The House of Timur moved to India: Babur established the Timurid Dynasty in India in 1526 which is known as the Mughal empire (1526-1857). Babur was sixth in descent from Timur, while his mother was a descendant of Chengiz Khan. The first six Mughal Emperors from Babur to Aurangzeb are known as the great Mughals.
Babur, the first Mughal Emperor (1526-1530):-
| Meaning | The Tiger |
| Full Name | Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur |
| Born | 14 February 1483 at Andijan, Uzbekistan |
| Significance | Established the Mughal Empire in 1526 |
| Conquests | 1st Battle of Panipat (1526), Battle of Khanwa (1527), Battle of Ghagra (1529) |
| Parents | Umar Shaikh Mirza and Kutluk Nigar Khanum |
| Wives | Maham Begum, Aisha Sultan Begum, Zeineb Sultan Begum, Maasumeh Sultan Begum, Bibi Mubarika or Bika Begum, Dildar Begum, Gulrukh Begum, Gulnar Agha Begum, Raiqah Begum |
| Sons | Humayun, Kamran and Askari (by Gulrukh Begum), Hindal (by Dildar Begum) |
| Daughters | Gulrang, Gulchihra, Gulbadan (three daughters by Dildar Begum) Gulrukh or Gulbarg |
| Successor | Humayun |
| Died | 26 December 1530 at Agra |
| Burial | Bagh-e-Babur at Kabul, Afghanistan (Outside India) |
| Autobiography | Tuzuk-i-Baburi |
Humayun, the second Mughal Emperor (1530-1540 & 1555-1556) :-
| Meaning | Auspicious |
| Full Name | Nasir-ud-din Muhammad Humayun |
| Born | 6 March 1508 at Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Significance | Mughal Empire was interrupted by the Sur Dynasty. Humayun re-established the Mughal Empire in 1555. |
| Conquests | Battle of Chausa (1539), Battle of Kannauj (1540) |
| Parents | Babur and Maham |
| Wives | Bega Begum or Haji Begum, Hamida Banu Begum, Gunwar Bibi, Mah Chuchak, Maywa Jan, Khanish Agha Khwarizmi |
| Sons | Akbar, Muhammad Hakim (by Mah Chuchak) |
| Daughters | Aqiqa (by Bega Begum), Bakshi Banu (by Gunwar Bibi), Fakhru-n-nisa (by Mah Chuchak) |
| Successor | Akbar |
| Died | 24 Jan 1556 at Delhi |
| Death | Due to accidental fall from the stairs of his library at Sher Mandal |
| Burial | Humayun’s Tomb at Delhi. It was built by Bega Begum |
Akbar the Great, the third Mughal Emperor (1556-1605) :-
| Meaning | The Great |
| Full Name | Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar |
| Born | 15 October 1542 at Umerkot, Pakistan |
| Significance | Re-established the Mughal Empire after defeating Hemu (1556). Known as the greatest ruler of the Mughal dynasty. Propagated the idea of Sulahkul ie, Universal Peace. Married Hindu princesses. Abolished Jizya tax on non-Muslims. |
| Conquests | 2nd Battle of Panipat (1556), Battle of Haldighati (1576) |
| Parents | Humayun and Hamida Banu (Miriam Makani) |
| Wives | Ruqaiya Begum, daughter of Hindal; Salima Sultan Begum, daughter of Princess Gulbarg and widow of Bairam Khan; Hira Kunwari, the daughter of Raja Bharmal of Amber. |
| Sons | Salim (Jahangir), Murad (by a concubine), Daniel (by a concubine) |
| Daughters | Shahzada Khanum (by a concubine), Shukr-un-nisa Begum (by Bibi Daulat Shad), Aram Banu Begum (by Bibi Daulat Shad) |
| Successor | Khusrau (eldest son of Salim) |
| Died | 15 Oct 1605 at Agra |
| Burial | Akbar’s Tomb at Sikandara, Agra |
Jahangir, the fourth Mughal Emperor (1605-1627) :-
| Meaning | Conqueror of the world |
| Full Name | Nur-ud-din Muhammad Salim |
| Born | 30 August 1569 at Fatehpur Sikri, Agra |
| Significance | Mughal painting reached its zenith. Received the first British ambassador (Sir Thomas Roe) and gave permission to the British to trade in India |
| Conquests | Victory over Mewar (1615), Conquest of Kangra (1620) |
| Parents | Akbar and Wali Nimat Begum (?) |
| Wives | Mihr-un-nissa better known as Nur Jahan, the widow of Sher Afgan; Manbhawati Bai or Shah Begum, the daughter of Raja Bhagwan Das of Amber and sister of Raja Man Singh; the daughter of Raja Rai Singh of Bikaner; the daughter of Said Khan Gakhar; the daughter of Dariya Malbhas of Lahore; the daughter of Mirza Sanjar; Mani Bai or Jagat Gosaine better known as Jodh Bai, the daughter of Raja Udai Singh of Jodhpur; Sahibi Jamal, the niece of Zain Khan Koka; Karamsi Bai, the daughter of Raja Keshav Das Rathore; the daughter of Ali Sher Khan Anchan of Little Tibet (Baltistan); Malika Jahan, the daughter of Rawal Bhim Singh of Jaisalmer; the grand daughter of Raja Man Singh of Amber; the daughter of Ram Chand Bundela of Orchha; the daughter of Husain Chak of Kashmir; the daughter of Mubarak Khan Chak of Kashmir; Nuru-n-nisa Begum, the grand daughter of Mirza Kamran, brother of Humayun; the daughter of Raja Ali Khan of Khandesh; the daughter of Abdullah Khan Baluch; Khas Mahal, the daughter of Zain Khan Koka |
| Sons | Khusrau (by Man Bai), Paveiz (by Sahibi Jamal), Khurram (Shah Jahan), Jahandar (by a concubine), Shahryar (by a concubine) |
| Daughters | Sultanu-n-nissa (by Man Bai), Bihar Banu (by Karamsi) |
| Successor | Khusrau (Khusrau died in 1621, before his father and his tomb is located at Khusro Bagh in Allahabad. We are not sure whether Jahangir had declared Khusrau’s son, Bulaqi (Dawar Bakshsh) his successor, after Khusrau’s death. However, Dawar Bakshsh’s name is not in the official list of emperors.) |
| Died | 28 Oct 1627 at Kashmir |
| Burial | Jahangir’s Tomb at Shahdara Bagh, Lahore, Pakistan (Outside India) |
| Autobiography | Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri |
Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal Emperor (1628-1658) :-
| Meaning | King of the World |
| Full Name | Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram |
| Nick Name | Prince of Builders, Architect king, Engineer King |
| Born | 5 January 1592 at Lahore, Pakistan |
| Significance | Golden reign of Mughal architecture. Was deposed and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in 1658. |
| Parents | Jahangir and Jodh Bai |
| Wives | Arjumand Banu Begum better known as Mumtaz Mahal, niece of Empress Nur Jahan; Kandahari Begum; Azz un-Nisa Begum or Akbarabadi Mahal, the granddaughter of Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan |
| Sons | Dara Shukoh, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb (Alamgir), Murad Bakshsh (all four sons by Mumtaz Mahal) |
| Daughters | Purhunar Banu (by Kandahari Begum), Jahan Ara, Roshan Ara, Gauhar Ara (three daughters by Mumtaz Mahal) |
| Successor | Dara Shukoh |
| Died | 22 January 1666 at Agra |
| Burial | Taj Mahal at Agra |
Aurangzeb Alamgir, the sixth Mughal Emperor (1658-1707) :-
| Meaning | Conqueror of the world |
| Full Name | Muhi-ud-din Muhammad Aurangzeb |
| Nick Name | Zinda Pir (Living Saint) |
| Born | 24 October 1618 at Dahod, Gujarat |
| Significance | Murdered his own brothers and imprisoned his father for the throne. Reverted Akbar’s policies and reimposed the Jizya tax on Hindus. Aurangzeb was the last powerful Mughal emperor. Although the Mughal empire reached its greatest extent under Aurangzeb, it was also weakened due to the revolts of Sikhs, Rajputs, Jats and the Marathas. The mighty empire fell apart after the death of Aurangzeb. |
| Parents | Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal |
| Lover | Hira Bai or Zainabadi Mahal, a court dancer. She died young |
| Wives | Dilras Banu Begum; Nawab Bai; Hira Bai or Zainabadi Mahal; Aurangabadi Mahal; Udaipuri Mahal |
| Sons | Sultan Muhammad (by Nawab Bai), Muazzam (Shah Alam Bahadur Shah), Azam Shah (by Dilras Banu Begum), Akbar (by Dilras Banu Begum), Kam Bakhsh (by Udaipuri Mahal) |
| Daughters | Zeb-un-Nissa (by Dilras Banu Begum), Zinat-un-Nissa (by Dilras Banu Begum), Badr-un-Nissa (by Nawab Bai), Zubdat-un-Nissa (by Dilras Banu Begum), Mihr-un-Nissa (by Aurangabadi Mahal) |
| Successor | Shah Alam Bahadur Shah |
| Died | 21 February 1707 at Ahmednagar |
| Burial | Aurangzeb’s Tomb at Khuldabad, Aurangabad |
