is simply a variation of ‘Mongol’ because all the Mughal kings were direct descendants of Genghis Khan.
Most of Babur’s gains were lost by his successor, Humayun, who was exiled to Persia after facing multiple defeats at the hands of Sher Shah Suri. Humayun created the first diplomatic contacts between the Safavid and Mughal courts before returning in 1555 and retaking some of the lands that had broken away.
Humayun was succeeded by Akbar, often regarded as the greatest Mughal king. Akbar expanded the empire greatly, both peacefully and through warfare. He implemented efficient administration and promoted freedom of religion. Akbar is famous for creating his religion, Din-i Ilahi, which implanted ideas from Islam, Hinduism, and many other religions. He also lifted the Jizyah, a tax on non-muslims.
After Akbar’s death, his son, Jahangir, took over. Jahangir turned out to be a poor ruler. He was addicted to opium, neglected many problems, and executed many non-muslim religious leaders. The most notable of these leaders is Sikh Guru Arjan. This event sparked the beginning of the Sik-Mughal conflicts.
