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The Mughal empire (also known to refer to itself as ''Gurkani'') is storied to have been founded by a warrior chieftan by the name of Babur in 1526 who employed the help of the Ottoman and Safavid empires to conquer what had, until then, been the Delhi Sultanate. Babur was a descendant of the Turco-Mongol Timur on the side of his father, and a descendant of Ghengis Khan on the side of his mother. Indeed, the very word "Mughal" is a bastardization of the word "Mongol". | The Mughal empire (also known to refer to itself as ''Gurkani'') is storied to have been founded by a warrior chieftan by the name of Babur in 1526 who employed the help of the Ottoman and Safavid empires to conquer what had, until then, been the Delhi Sultanate. Babur was a descendant of the Turco-Mongol Timur on the side of his father, and a descendant of Ghengis Khan on the side of his mother. Indeed, the very word "Mughal" is a bastardization of the word "Mongol". | ||
Following brief instability, from 1556 to 1605, the Mughal empire was ruled by Akbar, who was responsible for conquering almost all of India and for modernizing the empire's adminstration. Akbar was even more famous for his tolerant domestic policy whereby, despite his Islamic faith, he did not [[Dhimmitude|prosecute or diminish]] non- | Following brief instability, from 1556 to 1605, the Mughal empire was ruled by Akbar, who was responsible for conquering almost all of India and for modernizing the empire's adminstration. Akbar was even more famous for his tolerant domestic policy whereby, despite his Islamic faith, he did not [[Dhimmitude|prosecute or diminish]] non-Muslims nor especially pagan subjects such as the Hindus. Akbar was so fundamentally cosmopolitan, in fact, that he started his own religion by merging favorable elements of several religions, including Hinduism and Islam, to produce a syncretic religion which he dubbed ''Din-e-ilahi'', or "Divine Faith", which epitomized tolerance and whose hallmark was the idea that no one religion could alone be true. Akbar would oversee the prime era of the Mughals. | ||
Subsequently, from 1658 to 1707, the Mughal empire would be ruled by Akbar's great-grandson, Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb seized the throne from his brother (also the rightful heir), Dara Shikoh, in 1658 and had Dara executed in order to preserve his power (the practice of executing competing claimants to the throne was a relatively common practice throughout the history of Islamic empires, and found sanction in [[Islamic Law|Islamic law]], or [[Shariah]]). Aurangzeb likewise imprisoned his father, Shah Jahan, following Dara's execution. Aurangzeb was a strong supporter of Islamic orthodoxy, saw the Shariah implemented throughout the entirety of the Mughal empire, and undid much of the tolerant and syncretic reforms brought about by his great-grandfather, Akbar. This period in the empire's history also saw India's grow into the most productive economy in the world, and would see Aurangzeb conquer almost the entirety of South Asia. | Subsequently, from 1658 to 1707, the Mughal empire would be ruled by Akbar's great-grandson, Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb seized the throne from his brother (also the rightful heir), Dara Shikoh, in 1658 and had Dara executed in order to preserve his power (the practice of executing competing claimants to the throne was a relatively common practice throughout the history of Islamic empires, and found sanction in [[Islamic Law|Islamic law]], or [[Shariah]]). Aurangzeb likewise imprisoned his father, Shah Jahan, following Dara's execution. Aurangzeb was a strong supporter of Islamic orthodoxy, saw the Shariah implemented throughout the entirety of the Mughal empire, and undid much of the tolerant and syncretic reforms brought about by his great-grandfather, Akbar. This period in the empire's history also saw India's grow into the most productive economy in the world, and would see Aurangzeb conquer almost the entirety of South Asia. |