The early Mughals were Arabs, Turks and Afghans who came to India in search of diamonds. They established the Mughal empire in India during the 12th and 13th centuries.
India’s reputation of being the only known source of diamond mines in the world and its flourishing international trade attracted many invasions. North Indian Kingdoms resisted invasions by Arab-Turks for centuries but soon, small Islamic Empires or Sultanates were established in several parts of the North.
Before these invasions, Muslim trading communities who arrived from Arabia in small numbers via the Indian Ocean, were already trading in coastal South India, especially Kerala.
Arabs, Turks and Afghans invaded parts of North India and established the Delhi sultanate in the former Rajput regions during the twelfth and thirteenth century.
There was a great impact on culture with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate. An Indo-Muslim culture evolved and this could be seen in architecture, music, literature and religion. The language of Urdu was developed at this time which is said to be a mix of Sanskrit, Persian, Turkish and Arabic. The Delhi Sultanate was the only Indo-Islamic Empire which placed Razia Sultan, a woman, on the throne.
India's reputation of being the only known source of diamond mines in the world
and its flourishing international trade attracted many invasions.
North Indian kingdoms resisted invasions by Arab Turks for centuries but soon small
Islamic empires or sultanates were established in several parts of the north.
Before these invasions, Muslim trading communities
who arrived from Arabia in small numbers via the Indian Ocean
were already trading in the coastal South India, especially Kerala.
Arabs, Turks and Afghans invaded parts of North India and established the Delhi Sultanate
in the former Rajput regions during the 12th and 13th century.
There was a great impact on culture with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate.
An Indo-Muslim culture evolved and this could be seen in architecture, music,
literature and religion.
The language of Urdu was developed at this time which is said to be a mix
of Sanskrit, Persian, Turkish and Arabic.
The Delhi Sultanate was the only Indo-Islamic empire which placed Razia Sultan, a woman,
on the throne.
Qutub-ud-Din Aibak was responsible for establishing the Delhi Sultanate.
Shams-ud-Din-il-Tamish then later established a Turkish kingdom in Delhi-Timur.
Timur, a Turkish-Mongol conqueror launched a massive campaign to invade India.
He attacked Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud of the Tughlaq dynasty in Delhi, leaving the city in ruins.
Zahir-ud-Din Muhammad Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire.
Babur with the help of his armies and the advantage of superior cavalry tactics,
firearms and guns defeated the last of the Sultans,
Ibrahim Shah Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526.
Babur was succeeded by his son Humayun.
At the age of 12, his father appointed him as the governor of Badakhshan
and this is where he proved his administrative skills and bravery.
Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan general who served under Babur, had gathered an impressive number of
loyal and well-trained Afghan soldiers and was one of Humayun's greatest threats.
Sher Shah, in the meantime, went about capturing Bihar and Jaunpur,
which was under Mughal rule.
Facing humiliation, Humayun clashed with Sher Shah two more times.
The Second Battle at Kanauj brought an end to Humayun's reign.
Afghan rule was established with the capture of Delhi and Agra.
Humayun fled to Persia where he lived in exile for 15 years after being betrayed by his brothers.
In exile, his wife gave birth to their son Akbar.
After the death of Sher Shah Suri, his empire began to crumble
as his successor could not recreate Sher Shah's magic.
Humayun, on realising this, put an army together with the help of a Persian king
and marched towards Delhi.
The following year, he managed to capture Delhi along with Kabul and Kandahar
and defeated Sikandar Suri, Sher Shah's successor,
ascending the throne at Agra, thus bringing an end to his days in exile.
After ascending the throne, Humayun devoted his time to the state.
His greatest achievements lay in the field of painting.
He brought several painters from Persia and they laid the foundation for Mughal art and style.
From here on, there was a fusion of Persian and Indian styles.
Humayun's reign was short-lived.
He died in a tragic accident after falling off his library steps.
He was succeeded by his son Akbar who went on to become one of the greatest Mughal kings ever known.
