MEDIEVAL
HISTORY
Later Mughals
• Bahadur Shah I (1707-1712): Original Name-Muazzam, Title-Shah Alam I.
• Jahandar shah (1712-1713): Ascended the throne with the help of Zulfikar Khan; Abolished Jaziya.
• Farrukh Siyar (1713-1719) ： Ascended the throne with the help of Sayyid brothers-Abdulla Khan and
Hussain Khan.
• Muhammad Shah (1719-1748): In 1738-39, Nadir Shah raided India and took away Thakht-i-Taus (the
peacock throne) and Kohinoor diamond.
• Ahmed Shah (1748-1754) ： Ahmad shah Abdali (General of Nadir Shah) marched towards Delhi
and Mughals ceded Punjab and Multan.
• Alamgir II (1754-1759) ： Ahmad Shah occupied Delhi. Later Delhi was plundered by Marathas.
• Shah Alam II (1759-1806) ： Nazib Khan became very powerful in Delhi so much so that he could
not enter Delhi for 12 years.
• Akbar II (1806-1837): Pensioner of East India Company.
• Bahadur Shah II (1837-1857) : Last Mughal Emperor who was made premier during 1858 revolt.
He was deported Rangoon (Burma, now Mayanmar) in 1858 where he died in 1862.
Administration
• Mughal empire was divided into Subas which were further subdivided into Sarkar, Pargana and Gram.
• However, it also had other territorial units as Khalisa (royal land), Jagirs (autonomous rajyas) and
Inams (gifted lands, mainly waste lands).
• There were 15 Subas (provinces)during Akbar's reign, which later increased to 20 under Aurangzeb's
reign.
• Akbar introduced Mansabdari system. The term Mansab indicates the rank of its holder. Mansabdari
was both civil and military. Almost the whole nobility bureaucracy and military hold Mansabs.
• The Mughal Mansab was dual i.e. Zat (personal rank and pay status) and Sawar (number of
horsemen to maintain).
• Mansabdar were of 3 categories: Mansabdars, Amirs and Amir-i-umda.
• According to pay mode they were of 2 types: Naqdi (paid through cash) and Jagirdar (paid through
Jagirs).
• Jahangir added Duaspah Sih-aspah system i.e. one's sawar rank can be raised without raising his
zat rank. Shahjahan added Jama-Dami or Mahana Zagir (Monthly Scale) system.
• It ultimately caused Jagirdari and agrarian crisis, which was a major cause of decline of Mughals.
• There were several methods of revenue collection in practice viz.Kankut (estimate), Rai (yield per
unit area) and Zabti (based on the yields of crops).
• Dahsala Bandobast or Zabti : A standard method of collection based on rates of crops determined
after 10 years assessment. Todar Mai pioneered it.
• Jagirdari system was the assignment of land in proportion to a Jagirdar's salary. Hence, every
Mansabdar was entitled to a jagir if he was not paid in cash.
• Madad-i-maash or Suyur ghal or lnam were land grants to people of fovour/religious assignment.
Mughal Culture
• Babur built two mosques, one at Kabulibagh in Panipat and the other at Sambhal in Rohilakhand.
• Humayun's tomb was built by his widow Haji Begum.
• An unusual building at Fatehpur Sikri [Panch Mahal]. Panch Mahal has the plan of Buddhist vihara.
• The Mariam's palace, Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-khas at Sikri are Indian in their plan.
• Buland Darwaja (built after Gujarat victory), formed the main entrance to Fatehpur Sikri.
• Salim Chisti's tomb (re-done in Marble by Jahangir) is the first Mughal building in pure marble. Palace
of Birbal, Palace of Tsnsen are also inside the Fatehpur Sikri.
• Akbar also began to build his own tomb at Sikandara which was later completed by Jahangir.
• The architecture of Fatehpur Sikri is known as Epic in red sand stone.
• Nurjahan built Itimad-ud-daula/Mirza Ghiyas Beg's marble tomb at Agra, which is noticeable for the
first use of pietra dura (floral designs made up of semiprecious stones) technique.
• Jahangir introduced vigorous use of marble instead of red sand stone and use of pietra dura for
decorative purpose.
• Jahangir built Moti Masjid in Lahore and his mausoleum at Shahdara (Lahore).
• Mosque building activity reached its climax in Taj Mahal Shahjahan also built the Jama Masjid
• Some of the important buildings built by Shahjahan at Agra are Moti Masjid (only Mosque of
marble). Khaas Mahal, Mussmman Burz (Jasmine Palace where he spent his last year in captivity)
etc.
• He laid the foundations of Shahjahanabad in 1637 where he built the Red Fort and Takht-i-Taus
(Peacock throne).
• Only building by Aurangzeb in the Red Fort is Moti Masjid
• Only monument associated with Aurangzeb is Bibi ka Makbara which is the tomb of his wife
Rabbia-ud-daura in Aurangabad.
• Aurangzeb also built the Badshahi Masjid in Lohore.
• Humayun had taken into his service two master painter Mir Syed Ali and Abdus Samad.
• Daswant and Basawan were two famous painters of Akbar's court.
• Abdul Hassan, Ustad Mansur and Bishandas were three famous painters of Jahangir's court.
• Jahangir claims that he could distinguish the work of each artist in a picture.
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