1. Chapter 15, Section III

2.  1500 India is divided into Hindu and Muslim Kingdoms. Moguls were not natives of India. Founder was Babur.  Smaller army, but had better weapons.  Captured Delhi.

3.  Grandson of Babur  By 1605, most of India was under his rule. Heavy artillery. Appeared highly centralized, but was actually a collection of semi-independent states.  Greatest of Mogul monarchs Humane character. Religious tolerance.  Interest in other religions (inc. Hinduism).  Hindu princess as one of his wives.  Jesuit advisors at court.

4.  Government High ranking non-native Muslims. Lower ranking officials were Hindus. Lower officials were given plots of farmland for temporary use.  zamindars-= they kept a portion of the taxes the peasants paid in lieu of a salary.

5.  Akbar era = progress. Peasants gave 1/3 of annual harvest to the state.  If they had bad weather, taxes were reduced or suspended.  Trade and manufacturing flourished. Textiles, food, spices, precious stones were exported. Gold and silver were imported. Arab traders.

6.  Akbar’s son Jahangir (juh-HAHN- GIHR )  1628-1658 Grip weakened.  Empress Nur Jahan tried to enrich her own family.  Niece + husband’s third son (Shah Jahan)  Maintained political system.  Expanded the boundaries of empire.

7.  Domestic problems  An empty treasury.  Majority of his subjects lived in poverty.  Mid 1650s became ill.  Struggle for power between two sons. Aurangzeb had his brother put to death and imprisoned his father. Then crowned emperor in 1658.

8.  Wanted to eliminate social “evils”. Forbade suttee= cremating a widow on her husbands’ funeral pyre). Levying illegal taxes. Tried to forbid gambling and drinking too.

9.  Devout Muslim.  Reversed religious tolerance Prohibited the building of new Hindu temples. Hindus were forced to convert to Islam.

10.  Hindu outcries over religious policies.  Revolts against imperial authority.  Divided India was vulnerable to attack from abroad.  1739, Delhi was sacked by the Persians.