The Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire
The Mughals give 3 questions and are examined through rulers, revenue and religious policy. The empire matters for Bihar too, since the state was a Mughal province and the road that crossed it was built in this period.
The Rulers
| Emperor | Reign | Chiefly known for |
|---|---|---|
| Babur | 1526 to 1530 | Founded the empire; won the First Battle of Panipat |
| Humayun | 1530 to 1556 | Lost to Sher Shah, regained the throne briefly |
| Akbar | 1556 to 1605 | Consolidation; Din-i-Ilahi; abolition of jizya |
| Jahangir | 1605 to 1627 | Painting flourished; Nur Jahan's influence |
| Shah Jahan | 1628 to 1658 | The Taj Mahal; the peak of Mughal architecture |
| Aurangzeb | 1658 to 1707 | Greatest extent; reimposed jizya; Deccan wars |
The First Battle of Panipat, 1526 founded the empire and the Second Battle of Panipat, 1556 secured it for Akbar after Humayun's death. Akbar's regent in that early period was Bairam Khan.
Akbar's Policies
- Abolished the jizya and the pilgrim tax, and allowed temple repair.
- Introduced the mansabdari system, ranking officers by number to fix pay and troop obligation.
- Introduced the Zabti or Dahsala revenue settlement with Raja Todar Mal, based on measured land and average produce over ten years.
- Built the Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri for religious discussion.
- Proclaimed Din-i-Ilahi, which was an order of discipleship rather than a new religion, and which attracted very few followers.
- Married into Rajput houses and gave Rajputs high office.
The point the paper tests is that Din-i-Ilahi was not a religion and did not survive Akbar. Calling it a new faith with mass following is the standard wrong option.
✗ Din-i-Ilahi became a widely followed new religion | ✓ It was an order of discipleship with very few followers and did not outlive Akbar
Administration and Culture
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mansabdar | An officer holding a numerical rank |
| Zat | Rank fixing personal status and pay |
| Sawar | Number of horsemen to be maintained |
| Jagir | Revenue assignment given in place of salary |
| Subah | Province, under a Subedar |
| Diwan | Provincial revenue officer |
Mughal India was divided into subahs, and Bihar was one of them, with its provincial capital at Patna. The zat and sawar pair is the item most often asked from the mansabdari system, and the two are regularly reversed in options.
In culture the period gives the Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid at Delhi, and Fatehpur Sikri with its Buland Darwaza, built by Akbar. Persian was the court language, and miniature painting reached its height under Jahangir.
Decline
- Aurangzeb's long Deccan wars drained the treasury and kept him away from the north.
- The reimposition of jizya and a narrower religious policy cost him allies.
- Weak successors after 1707, with rapid changes of emperor.
- The jagirdari crisis — more nobles than there was revenue to assign.
- Invasions by Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali, and the rise of regional powers.
The jagirdari crisis is the structural explanation and the one an Honours-level paper prefers, because it explains decline from inside the system rather than by blaming a single ruler.
मनसबदारी में झात = पद, सवार = घोड़सवारों की संख्या।
TRE pointer: Two items are asked almost every year: Din-i-Ilahi was not a religion, and the zat and sawar distinction in the mansabdari system. The Todar Mal revenue settlement is the third, and it matters for Bihar because the same officer's methods were later applied here. Note that Bihar was a Mughal subah with its capital at Patna, which a state paper can ask directly.
60-Second Recap
- Babur founded the empire at Panipat in 1526; Akbar secured it at Panipat in 1556.
- Akbar abolished the jizya, introduced mansabdari, and settled revenue with Todar Mal.
- Din-i-Ilahi was an order of discipleship, not a religion, and did not outlive Akbar.
- Zat fixed rank and pay; sawar fixed the number of horsemen.
- Bihar was a Mughal subah with its provincial capital at Patna.
- Decline came from Deccan wars, weak successors and the jagirdari crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Din-i-Ilahi a new religion?
No. It was an order of discipleship centred on Akbar himself, drawing ethical elements from several faiths, and it attracted only a handful of followers. It did not survive his death. Describing it as a widely adopted new religion is the standard wrong option.
What is the difference between zat and sawar?
Zat fixed a mansabdar's personal rank, status and pay, while sawar fixed the number of horsemen he was required to maintain. The two ranks were separate and a noble could hold a high zat with a lower sawar. The pair is regularly reversed in options.
What was Todar Mal's revenue settlement?
The Zabti or Dahsala system, under which land was measured, classified by fertility, and assessed on the average produce and prices of the previous ten years. Revenue was fixed in cash, which made the demand predictable for both the state and the cultivator.
Why did the Mughal empire decline?
Because of Aurangzeb's costly Deccan wars, a narrower religious policy that cost allies, weak successors after 1707, and above all the jagirdari crisis, in which there were more nobles claiming assignments than there was revenue to assign.