Ch 18: Mughal Empire | Revision Mind Map

Mughal Dynasty — Basics

Ancestry

Timurid lineage; Turko-Mongol background

Babur’s Memoir Language

Chagatai Turkish

Official Language

Persian

Founder

Babur

Major Consolidator

Akbar

Longest Reign

Akbar

Brief Reign (1719)

Rafi-ul-Darajat

Key Historical Sources

Work	Author	Key Facts
Baburnama	Babur	Also called Tuzuk-e-Babri / Waqiat-i-Baburi. Language: Chagatai Turkish. Translated to Persian by Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana; English by Annette Beveridge. Mentions 2 Hindu + 5 Muslim kingdoms.
Humayun-nama	Gulbadan Begum	Humayun's life, defeats, achievements. Describes Humayun-Kamran conflicts.
Akbarnama	Abul Fazl	3 parts. Part 1: Timurid ancestry, Babur, Humayun and early Akbar. Part 2: continuation of Akbar’s reign. Part 3: Ain-i-Akbari, an administrative account.
Tabaqat-i-Akbari	Nizamuddin Ahmad	History of Muslim rule in India extending to the early 1590s.
Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri	Jahangir	Persian memoirs. Jahangir’s detailed writing extends chiefly through the 17th regnal year; later portions were continued by other writers.

Major Translated Works

Original Work	Translated By	Language
Ramayana	Badauni	Persian
Mahabharata (Razmnama)	Badauni, Naqib Khan and other scholars	Persian
Hitopadesha	Tajul Maali	Persian
Lilavati	Faizi	Persian
Panchatantra-derived Iyar-i-Danish	Abul Fazl	Persian
Nal-Daman — adaptation of Nala–Damayanti	Faizi	Persian
Rajatarangini	Shah Muhammad Shahabadi	Persian
Baburnama	Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana	Persian

Mughal Admin Officers

Officer	Role	Level
Vakil-e-Mutlaq	Highest after emperor	Central
Mir Bakshi	Military recruitment, ranks and service records	Central
Sadr-us-Sadr	Head of religious matters	Central
Diwan / Wazir	Revenue Department	Central
Chief Qazi	Chief Judge	Central
Subedar / Nizam	Head of Subah (Province)	Provincial
Faujdar	Military, policing and order in a territorial jurisdiction	Provincial
Amalguzar	Revenue Collector (Sarkar)	Provincial
Mukhiya	Head of Village	Local

Babur (1483–1530 CE)

Real Name

Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur

Descent

Turkish (Father) + Mongol (Mother)

Title Badshah adopted

1507 CE

Capital before India

Kabul (1504–1526 CE)

Coin issued

Shahrukhi (Silver)

Land measurement

Gaz-e-Babri

Verse Treatise on Islamic Law

Mubayyan

Death & Burial

1530 CE — Agra; initially buried there, later transferred to Kabul

India Invasion — Background

Invited by Daulat Khan Lodi to invade India
Learned Tulughma strategy from Uzbeks
Ottoman-influenced artillery experts: Ustad Ali Quli and Mustafa Rumi
Babur enumerated 7 principal rulers; not an exhaustive list of all Indian states
Muslim kingdoms: Bengal, Delhi, Malwa, Bahmani, Gujarat
Hindu kingdoms: Mewar (Rana Sanga), Vijayanagara (Krishna Deva Raya)

Babur's 4 Major Battles

Memory Trick — Babur's Battles

Mnemonic: PAN–KHA–CHA–GHA
PAN = First Battle of Panipat (1526) | KHA = Battle of Khanwa (1527) | CHA = Battle of Chanderi (1528) | GHA = Battle of Ghagra (1529)

Battle	Year	Opponent	Result & Key Fact
1st Battle of Panipat	April 1526	Ibrahim Lodi	Babur wins using Tulughma + Ottoman-influenced artillery (Ustad Ali Quli and Mustafa Rumi). Firearms predated 1526 in India. Nickname: Qalandar.
Battle of Khanwa	March 1527	Rana Sanga	Babur wins and assumes Ghazi. Renunciation of wine and abolition of Tamgha on Muslims were announced before the battle.
Battle of Chanderi	Jan 1528	Medini Rai	Babur wins. Rajput women committed Jauhar.
Battle of Ghagra	May 1529	Afghans (Mahmud Lodi)	Babur wins on land and water, strengthens his eastern position and reaches an agreement with Bengal; not permanent control of all India.

Humayun (1530–1540 & 1555–56 CE)

Coronation

1530 CE — Agra

City founded

Dinpanah — fortified settlement in Delhi

Death

1556 CE — Fell from Dinpanah stairs

Reinstated

1555 CE — after Battle of Sirhind

Lane-Poole Quote

"Humayun tumbled through life and tumbled out of it."

🏛️ Humayun's Tomb — Delhi

Commissioned by his senior widow Bega Begum (Haji Begum)
Major Mughal garden-tomb, mainly red sandstone with marble details and dome
Called Predecessor of Taj Mahal

Humayun's Initial Problems

Problem	Details
Empire Division	Kamran=Kabul+Kandahar; Askari=Sambhal; Hindal=Alwar; Suleiman Mirza=Badakhshan
Rajput Issue	Ratan Singh II, Rana Sanga’s son, ruled Mewar after him
Empty Treasury	Treasury strained by costly campaigns and generous distributions
Afghan Threat	Mahmud Lodi (Ibrahim Lodi's brother) trying to re-establish Afghan rule

Humayun's Key Battles

Battle	Year	Result	Key Fact
Battle of Dourah	1532	Mahmud Lodi defeated	Humayun vs Afghans
Battle of Chausa	26 June 1539	Humayun defeated	Near Buxar. Bhishti (water-carrier) Nizam saved Humayun's life.
Battle of Kannauj (Bilgram)	17 May 1540	Humayun defeated	Sher Shah captured Agra & Delhi. Humayun fled to exile.
Battle of Machhiwara	May 1555	Mughals win	Victory over Sur commanders; Sikandar Sur was defeated later at Sirhind
Battle of Sirhind	June 1555	Mughals win	Bairam Khan led. Humayun reinstated.

Sher Shah Suri (Interregnum 1540–1545)

Real Name

Farid Khan

Title Source

Sher Khan — from Bahar Khan Lohani

Silver Rupee

178 grains | Copper Dam = 380 gr

Rupiya and Dam Metals

Rupiya = silver; Dam = copper (exchange rates varied)

Coinage Reform

Standardized silver Rupiya and copper coins

Land revenue rate

1/3 of produce

GT Road (Sadak-e-Azam)

Bengal to Punjab via Delhi-Lahore

Serais built

1700 Inns along roads

Sher Shah's Key Facts

Patta & Qabuliyat system — protect peasants from exploitation
Land revenue payable in cash or kind; cash preferred
Jaribana = measurement fee; Muhasilana = revenue-collection fee
Developed Purana Qila, begun as Humayun’s Dinpanah
Built Qila-e-Kuhna Masjid
Mausoleum at Sasaram, Bihar, in an artificial lake
Biography: Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi by Abbas Khan Sarwani
Revived Dagh and Huliya system (originally Alauddin Khilji's)

Akbar (1556–1605 CE)

Born

15 Oct 1542 — Amarkot (Rana Veer Sal's palace)

Coronation

1556 CE at Kalanaur — age 13

Regent initially

Bairam Khan (Title: Khan-i-Khana)

Title

Badshah Ghazi

2nd Battle of Panipat

Nov 1556 — vs Hemu (defeated)

Mughal Consolidator

Akbar

Key Political Campaigns

Campaign	Year	Ruler / Key Person	Special Fact
Malwa	1561	Baz Bahadur (defeated)	Last ruler of Malwa; later got mansab 2000
Amer & Merta	1562	Bharmal	Major Amer alliance: Bharmal’s daughter married Akbar and became Mariam-uz-Zamani; Bhagwan Das held mansab 5000.
Gondwana	1564	Queen Durgavati	Led by Asaf Khan; praised by Abul Fazl
Mewar / Chittor	1567–68	Uday Singh; Jaimal & Patta (defence)	Akbar called Jihad; massacre of civilians — blot on Akbar's reign
Ranthambore	1569	Rao Surjan Hada	Man Singh sent for negotiations
Battle of Haldighati	1576	Maharana Pratap (defeated)	Mewar led by Maharana Pratap, with Hakim Khan Sur’s Afghan contingent. Mughal army led by Man Singh, with Asaf Khan. Pratap escaped and continued resistance; Amar Singh later reached a settlement under Jahangir.
Gujarat	1572–73	Muzzaffar Shah III	Victory = Buland Darwaza built at Fatehpur Sikri
Bihar / Bengal (annexation in 1576)	1574	Daud Khan	Munim Khan led; Tukaroi (1575) preceded final Bengal annexation after Rajmahal (1576).
Kabul	1581	Hakim Mirza (brother)	Man Singh later served as governor; full incorporation followed Hakim Mirza’s death in 1585.
Kashmir	1585–86	Yusuf Shah Chak	Birbal died in the separate Yusufzai Afghan campaign of 1586.
Sindh	1591	Jani Beg	Led by Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana

Akbar's Reforms

⚙️ Mansabdari System

Decimal-based system
High noble rank: 7000 (Man Singh, Mirza Aziz Koka); princes could hold higher ranks
Zat = personal rank | Sawar = cavalry
66 theoretical grades in Ain-i-Akbari; not all used in practice

🌾 Land Revenue (Ain-i-Dahsala)

Introduced by Todar Mal (1580 CE)
Cash rates based on ten-year averages of yields and prices, generally about one-third of produce
Taqavi loans — advance to farmers
4 land types: Polaj, Parati, Chachar, Banjar

🕉️ Religious Policies — Sulh-e-Kul (Tolerance)

1562 — prohibited enslavement of war captives and their families
1563 — End of Pilgrimage tax
1564 — Abolition of Jizya
1575 — Ibadat Khana established (Fatehpur Sikri) — closed 1582
1579 — Mahzar: authority to choose among conflicting juristic opinions under stated conditions
1582 — Din-i-Ilahi founded (Tauhid-e-Ilahi per Abul Fazl)
Practice of Jharokha Darshan
Jain saint Hari Vijay Suri: Title Jagat Guru
Jin Chandra Suri: title Yug Pradhan
Coins bore depictions of Sita and Ram

Traditional Navaratna List of Akbar

1Abul FazlHistorian (Akbarnama)

2FaiziScholar & Poet

3BirbalAdministrator

4Abdur RahimKhan-e-Khana

5TansenMusician

6Raja Todar MalFinance Minister

7Man SinghMansabdar

8Hakeem HumamPhysician

9Mulla Do PyazaFigure in popular court tales; historical identity and official post uncertain

Tansen — Special Facts

Real name: Ramtanu Pandey
Earlier patronage: Raja Ramchandra Baghela of Rewa
Traditional birthplace: Behat near Gwalior; later served Rewa
Celebrated exponent of Dhrupad, which already existed
Title given by Akbar: Miyan
Sufi spiritual guide: Muhammad Ghaus; traditional musical teacher: Swami Haridas

Constructions by Akbar

Fatehpur Sikri: Tomb of Salim Chishti, Jodha Bai's Palace, Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Panch Mahal
Buland Darwaza — to commemorate Gujarat victory
Shaan-e-Fatehpur (Jama Masjid)
Humayun’s Tomb — Indian + Persian blend; commissioned by Bega Begum during Akbar’s reign; UNESCO site
Agra Fort, Lahore Fort, Allahabad Fort

Jahangir (1605–1627 CE)

Real Name

Nur-ud-din Muhammad Salim

Title

Badshah Ghazi

Autobiography

Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri (Persian)

Other biography

Iqbalnama-i-Jahangiri by Mutamid Khan

Famous justice symbol

Zanjir-e-Adl (Chain of Justice) — Agra Fort

Wife

Nur Jahan (original: Mehrunnisa)

12 Proclamations (Dastur-al-Amal)

Abolished Tamgha and certain unauthorized trade/transit dues
Banned sale of intoxicating substances
Prohibited animal slaughter on Thursdays & Sundays
Construction of hospitals and appointment of doctors

Nur Jahan's Junta (Group)

Father: Itimad-ud-Daula (original: Ghiyas Beg)
Brother: Asaf Khan
Mother: Asmat Begum
Shahzada Khurram: Shahjahan

Political Campaigns

Campaign	Period	Key Fact
Mewar	1605–15	Rana Amar Singh surrendered
Kangra	1620	Most difficult; even Akbar had failed
Kandahar	1622	Lost to Persian ruler Shah Abbas
Deccan	—	Ahmadnagar settlement (1617); Adil Shah addressed as Farzand. Khurram received the title Shah Jahan after the Deccan success. Malik Ambar adapted measured-land revenue methods.

Foreign Travelers

Traveler	Year	Key Fact
Captain Hawkins	1608	Ambassador of James I. Mansab 400; title English Khan. Spoke with Jahangir in Turkish.
Sir Thomas Roe	1615	Arrived as ambassador in 1615 and sought privileges; a Surat factory already existed from 1613.
Francisco Pelsaert	—	Dutch traveler. Book: Remonstrantie.

Art & Painting — Golden Age

Pietra Dura (coloured-stone inlay) developed prominently in Mughal marble monuments
Promoted portraiture with divine radiance (halo)
Ustad Mansur — Famous for bird illustrations → Title: Nadir-ul-Asr
Abdul Hasan — Expert in portraiture → Title: Nadir-ul-Zaman
Du-aspa sih-aspa: enhanced cavalry obligations and pay without increasing Zat

Shahjahan (1628–1658 CE)

Childhood Name

Khurram

Born

Lahore, 1592 CE

Mother

Jagat Gosain — Rathore princess of Marwar

Wife

Arjumand Banu Begum (Mumtaz Mahal)

Period known as

Age of Marble / 2nd Golden Age

Capital shifted to

Shahjahanabad (Delhi)

Taj Mahal architect

Ustad Ahmad Lahauri

Defeated Portuguese

1632

Major Rebellions

Revolt	Year	Key Fact
Bundela Revolt	1628	Jhujhar Singh; Capital: Orchha
Khan-e-Jahan Lodi	—	Subedar of Deccan; died 1631 — revolt ended
Portuguese Revolt	1632	Portuguese settlement at Hugli, Bengal, defeated by Mughal forces.
Sikh Revolt	—	Led by Guru Hargobind Singh (6th Sikh Guru)

South India Expansion

Region	Year	Key Fact
Ahmadnagar	1633	Muhabat Khan led; Sultan Hussain Shah defeated
Golkonda	1636	Abdullah Qutb Shah accepted Mughal suzerainty in 1636; Mir Jumla’s later association belongs to the 1650s.
Bijapur	1636	Accepted Mughal dominance

Constructions

Taj Mahal — in memory of Mumtaz Mahal; Architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
Red Fort (Delhi), Jama Masjid (Delhi), Moti Masjid (Agra)
Diwan-i-Aam (Public audience) and Diwan-i-Khas (Private audience)
Shishmahal, Khwabgah
Shalimar Bagh (Lahore)
Pietra Dura — coloured stones inlaid into marble
Peacock Throne — richly jewelled throne commissioned by Shah Jahan

War of Succession (1657–58)

Dara Shikoh — Governor of Punjab (Shah Jahan's favourite)
Shah Shuja — Governor of Bengal
Aurangzeb — Governor of Deccan
Murad Baksh — Governor of Gujarat

Battle of Dharmat (1658) — Aurangzeb+Murad vs imperial army (led by Qasim Khan + Jaswant Singh) — imperial army defeated
Battle of Samugarh (1658) — Aurangzeb + Murad vs Dara Shikoh — Dara defeated; Murad later imprisoned

Foreign Travelers

Traveler	Origin	Key Fact
Tavernier	Jeweller	Visited 6 times. Book: Travels in India.
Peter Mundy	British Merchant	Mentioned famine of 1630–32.
Niccolao Manucci	Italian Physician	Eyewitness to the succession conflict. Book: Storia do Mogor.
Bernier	French Physician	Book: Travels in the Mughal Empire. Society & politics.

Aurangzeb (1658–1707 CE)

Born

1618 CE — Dahod (Gujarat)

Mother

Mumtaz Mahal

Wife

Dilras Bano Begum (Rabia Bibi)

Titles

Alamgir, Padshah, Ghazi

Coronated

Twice

Nickname

Zinda Pir (Living Saint)

Mughal provinces

Religious Policy — Orthodox

Based on Quran and Sharia
Discontinued Nowruz celebrations at the imperial court
Abolished Jharokha Darshan
Reimposed Jizya in 1679
Appointed Muhtasib (religious officer) to monitor public character
Dar-ul-Islam broadly means territory under Muslim rule

Key Campaigns

Campaign	Key Fact
Purandar / Bijapur operations (1665)	Treaty of Purandar (1665) between Shivaji and Jai Singh. Jai Singh led Mughal attack on Bijapur.
Golconda (1687)	Ruler: Abul Hasan Qutb Shah. Aurangzeb personally led in 1687.
Maratha Campaign	Conflict after Purandar treaty 1665. Shivaji died 1680. Sambhaji captured & executed. Shahu imprisoned. Struggle continued under Rajaram & Tarabai.

Sikh Rebellion (1675 CE)

9th Guru Tegh Bahadur sentenced to death — refused to accept Islam
Guru Gobind Singh established relations with Bahadur Shah I after 1707

Other Key Facts

Built Moti Masjid in Delhi's Red Fort
Patronized scholars compiling Fatawa-i-Alamgiri, a Hanafi Islamic legal compendium
Hindu nobles, including Rajputs and Marathas, continued to serve
Guru Arjan Dev executed by Jahangir (not Aurangzeb — exam trap!)

Sher Shah's 6 Departments

Department	Officer	Function
Diwan-e-Wazarat	Wazir	Finance Department
Diwan-e-Risalat	—	Foreign Ministry / Diplomacy
Diwan-e-Arz	Ariz-e-Mamalik	Military affairs
Diwan-e-Barid	Barid-e-Mamalik	Intelligence / Spying
Diwan-e-Qaza	Qazi	Judiciary / Justice
Diwan-e-Insha	Dabir-e-Mamalik	Royal orders / Correspondence

Sher Shah's Local Admin

Unit	Officers
District (Sarkar)	1. Shiqdar-i-Shiqdaran (military/order) 2. Munsif-i-Munsifan (revenue-related civil administration)
Pargana	Shiqdar (Military), Munsif (Civil), Karkun (Clerk), Fotedar (Treasurer)
Village	Mukhiya (Head)

Mughal Admin Hierarchy

Subah → Subedar/Nizam
Sarkar → Faujdar (Revenue: Amalguzar)
Pargana → Village; military, revenue and record-keeping officers had separate functions

Akbar's 4 Types of Land

Type	Meaning
Polaj	Cultivated every year
Parati / Parauti	Temporarily left fallow to restore fertility
Chachar	Left uncultivated for three or four years
Banjar	Uncultivated for five years or more

Key Coins & Currency

Ruler	Coin / Innovation
Babur	Shahrukhi (Silver)
Sher Shah	Standardized silver Rupiya (about 178 grains) and copper Dam; exchange rates varied
Akbar	Silver Rupees + Copper Dams; Gold = Ilahi; Coins with Sita-Ram

⚠️ Exam Traps — Mughal Empire

Trap #1 — Founder vs Consolidator

Babur founded the Mughal state in 1526. Akbar greatly expanded and consolidated its institutions; “real founder” is an evaluative label.

Trap #2 — Baburnama Language

The Baburnama was written in Chagatai Turkish, not Persian or Arabic. Its Persian translator was Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana, and its English translator was Annette Beveridge.

Trap #3 — Humayun's Death

Humayun died in 1556 CE after falling down the stairs of the library at Dinpanah. He did not die in battle.

Trap #4 — Tulughma and Artillery

At Panipat in 1526, Babur combined Tulughma with artillery against Ibrahim Lodi. Tulughma had an earlier Central Asian history, and firearms had already been used in India.

Trap #5 — Ain-i-Dahsala vs Ain-i-Akbari

Ain-i-Dahsala (1580) was the land-revenue system associated with Todar Mal. Ain-i-Akbari is the third part of Abul Fazl’s Akbarnama. They are entirely different.

Trap #6 — Tansen's Guru

Tansen’s Sufi spiritual guide was Muhammad Ghaus; his traditional musical teacher was Swami Haridas. Akbar patronized him as Miyan Tansen; his original name was Ramtanu Pandey.

Trap #7 — Nur Jahan's Real Name

Nur Jahan was originally Mehrunnisa. Her father, Ghiyas Beg, held the title Itimad-ud-Daula. She commissioned his tomb at Agra, an important early marble-and-inlay monument.

Trap #8 — Who built Purana Qila?

Humayun began Dinpanah at the site; Sher Shah developed and altered the complex now called Purana Qila. Both rulers are associated with it.

Trap #9 — Guru Arjan Dev vs Tegh Bahadur

Jahangir executed the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, for supporting Khusrau’s rebellion. Aurangzeb executed the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Trap #10 — Din-i-Ilahi vs Ibadat Khana

Ibadat Khana was established in 1575 as a centre for inter-religious dialogue and closed in 1582. Din-i-Ilahi was founded by Akbar in 1582. They were different initiatives from different years.

Trap #11 — Kohinoor Diamond

Nadir Shah carried the Kohinoor from the Mughal treasury in 1739. Its early ownership is uncertain; claims about Malik Kafur and the 1636 treaty should not be treated as secure identifications.

Trap #12 — Dagh and Huliya

Alauddin Khilji originally introduced the Dagh system of branding horses and the Huliya descriptive-roll system. Sher Shah Suri revived them, and Akbar also used them. Alauddin was the original initiator.

⚡ Quick Recall Cards

Babur — Fast Facts

Real name?

Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur

Babur's 4 battles trick?

PANipat → KHAnwa → CHAnderi → GHAgra

After Khanwa — title?

Ghazi after Khanwa; wine renunciation and Tamgha removal on Muslims announced before it

Buried where?

Kabul (died in Agra 1530)

Humayun & Sher Shah

Who saved Humayun at Chausa?

Bhishti (water-carrier) Nizam

Humayun's tomb built by?

Bega Begum (Haji Begum)

Sher Shah's real name?

Farid Khan

Sher Shah’s Rupiya and Dam — metals?

Rupiya = silver; Dam = copper (exchange rates varied)

GT Road other name?

Sadak-e-Azam (Bengal to Punjab)

Sher Shah's biography?

Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi — Abbas Khan Sarwani

Akbar — Key Points

Born where?

Amarkot — Rana Veer Sal's palace (15 Oct 1542)

Regent?

Bairam Khan (Khan-i-Khana)

Which Amer ruler allied with Akbar in 1562?

Bharmal (Amer) — daughter married Akbar and became Mariam-uz-Zamani

Haldighati — year & armies?

1576 — Mewar led by Pratap; Mughal army led by Man Singh, with Asaf Khan

Din-i-Ilahi year?

1582 CE

Buland Darwaza — why built?

To commemorate Gujarat victory

Mahzar Declaration year?

1579 CE — authority to choose among conflicting juristic opinions under stated conditions

Jahangir

Chain of Justice?

Zanjir-e-Adl — Agra Fort

Nur Jahan original name?

Mehrunnisa

Guru Arjan Dev executed by?

Jahangir, 1606; Khusrau’s rebellion was part of the political context

Best painter — bird illustrations?

Ustad Mansur — Nadir-ul-Asr

When did Sir Thomas Roe arrive as ambassador?

1615 CE; sought trading privileges after the Surat factory’s establishment

Shahjahan & Aurangzeb

Taj Mahal architect?

Ustad Ahmad Lahauri

Age of Marble = ?

Shahjahan's period

Aurangzeb's title?

Alamgir (+ Padshah, Ghazi)

Zinda Pir = ?

Aurangzeb (for pious character)

Guru Tegh Bahadur executed by?

Aurangzeb (refused Islam)

What is Fatawa-i-Alamgiri?

Hanafi legal compendium — compiled by scholars under Aurangzeb’s patronage

Chapter 18: Mughal Empire