Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire, also known historically as Hindustan was an early modern Islamic empire that ruled most of the Indian subcontinent. Quote: "The realm so defined and governed was a vast territory of some , ranging from the frontier with Central Asia in northern Afghanistan to the northern uplands of the Deccan plateau, and from the Indus basin on the west to the Assamese highlands in the east." It existed from 1526 to 1858. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the dynasty and the empire itself became indisputably Indian. The interests and futures of all concerned were in India, not in ancestral homelands in the Middle East or Central Asia. Furthermore, the Mughal Empire emerged from the Indian historical experience. It was the end product of a millennium of Muslim conquest, colonization, and state-building in the Indian subcontinent." Between 1526 and 1707, it contributed to 24% of the world's GDP.Jeffrey G. Williamson & David Clingingsmith, India's Deindustrialization in the 18th and 19th Centuries , Global Economic History Network, London School of Economics It was the world's largest economy and was known for its architecture.

The Mughal emperors were Turkic-Mongols in origin. Though they later settled in India and became Indianized. Babur of the Timurid dynasty founded the Mughal Empire in 1526 and ruled until 1530. He was followed by Humayun (1530–1540) and (1555–1556), Akbar (1556–1605), Jahangir (1605–1627), Shah Jahan (1628–1658), and Aurangzeb (1658–1707) and several other minor rulers until Bahadur Shah Zafar II (1837–1857). After the death of Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire became weak. It continued until 1858. By that time, the Indian subcontinent had become under the British Raj.

The Mughal Empire was established by Muslim rulers who came from the present-day Uzbekistan after defeating the Delhi sultanate. The Mughal rule in India saw the region into a united Indian state. Quote: "A further distinction was the attempt of the Mughals, who were Muslims, to integrate Hindus and Muslims into a united Indian state." which was administered under a single ruler. This hadn't happened since the Delhi Sultanate, Guptas and Mauryans. During the Mughal period, art and architecture became important. Quote: "All these factors resulted in greater patronage of the arts, including textiles, paintings, architecture, jewelry, and weapons to meet the ceremonial requirements of kings and princes." The Taj Mahal was built during the Mughal period.

Empire expansion
The Mughal Empire reached across much of the Indian subcontinent during period of Aurangzeb. By the death of Akbar, the third Mughal ruler, the Mughal Empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal and southward to what is now Gujarat state and the northern Deccan region of India.

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Category:Mughal Empire
Category:History of Pakistan
Category:History of India
Category:History of Afghanistan
Category:History of Bangladesh
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Category:1526 establishments