Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb
The Mughal empire at its height built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort, then strained under long wars in the Deccan.
How it was ruled
Jahangir (1605–1627), Shah Jahan (1628–1658) and Aurangzeb (1658–1707). Aurangzeb expanded the empire furthest but reimposed the jizya tax (1679) and fought long wars against the Marathas, Rajputs and Sikhs.
How people lived
Court culture and architecture reached their peak. The ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed in Delhi in 1675; in 1699 Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa.
What people did
Farming, textiles (Indian cotton was sold worldwide), building, and the army.
What people ate
Rich court cuisine; ordinary people ate grains, pulses and vegetables much as today.
Trade
Surat was the busiest port; English, Dutch and French companies set up trading posts (factories).
Region by region
- Uttar Pradesh: The Taj Mahal (completed c. 1653) and Agra Fort.
- Delhi: Shahjahanabad and the Red Fort (1648), from where the Prime Minister now speaks on Independence Day.
- Punjab: The Khalsa founded at Anandpur Sahib (1699).
- Maharashtra: Aurangzeb spent his last 26 years in the Deccan wars and died at Ahmednagar.
Key events
- 1615: English envoy Thomas Roe at Jahangir's court
- 1648: Red Fort completed
- 1675: Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur
- 1707: Death of Aurangzeb
Legacy
The Taj Mahal and Red Fort (UNESCO World Heritage Sites) and the Khalsa tradition.