127-747: Sher Shah may refer to: People [ edit ] Sher Shah Suri (1486–1545), founder of the Suri dynasty Sher Shah (VC) (1917–1945), British Indian Army soldier and Victoria Cross recipient Shershah Syed , Pakistani physician Vikram Batra (1974–1999), Indian army officer, nicknamed Shershah Places [ edit ] India [ edit ] Sher Shah Suri Mosque , mosque in Patna, Bihar, India Tomb of Sher Shah Suri , tomb of Sher Shah Suri in Sasaram, Bihar, India Sher Shah Suri Marg, another name for some of
254-799: A Mughal army in July 1537, and advanced towards Chunar . The Mughals reached the fort in November 1537 and laid siege to it. The siege lasted over six months before the fort finally fell. Following this, Sher Shah began a second invasion into Bengal, seizing Rohtasgarh in March 1538 through stratagem. He used Rohtasgarh to situate Afghan families and loot he obtained during the war. Following up his victory, Sher Shah besieged Gauda, which fell in April 1538. Split detachments would also be sent to conquer Chittagong . Another force battled against Mahmud Shah led by Khawas Khan Marwat ,
381-515: A Timurid chieftain from Transoxiana , who employed aid from the neighbouring Safavid and Ottoman Empires to defeat the Sultan of Delhi , Ibrahim Lodi , in the First Battle of Panipat , and to sweep down the plains of North India . The Mughal imperial structure, however, is sometimes dated to 1600, to the rule of Babur's grandson, Akbar . This imperial structure lasted until 1720, shortly after
508-600: A sarkar could turn into a subah , and Parganas were often transferred between sarkars . The hierarchy of division was ambiguous sometimes, as a territory could fall under multiple overlapping jurisdictions. Administrative divisions were also vague in their geography – the Mughal state did not have enough resources or authority to undertake detailed land surveys, and hence the geographical limits of these divisions were not formalised and maps were not created. The Mughals instead recorded detailed statistics about each division, to assess
635-606: A Fotdar (treasurer), and a Karkun (clerk) proficient in Hindi and Persian . The Shiqar of a Pargana was a military officer under the Sarkar's Shiqar's oversight and was responsible for maintaining stability and assisting the Munsif in land revenue collection and measurement. The Munsif in the Pargana was under the supervision of the chief Munsif in the Sarkar. Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire
762-601: A capable general. His reorganization of the empire and strategic innovations laid the foundations for future Mughal emperors, notably Akbar . Sher Shah died in May 1545 while besieging Kalinjar fort . Following his death, the empire descended into civil war until it was eventually re-conquered by the Mughals. During his rule as Emperor of the Sur Empire, Sher Shah implemented numerous economic, administrative, and military reforms. He issued
889-692: A central reference for the Mughal state that dealt with the specifics of the South Asian context. The Mughal Empire also drew on Persian notions of kingship. Particularly, this meant that the Mughal emperor was considered the supreme authority on legal affairs. Various kinds of courts existed in the Mughal Empire. One such court was that of the qadi . The Mughal qadi was responsible for dispensing justice; this included settling disputes, judging people for crimes, and dealing with inheritances and orphans. The qadi also had additional importance in documents, as
1016-402: A century of growth and prosperity. A succession of short-lived incompetent and weak rulers, and civil wars over the succession, created political instability at the centre. The Mughals appeared virtually unassailable during the 17th century but, once gone, their imperial overstretch became clear, and the situation could not be recovered. The seemingly innocuous European trading companies, such as
1143-428: A chronicle of the rule of Sher Shah Suri Shershah Suri , Indian television show about Sher Shah Suri, broadcast by Doordarshan See also [ edit ] Sher Khan (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Sher Shah . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to
1270-503: A dish he was unfamiliar with eating customarily. In response, he drew his dagger cut the dish into smaller pieces, and then ate it with a spoon. Babur took notice and informed his minister Mir Khalifa : Keep an eye on Sher Khan, he is a clever man and the marks of royalty are visible on his forehead. I have seen many Afghan nobles, greater men than he, but they never made an impression on me, but as soon as I saw this man, it entered into my mind that he ought to be arrested for I find in him
1397-449: A force of over 20,000 men. The heads of Iqtas were known by various titles such as Hakim , Faujdar , or Momin and typically commanded bodies of men usually numbering less than 5,000. Their responsibilities included maintaining order and enforcing law within their jurisdictions. Iqtas were further divided into districts known as Sarkars , each overseen by two chief officers: the Shiqar and
SECTION 10
#17328547697221524-866: A formidable kingdom and threat to his rule, Sher Shah began preparing for war in August 1542. In early 1543, Sher Shah Suri, with a force of 80,000 cavalry, set out against Maldeo Rathore , the Rajput king of Marwar . The Afghan army advanced through Merta before Maldeo advanced with his own army of 50,000 to face Sher Shah, which had halted in the village of Sammel in the pargana of Jaitaran , near Jodhpur . Establishing defenses, Sher Shah's strong position made it difficult for Maldeo to launch an attack, while Sher Shah's position became dangerous due to supply difficulties for his large army. Sher Shah thus resorted to intrigue by dropping forged letters near Maldeo's camp, falsely indicating that some of his commanders intended to defect to
1651-454: A general of Sher Shah, which saw Mahmud Shah decisively defeated and mortally wounded. With these victories, Sher Shah held his first coronation. After the fall of Gauda, Sher Shah offered favorable peace terms to Humayun, proposing to pay 10,000,000 dinars, and the cessation of Bihar in exchange for control of Bengal. Humayun refused the offer, not wishing to leave the Bengal's rich resources to
1778-613: A generic term for any silver coin, during his rule the term rūpee came to be used as the name for a silver coin of a standard weight of 178 grains, which was the precursor of the modern rupee . The Rupee is today used as the national currency in India, Indonesia , Maldives , Mauritius , Nepal , Pakistan , Seychelles , and Sri Lanka . Gold coins called the Mohur weighing 169 grains and copper coins called Paisa were also minted during his reign. According to numismatists Goron and Goenka, it
1905-472: A highly centralised, bureaucratic government, most of which was instituted during the rule of the third Mughal emperor Akbar. The central government was headed by the Mughal emperor; immediately beneath him were four ministries. The finance/revenue ministry, headed by an official called a diwan , was responsible for controlling revenues from the empire's territories, calculating tax revenues, and using this information to distribute assignments. The ministry of
2032-570: A horse trader and eventually became a landlord (Jagirdar) in the Narnaul area of present-day Haryana . He represented his patron Jamal Khan Lodi Sarangkhani, who assigned him several villages in Hissar Firoza . Sher Shah's father, Hasan Khan Sur, entered the service of Jamal Khan. In 1494, Jamal Khan was promoted and established in Bihar by Sikandar Khan Lodi . At Jamal Khan's request, Sikandar granted Hasan
2159-474: A hostile state. Additionally, the wounded Mahmud Shah, who had entered Humayun's camp, urged him to continue the war against Sher Shah. Mahmud Shah died from his wounds soon after. Following this, Humayun marched towards Bengal to confront Sher Shah. However, the Mughal army was troubled with heavy rains, causing the loss of their baggage between Patna and Monghyr . Humayun eventually reached Gauda and seized it without opposition on 8 September 1538. However,
2286-426: A kind of mobile, "de facto" administrative capital. From the time of Akbar, Mughal camps were huge in scale, accompanied by numerous personages associated with the royal court, as well as soldiers and labourers. All administration and governance were carried out within them. The Mughal Emperors spent a significant portion of their ruling period within these camps. After Aurangzeb, the Mughal capital definitively became
2413-503: A new religion, Din-i-Ilahi , with strong characteristics of a ruler cult. He left his son an internally stable state, which was in the midst of its golden age, but before long signs of political weakness would emerge. Jahangir (born Salim, reigned 1605–1627) was born to Akbar and his wife Mariam-uz-Zamani , an Indian Rajput princess. Salim was named after the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti . He "was addicted to opium, neglected
2540-407: A new ruling elite loyal to him, implemented a modern administration, and encouraged cultural developments. He increased trade with European trading companies. India developed a strong and stable economy, leading to commercial expansion and economic development. Akbar allowed freedom of religion at his court and attempted to resolve socio-political and cultural differences in his empire by establishing
2667-459: A reputation for his reforms that brought prosperity to the region. However, due to family intrigues, he eventually relinquished his position over the jagirs. Sher Shah then moved to Agra , where he stayed until his father's death. This event allowed him to return to his family's jagirs and take control, thereby solidifying his leadership and furthering his rise to power. Sher Shah spent time in Agra after
SECTION 20
#17328547697222794-705: A severe decline in governance, while stability and economic output in the Mughal Deccan plummeted. Aurangzeb is considered the most controversial Mughal emperor, with some historians arguing his religious conservatism and intolerance undermined the stability of Mughal society, while other historians question this, noting that he built Hindu temples , employed significantly more Hindus in his imperial bureaucracy than his predecessors did, opposed bigotry against Hindus and Shia Muslims . Despite these allegations, it has been acknowledged that Emperor Aurangzeb enacted repressive policies towards non-Muslims. A major rebellion by
2921-609: A siege of Kalinjar , immediately withdrew, crossing the Ganges and began a battle against Mahmud Lodi at Dadrah in 1531. The Afghan forces were decisively defeated, and the coalition was shattered. Mahmud Lodi fled to Orrisa , while Sher Shah emerged on top by keeping Southern Bihar. Humayun followed up his victory by besieging Chunar, a fortress owned by Sher Shah, in September 1532. The siege continued for over four months to no avail. In order to make peace, Sher Shah offered his loyalty to
3048-453: A syncretistic Hindu-Muslim culture, emulating his great-grandfather Akbar. With the support of the Islamic orthodoxy, however, a younger son of Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb ( r. 1658–1707 ), seized the throne. Aurangzeb defeated Dara in 1659 and had him executed. Although Shah Jahan fully recovered from his illness, Aurangzeb kept Shah Jahan imprisoned until he died in 1666. Aurangzeb brought
3175-473: A system where wealth was hoarded by elites, wages were depressed for manual labour . While slavery also existed, it was limited largely to household servants. Indian agricultural production increased under the Mughal Empire. A variety of crops were grown, including food crops such as wheat, rice, and barley , and non-food cash crops such as cotton, indigo and opium . By the mid-17th century, Indian cultivators began to extensively grow two new crops from
3302-459: A year later, the Timurid forces of Babur defeated the combined Rajput armies of Rana Sanga of Mewar , with his native cavalry employing traditional flanking tactics. The preoccupation with wars and military campaigns, however, did not allow the new emperor to consolidate the gains he had made in India. The instability of the empire became evident under his son, Humayun (reigned 1530–1556), who
3429-504: A young man, he killed a tiger that leapt suddenly upon the governor of Bihar, Behar Khan Lohani. Sher Shah was born in Sasaram , located in present-day Bihar , India. His birth date is disputed, with some accounts stating he was born in 1472, while others claim 1486. He was of Pashtun Afghan origin, belonging to the Sur clan. Sher Shah's grandfather, Ibrahim Khan Sur, began his career as
3556-579: Is clear from coins dated AH 945 (1538 AD) that Sher Shah had assumed the royal title of Farid al-Din Sher Shah and had coins struck in his own name prior to the battle of Chausa. The Sur Empire was divided into many subdivisions called Iqtas , which were often ruled by military governors. Haibat Khan , who governed the Punjab , commanded over 30,000 men and could distribute jagirs to his soldiers. Khawas Khan , another military governor, ruled over Rajasthan with
3683-649: Is the Indo-Persian form of Mongol . The Mughal dynasty's early followers were Chagatai Turks and not Mongols. The term Mughal was applied to them in India by association with the Mongols and to distinguish them from the Afghan elite which ruled the Delhi Sultanate. The term remains disputed by Indologists . In Marshall Hodgson's view, the dynasty should be called Timurid / Timuri or Indo-Timurid . The Mughal Empire
3810-518: The kotwal (local police), the faujdar (an officer controlling multiple districts and troops of soldiers), and the most powerful, the subahdar (provincial governor). In some cases, the emperor dispensed justice directly. Jahangir was known to have installed a "chain of justice" in the Agra Fort that any aggrieved subject could shake to get the attention of the emperor and bypass the inefficacy of officials. Self-regulating tribunals operating at
3937-468: The British East Indies Company , played no real part in the initial decline; they were still racing to get permission from the Mughal rulers to establish trades and factories in India. In fiscal terms, the throne lost the revenues needed to pay its chief officers, the emirs (nobles) and their entourages. The emperor lost authority, as the widely scattered imperial officers lost confidence in
Sher Shah - Misplaced Pages Continue
4064-564: The Chenab river before arriving at Khushab. At Khushab, Sher Shah sent two detachments under Khawas Khan and Qutb Khan to pursue Humayun and his contingent out of the region. The pursuit as far as the Panjnad River , before withdrawing back to Khushab and merging with Sher Shah's force. Remaining encamped at Khushab, Sher Shah received the submission of Baloch chiefs including prominently Ismail Khan, Fateh Khan, Ghazi Khan, and many others who ruled
4191-472: The Ganges river. Humayun crossed the river and engaged in skirmishes with Sher Shah's forces. During the fighting, many of Humayun's nobles hid their insignia to avoid recognition by the Afghans, and several fled the battle. The Mughal army was ultimately defeated, forcing Humayun to flee. Following this victory, Sher Shah was crowned a second time on 17 May 1540, being declared the ruler of Hindustan and adopting
4318-525: The Grand Trunk Road . The tomb finished its construction on 16 August 1545, three months after his death. Hermann Goetz posited that one of the motivations for Sher Shah choosing his birthplace, Sasaram, as the sight of his tomb, was that: "For Sher Shah Sasaram was the very symbol of his life and glory". Decades after his death, the Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi was commissioned by Akbar to detail
4445-472: The Industrial Revolution . Modern historians and researchers generally agree that the character of the Mughal Empire's economic policy resembles the laissez-faire system in dealing with trade and billions to achieve the economic ends. The Mughals were responsible for building an extensive road system and creating a uniform currency. The empire had an extensive road network, which was vital to
4572-831: The Karmanasa River , where his army was vulnerable to attack, Sher Shah capitalized on the Mughal army's fragile state and attacked at the Battle of Chausa . The Afghans descended on the Mughal army, which was 200,000 strong. Overwhelmed, the Mughal army was completely routed . Humayun barely escaped with his life, with the Mughals suffering over 7,000 casualties, including many prominent noblemen. With his defeat, Humayun returned to Agra, and restored order after unrest began due to his brother, Hindal Mirza . Humayun then began mobilizing another army and advanced against Sher Shah, who raised his own army, although being numerically inferior. The two armies met at Kannuaj , mirroring each other across
4699-478: The Khyber Pass . Babur's forces defeated Ibrahim Lodi , Sultan of Delhi , in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. Through his use of firearms and cannons, he was able to shatter Ibrahim's armies despite being at a numerical disadvantage, expanding his dominion up to the mid Indo-Gangetic Plain . After the battle, the centre of Mughal power shifted to Agra . In the decisive Battle of Khanwa , fought near Agra
4826-510: The Marathas took place following this change, precipitated by the unmitigated state-building of its leader Shivaji in the Deccan. Aurangzeb's son, Bahadur Shah I , repealed the religious policies of his father and attempted to reform the administration. "However, after he died in 1712, the Mughal dynasty began to sink into chaos and violent feuds. In 1719 alone, four emperors successively ascended
4953-705: The Second Anglo-Maratha War . Thereafter, the British East India Company became the protectors of the Mughal dynasty in Delhi. The British East India Company took control of the former Mughal province of Bengal-Bihar in 1793 after it abolished local rule (Nizamat) that lasted until 1858, marking the beginning of the British colonial era over the Indian subcontinent. By 1857 a considerable part of former Mughal India
5080-580: The Sikh guru Arjan , whose execution was the first of many conflicts between the Mughal Empire and the Sikh community. Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658) was born to Jahangir and his wife Jagat Gosain , a Rajput princess. His reign ushered in the golden age of Mughal architecture . During the reign of Shah Jahan, the splendour of the Mughal court reached its peak, as exemplified by the Taj Mahal . The cost of maintaining
5207-898: The Teliagarhi pass. Mahmud Shah repeatedly requested the Portuguese to aid him, which they did by fortifying the Teliaghari and Sakrigali passes. Sher Shah, however, out-flanked the combined armies and reached Gauda by way of Jharkhand . Mahmud Shah immediately capitulated, and was forced to pay over 13,000,000 gold coins, and cede territory up to Sakrigali. Eager to conquer the Bengal Sultanate, Sher Shah prepared for another invasion, and an opportunity came when Mahmud Shah failed to send annual tribute, forcing him to seek refuge in Gaur and frantically ask Humayun for aid. In response, Humayun mobilized
Sher Shah - Misplaced Pages Continue
5334-692: The Third Battle of Panipat was fought between the Maratha Empire and the Afghans (led by Ahmad Shah Durrani ) in 1761, in which the Afghans were victorious, the emperor had ignominiously taken temporary refuge with the British to the east. In 1771, the Marathas recaptured Delhi from the Rohillas , and in 1784 the Marathas officially became the protectors of the emperor in Delhi, a state of affairs that continued until
5461-449: The mir saman . Of these ministers, the diwan held the most importance, and typically acted as the wazir (prime minister) of the empire. The empire was divided into Subah (provinces), each of which was headed by a provincial governor called a subadar . The structure of the central government was mirrored at the provincial level; each suba had its own bakhshi , sadr as-sudr , and finance minister that reported directly to
5588-458: The zabt system, the Mughals also conducted extensive cadastral surveying to assess the area of land under plough cultivation, with the Mughal state encouraging greater land cultivation by offering tax-free periods to those who brought new land under cultivation. The expansion of agriculture and cultivation continued under later Mughal emperors including Aurangzeb. Mughal agriculture was in some ways advanced compared to European agriculture at
5715-419: The 1720s. Despite India having its stocks of gold and silver, the Mughals produced minimal gold of their own but mostly minted coins from imported bullion , as a result of the empire's strong export-driven economy, with global demand for Indian agricultural and industrial products drawing a steady stream of precious metals into India. The historian Shireen Moosvi estimates that in terms of contributions to
5842-485: The Afghan army to attack the Rajputs while they were still leaving the fort. The Rajputs killed their women and children before engaging in battle with the Afghans, before being defeated as the Afghans massacred them. This act is considered the darkest mark on Sher Shah's reign. Having initially attempted to aid Humayun in regaining his throne, as well as having failed to capture Humayun for Sher Shah, and Marwar itself being
5969-503: The Afghans in Bihar, Sher Shah distinguished himself, and his estates were restored in 1528. With his jagirs secured, Sher Shah accompanied Junaid Khan to Agra where he met Mughal emperor Babur. During this time, Sher Shah was conferred the title of Sher Khan after killing a tiger that leapt upon the ruler of Bihar. Sher Shah remained in Agra, observing Mughal military organization and administration. During one occasion while dining with Mughal Emperor Babur, Sher Shah encountered
6096-449: The Afghans were at Sultanpur Lodhi . With the approach of the Afghans, the Mughals fled Lahore. At Khushab , Humayun and Kamran quarreled and parted ways, with Humayun leaving for Sindh , and Kamran to Kabul . As Humayun began withdrawing, Khawas Khan initially gave up the pursuit, halting on the Jhelum river. Sher Shah then advanced from Sirhind toward Lahore, and then continued toward
6223-503: The Afghans. This caused great distress to Maldeo, leading him to abandon his commanders and retreat to Jodhpur with his men. Maldeo's generals, Jaita and Kumpa, split off a contingent of 12,000 men to fight against the Afghans. In the resulting Battle of Sammel, Sher Shah emerged victorious. Following the victory, Khawas Khan Marwat took possession of Jodhpur and occupied the territory of Marwar from Ajmer to Mount Abu in 1544, with Bikaner also submitting to Afghan rule. Following
6350-503: The Americas, maize and tobacco. The Mughal administration emphasised the agrarian reform that began under the non-Mughal emperor Sher Shah Suri, which Akbar adopted and furthered with more reforms. The civil administration was organised hierarchically based on merit, with promotions based on performance. The Mughal government funded the building of irrigation systems across the empire, which produced much higher crop yields and increased
6477-553: The Gakhars, devastating much of the countryside, and taking many prisoners. To further secure his rule, Sher Shah established Rohtas Fort and stationed 50,000 men in Punjab under his generals Haibat Khan Niazi and Khawas Khan Marwat. Subsequently, Sher Shah turned his attention to Bengal, where the governor he had appointed had become rebellious. Recognizing the importance of Bengal , Sher Shah focused much of his administrative efforts in
SECTION 50
#17328547697226604-698: The Indian parts of the Grand Trunk Road Shershahabad, another name for Purana Qila in Delhi, India Pakistan [ edit ] Sher Shah (Karachi) , neighbourhood of Kiamari Town, Karachi, Pakistan Sher Shah Bridge , a flyover in the neighborhood Sher Shah, Multan , town in Multan District, Pakistan Others [ edit ] Shershah College of Engineering , Sasaram, Bihar, India Shershaah , 2021 Indian war film by Vishnuvardhan, about Vikram Batra Shershahabadia , an Indian Muslim community Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi ,
6731-648: The Just King ' ), was the ruler of Bihar from 1530 to 1540, and Sultan of Hindustan from 1540 until his death in 1545. He defeated the Mughal Empire , founding the Sur Empire and establishing his rule in Delhi . The influence of his innovations and reforms extended far beyond his brief reign. During his time in power, he remained undefeated in battle and was renowned as one of the most skillful Afghan generals in history. By
6858-578: The Lohani nobles opposed Sher Shah's dominance. Although he offered to share power, the Lohani nobles rejected his proposal and instead fled to Bengal with Jalal Khan, seeking the support of Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah , the ruler of the Bengal Sultanate . Consequently, Sher Shah became the sole ruler of Bihar . However, he did not adopt any grand titles, preferring to style himself as Hazrat-i-Ala. Taj Khan,
6985-441: The Mughal Empire. However, the dispensation of justice also depended on other factors, such as administrative rules, local customs, and political convenience. This was due to Persianate influences on Mughal ideology, and that the Mughal Empire governed a non-Muslim majority. Scholar Mouez Khalfaoui notes that legal institutions in the Mughal Empire systemically suffered from the corruption of local judges. The Mughal Empire followed
7112-427: The Mughal economy, in the late 16th century, the primary sector contributed 52%, the secondary sector 18% and the tertiary sector 29%; the secondary sector contributed a higher percentage than in early 20th-century British India , where the secondary sector only contributed 11% to the economy. In terms of the urban-rural divide, 18% of Mughal India's labour force were urban and 82% were rural, contributing 52% and 48% to
7239-537: The Mughal elite, resulting in greater patronage of painting , literary forms, textiles, and architecture , especially during the reign of Shah Jahan . Among the Mughal UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South Asia are: Agra Fort , Fatehpur Sikri , Red Fort , Humayun's Tomb , Lahore Fort , Shalamar Gardens , and the Taj Mahal , which is described as "the jewel of Muslim art in India, and one of
7366-455: The Mughals gained power, observing the leadership of Babur . After leaving Agra, he entered the service of the governor of Bihar. Following the governor's death in 1528, Sher Shah obtained a high position in Bihar and, by 1530, became the regent and de facto ruler of the kingdom . He engaged in conflicts with the local nobility and the Sultanate of Bengal . In 1538, while Mughal Emperor Humayun
7493-595: The Mughals on the condition that he remained in control of Chunar, offering to send his third son, Qutb Khan, as hostage. Humayun accepted and lifted the siege in December 1532, returning to Agra due to the rising threat of Bahadur Shah , the ruler of the Gujarat Sultanate . Humayun did not wish to split up his forces under the command of a noble to continue the siege, as this would split his strength, additionally giving reason for peace to be established. Makhdum Alam,
7620-408: The Mughals that rallied most of the significant Afghan leaders in India. Sher Shah however, recognized the division among the Afghans and Mahmud's incompetence, thus refusing to aid Mahmud. Intending for the unification of all Afghan leaders, Mahmud marched with his army to Sasaram, persuading Sher Shah to join the rebellion. Hesitatingly, Sher Shah accompanied the expedition with his own set of men, and
7747-406: The Munsif. The Shiqar was responsible for civil administration and could field 200-300 soldiers to maintain law and order. The Munsif handled revenue collection and civil justice, while chief Shiqars often dealt with criminal justice cases. Sarkars were in turn divided into smaller units called Parganas . which consisted of a town and its surrounding villages. Each Pargana had a Shiqar, a Munsif,
SECTION 60
#17328547697227874-649: The Sunni Hanafi system of jurisprudence. In its early years, the empire relied on Hanafi legal references inherited from its predecessor, the Delhi Sultanate. These included the al-Hidayah (the best guidance) and the Fatawa al-Tatarkhaniyya (religious decisions of the Emire Tatarkhan). During the Mughal Empire's peak, the Fatawa 'Alamgiri was commissioned by Emperor Aurangzeb. This compendium of Hanafi law sought to serve as
8001-702: The administrator of Hajipur , refused to recognize Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah as the Sultan of Bengal accusing him of assassinating Sultan Alauddin Firuz . He formed an alliance with Sher Shah, who saw this as an opportunity to crush the power of the Lohani nobles allied with Mahmud Shah. Mahmud Shah sent several expeditions against Sher Shah, which were all defeated. Makhdum Alam however, was killed and his estates fell to Sher Shah upon his death. In 1534, Mahmud Shah sent an army of artillery , cavalry and infantry under Ibrahim Khan to conquer Bihar, with Jalal Khan accompanying
8128-489: The affairs of the state, and came under the influence of rival court cliques". Jahangir distinguished himself from Akbar by making substantial efforts to gain the support of the Islamic religious establishment. One way he did this was by bestowing many more madad-i-ma'ash (tax-free personal land revenue grants given to religiously learned or spiritually worthy individuals) than Akbar had. In contrast to Akbar, Jahangir came into conflict with non-Muslim religious leaders, notably
8255-473: The age of 73 or 59. At the end of his reign, Sher Shah's empire spanned nearly the entirety of Northern India, excluding Assam , Kashmir , Gujarat , and the North-West Frontier Province . He was succeeded by his son, Jalal Khan, who took the name Islam Shah Suri . Sher Shah was buried in the tomb of Sher Shah Suri , which stands in the middle of an artificial lake at Sasaram , a town on
8382-522: The campaign. However, Sher Shah launched a sudden attack on the combined forces of the Lohani chiefs of Bihar and Mahmud Shah of Bengal, defeating them at Surajgarh in March 1534, winning a decisive victory. Ibrahim Khan was killed admist the battle, and Jalal Khan was forced to retreat to Bengal. Following the victory, Sher Shah consolidated his control over Bihar. Between 1536 to 1537, Sher Shah followed up his victories by invading Bengal and defeating Mahmud Shah numerous times, occupying all lands west of
8509-417: The central authorities, and made their deals with local men of influence. The imperial army bogged down in long, futile wars against the more aggressive Marathas , and lost its fighting spirit. Finally came a series of violent political feuds over control of the throne. After the execution of Emperor Farrukhsiyar in 1719, local Mughal successor states took power in region after region. The Mughal Empire had
8636-533: The central government rather than the subahdar . Subas were subdivided into administrative units known as sarkars , which were further divided into groups of villages known as parganas . Mughal government in the pargana consisted of a Muslim judge and local tax collector. Parganas were the basic administrative unit of the Mughal Empire. Mughal administrative divisions were not static. Territories were often rearranged and reconstituted for better administrative control, and to extend cultivation. For example,
8763-457: The chief supervisor of the Muqtars . These reforms increased the prominence of Afghans in Bengal, leading many to settle in the region. Some of these Afghan settlers later established the Muhammad Shahi dynasty , which ruled Bengal from 1553 to 1563, and the Karrani dynasty , which ruled from 1563 to 1576. In 1542, Sher Shah embarked on a campaign to Malwa . Qadir Khan, the ruler of the Malwa Sultanate , had offended Sher Shah by claiming he
8890-597: The city had been abandoned by the Afghans, and the treasury looted. Humayun remained in Gauda for months, restoring order to the city as he was trapped with his army due to the weather. Sher Shah capitalized off of this, seizing Bihar and Varanasi , reclaiming control over Chunar, and laying siege to Jaunpur . Other detachments of the Afghan army extended as far as Kannauj . As a result, Humayun found himself effectively stranded in Gauda with no lines of communication. Learning of unrest in Agra , Humayun immediately sought to settle for peace with Sher Shah. However, as he crossed
9017-436: The community or village level were common, but sparse documentation of them exists. For example, it is unclear how panchayats (village councils) operated in the Mughal era. The Mughal economy was large and prosperous. India was producing 24.5% of the world's manufacturing output up until 1750. Mughal India's economy has been described as a form of proto-industrialization , like that of 18th-century Western Europe before
9144-440: The conquest of Marwar, Sher Shah besieged Kalinjar Fort in 1544. Due to continuous resistance from the Rajputs, he besieged the fort for seven months. The circumstances regarding Sher Shah's death are uncertain. Some sources state that he was mortally wounded by a gunpowder explosion when one of his cannons burst. Another account suggests that during a battle, as he descended from a rampart and ordered his men to hurl bombs into
9271-470: The cost of establishing a new capital was marginal. Situations where two simultaneous capitals happened multiple times in Mughal history. Certain cities also served as short-term, provincial capitals, as was the case with Aurangzeb's shift to Aurangabad in the Deccan . Kabul was the summer capital of Mughals from 1526 to 1681. The imperial camp, used for military expeditions and royal tours, also served as
9398-526: The court, however, began to exceed the revenue coming in. His reign was called as "The Golden Age of Mughal Architecture". Shah Jahan extended the Mughal Empire to the Deccan by ending the Ahmadnagar Sultanate and forcing the Adil Shahis and Qutb Shahis to pay tribute. Shah Jahan's eldest son, the liberal Dara Shikoh , became regent in 1658, as a result of his father's illness. Dara championed
9525-422: The cultures and peoples it came to rule; rather it equalized and placated them through new administrative practices, and diverse ruling elites, leading to more efficient, centralised, and standardized rule. The base of the empire's collective wealth was agricultural taxes, instituted by the third Mughal emperor, Akbar. These taxes, which amounted to well over half the output of a peasant cultivator, were paid in
9652-666: The death of Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, Puran Mal regained control of Raisen , which had been annexed by Bahadur Shah in 1532. Following the re-capture of the city, Puran Mal was accused of committing tyrannies unto the Muslim populace, which Puran Mal denied. After assembling an army, the Rajputs, facing defeat, surrendered under the promise of safe conduct. Puran Mal withdrew from the fort with 4,000 Rajputs, including their families. However, after being ill-advised by fanatic Muslims, as well as Muslim widows appealing to him after allegedly suffering under Puran Mal's rule, Sher Shah gave permission for
9779-510: The death of the last major emperor, Aurangzeb , during whose reign the empire also achieved its maximum geographical extent. Reduced subsequently to the region in and around Old Delhi by 1760, the empire was formally dissolved by the British Raj after the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . Although the Mughal Empire was created and sustained by military warfare, it did not vigorously suppress
9906-432: The economic infrastructure, built by a public works department set up by the Mughals which designed, constructed and maintained roads linking towns and cities across the empire, making trade easier to conduct. The main base of the empire's collective wealth was agricultural taxes, instituted by the third Mughal emperor, Akbar. These taxes, which amounted to well over half the output of a peasant cultivator, were paid in
10033-479: The economy, respectively. According to Moosvi, Mughal India had a per-capita income, in terms of wheat, 1.24% higher in the late 16th century than British India did in the early 20th century. This income, however, would have to be revised downwards if manufactured goods, like clothing, would be considered. Compared to food per capita, expenditure on clothing was much smaller though, so relative income between 1595 and 1596 should be comparable to 1901–1910. However, in
10160-432: The emperor or the sadr-us-sudr (chief of charities). The jurisdiction of the qadi was availed by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The jagirdar (local tax collector) was another kind of official approach, especially for high-stakes cases. Subjects of the Mughal Empire also took their grievances to the courts of superior officials who held more authority and punitive power than the local qadi . Such officials included
10287-554: The empire as Hindustan ( Héndūsītǎn ). In the west, the term " Mughal " was used for the emperor, and by extension, the empire as a whole. The Mughal designation for their dynasty was Gurkani ( Gūrkāniyān ), a reference to their descent from the Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur , who took the title Gūrkān 'son-in-law' after his marriage to a Chinggisid princess. The word Mughal (also spelled Mogul or Moghul in English)
10414-521: The empire to its greatest territorial extent, and oversaw an increase in the Islamicization of the Mughal state. He encouraged conversion to Islam, reinstated the jizya on non-Muslims, and compiled the Fatawa 'Alamgiri , a collection of Islamic law. Aurangzeb also ordered the execution of the Sikh guru Tegh Bahadur , leading to the militarization of the Sikh community. From the imperial perspective, conversion to Islam integrated local elites into
10541-453: The end of his reign, his empire covered nearly all of Northern India . Born between 1472 and 1486 and given the name Farid Khan, his early childhood saw him flee from home due to internal family strife. He pursued an education in Jaunpur , where his rise to power began after his father offered him a managerial position over his jagirs . Sher Shah effectively governed these territories, gaining
10668-447: The epithet Sultan Adil, meaning "Just King." He further took on the name Sher Shah. As Humayun fled, Sher Shah pursued him with split detachments. He then seized Agra , defeating the Mughals there and sent Khawas in pursuit of Humayun. The pursuit and flight of Humayun allowed Sher Shah to capture and enter Delhi , beginning the consolidation of his rule there by reorganizing its administration. As Humayun reached Lahore in July 1540,
10795-503: The estate by defeating one of his governors. In 1526, the Lodis were overthrown , bringing the Mughals to power under Babur . During this time, Behar Khan Lohani established an independent state in Bihar and assumed the title of Sultan Muhammad. With the aid of Junaid Khan, the Mughal governor of Jaunpur, Sher Shah joined Mughal service. In April 1527, after Babur launched a campaign against
10922-669: The first Rupiya organized the postal system of the Indian subcontinent , as well as extending the Grand Trunk Road from Chittagong in Bengal to Kabul in Afghanistan, significantly improving trade. Sher Shah further developed Humayun's Dina-panah city, renaming it Shergarh , and revived the historical city of Pataliputra , which had been in decline since the 7th century CE, as Patna . Additionally, he embarked on several military campaigns that restored Afghan prominence in India. His birth name
11049-485: The fort, one bomb reflected back and hit a cache of bombs, causing a large explosion. Some people escaped with minor burns, while Sher Shah was found half-burned and taken to his tent, where he remained for two days. Despite his critical condition, he ordered his men to swarm the fort, advancing close to the fort with his troops. Upon hearing that the fort had finally fallen, he remarked, "Thanks to Almighty god." Sher Shah succumbed to his wounds and died on 22 May 1545, at
11176-405: The governor of Chunar , was assassinated by his stepson. In the aftermath, his wealthy widow, Lad Malika, sought a protector to secure her position. Recognizing Sher Shah's growing influence, she agreed to marry him. Through these negotiations, which were kept secret from Taj Khan's sons, Sher Shah gained control of Chunar. This acquisition significantly bolstered Sher Shah's power and influence in
11303-440: The governor of Gauda . However, suspicious of Sher Shah's intentions, Qadir Khan fled to Gujarat , leaving Malwa annexed to Sher Shah's domain. Sher Shah consolidated his new territories before returning to Agra, also receiving submission from the ruler of Ranthambore . Shujaat Khan was appointed as the new governor of Malwa, with further attempts from Qadir Khan to reclaim Malwa ending in failure against Shujaat Khan. After
11430-514: The huge armies with which they had formerly enforced their rule. Many of the empire's elites now sought to control their affairs and broke away to form independent kingdoms. But lip service continued to be paid to the Mughal Emperor as the highest manifestation of sovereignty. Not only the Muslim gentry, but the Maratha, Hindu, and Sikh leaders took part in ceremonial acknowledgements of the emperor as
11557-556: The independence of Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I in the Deccan, he encouraged the Marathas to invade central and northern India. The Indian campaign of Nader Shah , who had previously reestablished Iranian suzerainty over most of West Asia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, culminated with the Sack of Delhi shattering the remnants of Mughal power and prestige, and taking off all the accumulated Mughal treasury. The Mughals could no longer finance
11684-405: The insurrection initially succeeded, capturing Ghazipur and Banaras . However, upon the arrival of Mughal forces, Mahmud Lodi abandoned the army. After this, many Afghan nobles including Sher Shah submitted to Babur. In early 1530, the death of Dudu Bibi enabled Sher Shah to become the regent for Jalal Khan, effectively making him the de facto ruler of Bihar. Despite his growing power, many of
11811-604: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sher_Shah&oldid=1189728485 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Sher Shah Suri Sher Shah Suri ( Pashto : ﺷﯧﺮ ﺷﺎﻩ ﺳﻮﺭﻱ ; Persian : شیرشاه سوری ), (Farid al-Din Khan; 1472 or 1486 – 22 May 1545), also known by his title Sultan Adil ( lit. '
11938-1038: The jagirs of Khwaspur, Sasaram, and Hajipur in Bihar. Hasan had several wives and fathered over eight sons, with Nizam Khan being Sher Shah's only full brother. One of Sher Shah's stepmothers was cruel to him, and Hasan, being too submissive to his wife, was unable to intervene. As a result, Sher Shah sought refuge with Jamal Khan, aiming to gain experience and further his education. Sher Shah pursued his education in Jaunpur for several years, studying subjects such as history and religion. On one occasion, Hasan visited Jamal Khan in Jaunpur and encountered some of Sher Shah's relatives, who spoke of Sher Shah's potential for future greatness. Impressed by these accounts, Hasan invited Sher Shah to manage his domains in 1497. Sher Shah accepted his father's offer and embarked on implementing numerous reforms. His early administrative career focused on combating corruption. One of Sher Shah's significant reforms as administrator of his father's domains
12065-425: The king's vision of network of shared identity that would join disparate groups throughout the empire in obedience to the Mughal emperor. He led campaigns from 1682 in the Deccan, annexing its remaining Muslim powers of Bijapur and Golconda, though engaged in a prolonged conflict in the region which had a ruinous effect on the empire. The campaigns took a toll on the Mughal treasury, and Aurangzeb's absence led to
12192-414: The military (army/intelligence) was headed by an official titled mir bakhshi , who was in charge of military organisation, messenger service, and the mansabdari system. The ministry in charge of law/religious patronage was the responsibility of the sadr as-sudr, who appointed judges and managed charities and stipends. Another ministry was dedicated to the imperial household and public works, headed by
12319-536: The net revenue base, leading to increased agricultural production. A major Mughal reform introduced by Akbar was a new land revenue system called zabt . He replaced the tribute system, previously common in India and used by Tokugawa Japan at the time, with a monetary tax system based on a uniform currency. The revenue system was biased in favour of higher value cash crops such as cotton, indigo, sugar cane , tree crops, and opium, providing state incentives to grow cash crops, in addition to rising market demand. Under
12446-480: The production of piece goods , calicos , and muslins . The cotton textile industry was responsible for a large part of the empire's international trade. India had a 25% share of the global textile trade in the early 18th century, and it represented the most important manufactured goods in world trade in the 18th century. The most important centre of cotton production was the Bengal province, particularly around its capital city of Dhaka . The production of cotton
12573-440: The qualities of greatness and the marks of mightiness. Suspecting a rising plot against him, Sher Shah departed Agra and left Mughal service, returning to his Jagirs in 1528. He sought refuge under the protection of Sultan Muhammad of Bihar. Upon Sher Shah's arrival, he was warmly received and appointed as the guardian of Muhammad's son, Jalal Khan. In October 1528, Sultan Mohammad of Bihar died, and his queen, Dudu Bibi, assumed
12700-636: The region between the Chenab and the Indus rivers. Sher Shah then entered into conflict with the Gakhars , who had historically been difficult to subjugate despite attempts by previous rulers. Sher Shah initially attempted diplomacy, inviting the Gakhar chief to acknowledge him as the emperor of India. However, the Gakhar gave an insulting response which enraged Sher Shah. In retaliation, Sher Shah marched through Punjab, subjugating
12827-584: The region, as he now controlled a significant fort and a large treasury. The death of Mughal Emperor Babur in December 1530 saw the Afghan insurrection rejuvenated, and Mahmud Lodi again returned. Sher Shah immediately ignored Mahmud's attempts of garnering Sher Shah's aid until he was promised all of Southern Bihar . After further being visited by Mahmud, Sher Shah acquiesced. The combined Afghan forces marched on Banaras and Jaunpur , with Junaid Khan withdrawing to Agra. The Afghan forces followed up their victories by seizing Lucknow . Humayun, entrenched in
12954-401: The region. In March 1541, Khijir Khan , the governor of Bengal under Sher Shah, led a revolt, as well as marrying a daughter of the former Sultan, Mahmud Shah. Sher Shah mobilized an army and personally led it to defeat Khijir Khan, restoring Bengal to his suzerainty. He then divided Bengal into 47 smaller administrative divisions, each overseen by a shiqdar , with Kazi Fajilot established as
13081-404: The reign of Sher Shah. Written by Abbas Sarwani , the source was significant toward detailing the conquest of Bengal by Sher Shah as well as the magnitude of his reforms, and greatly benefited in contribution towards the history of medieval India. The system of tri-metalism which came to characterize Mughal coinage was introduced by Sher Shah. While the term rūpya had previously been used as
13208-433: The role of regent . Sher Shah was appointed as her deputy governor, allowing him to begin consolidating his position in the region through a myriad of military and administrative reforms. These reforms significantly strengthened his position, making him one of the most influential Afghan leaders in India. In 1529, Sher Shah anticipated joining Mahmud Lodi, the younger brother of Ibrahim Lodi in his insurrection against
13335-417: The seal of the qadi was required to validate deeds and tax records. Qadis did not constitute a single position, but made up a hierarchy. For example, the most basic kind was the pargana (district) qadi . More prestigious positions were those of the qadi al-quddat (judge of judges) who accompanied the mobile imperial camp, and the qadi-yi lashkar (judge of the army). Qadis were usually appointed by
13462-467: The sovereign of India. Meanwhile, some regional polities within the increasingly fragmented Mughal Empire involved themselves and the state in global conflicts, leading only to defeat and loss of territory during conflicts such as the Carnatic wars and Bengal War . The Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II (1759–1806) made futile attempts to reverse the Mughal decline. Delhi was sacked by the Afghans, and when
13589-479: The territory's capacity for revenue, based on simpler land surveys. The Mughals had multiple imperial capitals, established throughout their rule. These were the cities of Agra , Delhi , Lahore , and Fatehpur Sikri . Power often shifted back and forth between these capitals. Sometimes this was necessitated by political and military demands, but shifts also occurred for ideological reasons (for example, Akbar's establishment of Fatehpur Sikri), or even simply because
13716-586: The throne", as figureheads under the rule of a brotherhood of nobles belonging to the Indian Muslim caste known as the Sadaat-e-Bara , whose leaders, the Sayyid Brothers , became the de facto sovereigns of the empire. During the reign of Muhammad Shah (reigned 1719–1748), the empire began to break up, and vast tracts of central India passed from Mughal to Maratha hands. As the Mughals tried to suppress
13843-610: The time, exemplified by the common use of the seed drill among Indian peasants before its adoption in Europe. Geared sugar rolling mills first appeared in Mughal India, using the principle of rollers as well as worm gearing , by the 17th century. South Asia during the Mughal's rule was a very fertile ground for manufacturing technologies coveted by the Europeans before the Industrial Revolution . Up until 1750, India produced about 25% of
13970-699: The universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage." The closest to an official name for the empire was Hindustan , which was documented in the Ain-i-Akbari . Mughal administrative records also refer to the empire as "dominion of Hindustan" ( Wilāyat-i-Hindustān ), "country of Hind" ( Bilād-i-Hind ), "Sultanate of Al-Hind" ( Salṭanat(i) al-Hindīyyah ) as observed in the epithet of Emperor Aurangzeb or endonymous identification from emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar as "Land of Hind" ( Hindostān ) in Hindustani . Contemporary Chinese chronicles referred to
14097-417: The walled city of Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi). The Mughal Empire's legal system was context-specific and evolved throughout the empire's rule. Being a Muslim state, the empire employed fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and therefore the fundamental institutions of Islamic law such as those of the qadi (judge), mufti (jurisconsult), and muhtasib (censor and market supervisor) were well-established in
14224-478: The well-regulated silver currency, and caused peasants and artisans to enter larger markets. The relative peace maintained by the empire during much of the 17th century was a factor in India's economic expansion. The burgeoning European presence in the Indian Ocean and an increasing demand for Indian raw and finished products generated much wealth for the Mughal court. There was more conspicuous consumption among
14351-491: The well-regulated silver currency, and caused peasants and artisans to enter larger markets. In circa 1595, Modern historians estimated the state's annual revenues of the Mughal Empire were around 99,000,000 rupees. The Mughals adopted and standardised the rupee ( rupiya , or silver) and dam (copper) currencies introduced by Sur Emperor Sher Shah Suri during his brief rule. The Mughals minted coins with high purity, never dropping below 96%, and without debasement until
14478-473: The world's industrial output. Manufactured goods and cash crops from the Mughal Empire were sold throughout the world. The growth of manufacturing industries in the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal era in the 17th–18th centuries has been referred to as a form of proto-industrialization , similar to 18th-century Western Europe before the Industrial Revolution. In early modern Europe , there
14605-460: Was Farid Khan. After 1526, he was conferred the title Sher Khan, and following his ascension as Sultan of Hindustan in 1540, he became known as Sher Shah. His surname 'Suri' was taken from his Pashtun Sur tribe. He was a distant kinsman to Babur's brother-in-law, Mir Shah Jamal, who remained loyal to Humayun. The name Sher (means lion in Persian) was conferred upon him for his courage, when as
14732-403: Was advanced by the diffusion of the spinning wheel across India shortly before the Mughal era, lowering the costs of yarn and helping to increase demand for cotton. The diffusion of the spinning wheel and the incorporation of the worm gear and crank handle into the roller cotton gin led to greatly expanded Indian cotton textile production during the Mughal era. The Bengal Subah province
14859-646: Was an early modern empire in South Asia . At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to the highlands of present-day Assam and Bangladesh in the east, and the uplands of the Deccan Plateau in South India . The Mughal Empire is conventionally said to have been founded in 1526 by Babur ,
14986-579: Was born Jalal-ud-din Muhammad in the Rajput Umarkot Fort , to Humayun and his wife Hamida Banu Begum , a Persian princess. Akbar succeeded to the throne under a regent, Bairam Khan , who helped consolidate the Mughal Empire in India. Through warfare, Akbar was able to extend the empire in all directions and controlled almost the entire Indian subcontinent north of the Godavari River . He created
15113-416: Was engaged in military campaigns elsewhere, Sher Shah overran the Bengal Sultanate and established the Suri dynasty. He defeated the Mughals and drove them out of India, establishing himself as emperor in Delhi. As ruler of Hindustan, Sher Shah led numerous military campaigns, conquering Punjab , Malwa , Marwar , Mewar , and Bundelkhand . A brilliant strategist, Sher Shah was both a gifted administrator and
15240-448: Was equal to him, as well as failing pledged aid against the Mughals. Upon arriving in Gwalior , the governor of the city submitted to the Afghans. The Afghan army continued their march to Sarangpur . Believing defeat was imminent, Qadir Khan left Ujjain and awaited at Sarangpur for Sher Shah's arrival. Sher Shah received him, they together advanced into Ujjain. Sher Shah then made Qadir Khan
15367-506: Was especially prosperous from the time of its takeover by the Mughals in 1590 until the British East India Company seized control in 1757. Historian C. A. Bayly wrote that it was probably the Mughal Empire's wealthiest province. Domestically, much of India depended on Bengali products such as rice, silks and cotton textiles. Overseas, Europeans depended on Bengali products such as cotton textiles, silks, and opium. The province
15494-533: Was forced into exile in Persia by the rebellious Sher Shah Suri (reigned 1540–1545). Humayun's exile in Persia established diplomatic ties between the Safavid and Mughal courts and led to increasing Persian cultural influence in the later restored Mughal Empire. Humayun's triumphant return from Persia in 1555 restored Mughal rule in some parts of India, but he died in an accident the next year. Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)
15621-817: Was founded by Babur (reigned 1526–1530), a Central Asian ruler who was descended from the Persianized Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur (the founder of the Timurid Empire ) on his father's side, and from Genghis Khan on his mother's side. Paternally, Babur belonged to the Turkicized Barlas tribe of Mongol origin. Ousted from his ancestral domains in Central Asia, Babur turned to India to satisfy his ambitions. He established himself in Kabul and then pushed steadily southward into India from Afghanistan through
15748-432: Was significant demand for products from Mughal India, particularly cotton textiles, as well as goods such as spices, peppers, indigo , silks, and saltpetre (for use in munitions ). European fashion , for example, became increasingly dependent on Mughal Indian textiles and silks. The largest manufacturing industry in the Mughal Empire was textile manufacturing , particularly cotton textile manufacturing, which included
15875-473: Was the assessment of land revenues, along with defining and establishing commissions for tax collectors. However, despite these reforms, Sher Shah faced resentment and intrigue from his stepmother, who had initially forced him to flee, and his step-brothers. This opposition eventually led to Sher Shah resigning from his post in 1518, after serving as manager for 21 years. Following his resignation, he initially engaged in banditry before departing for Agra , which
16002-468: Was under the East India Company's control. After a crushing defeat in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 which he nominally led, the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar , was deposed by the British East India Company and exiled in 1858 to Rangoon , Burma. Historians have offered numerous accounts of the several factors involved in the rapid collapse of the Mughal Empire between 1707 and 1720, after
16129-559: Was under the rule of the Lodi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate . Sher Shah remained in Agra until his father's death, after which he received his father's jagirs from Sultan Ibrahim Khan Lodi . Returning to his jagirs in 1520—21, Sher Shah began administering them while in the service of Behar Khan Lohani . Conflict emerged however over the split of his father's land between his brothers, and Muhammad Khan Sur initially drove Sher Shah from
#721278