The rule of the Mughal Emperors in India was a seminal period in
that country's history. Beginning in 1525 when Babur, the
great-grandson of Tamerlaine the Great, marched into the Punjab and
defeated the Afghan rulers of the region, it lasted more than two
centuries and gave India wealth, culture and stability beyond
anything it had ever known. But the splendour of the Mughal court
concealed a rotten core; the political system was utterly corrupt
and for the vast majority of India's population life was just as
poor, brutal and wretched as it had been a millennium ago. In this
lively narrative history, Abraham Eraly tells the tale of the
Mughal Emperors, from Babur to Aurangzeb, who died in 1707 leaving
his empire crumbling behind him. Between them came the dilettante
Humayum, who lost the empire, regained it again, and died falling
down a staircase; the great emperor Akbar, who encouraged religious
and cultural syncretism and owned a vast library of 24,000
manuscripts, although he could not read; Jahangir, who loved nature
and Western art; and Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal. Eraly
writes in a cheerful inconsequential style reminiscent of the
contemporary Mughal chroniclers he quotes. He has clearly done
enormous quantities of research but wears it lightly, so the book
reads very easily, with the various characters beautifully brought
to life and a host of fascinating details. This approach can also
be frustrating for the reader; there is little background
information on the history of India and its neighbours, no
discussion of contradictory or inconsistent source material, and
most surprisingly no map. But Eraly captures the atmosphere of the
period with a light and sensitive touch, and anyone who wants to
learn about this remarkable era and its characters will find this
volume a delightful companion. (Kirkus UK)
A history of the great Mughal rulers of India, one of the world's
greatest empires. In December 1525 Babur, the great grandson of the
Mongol conqueror Tamberlaine, crossed the Indus river into the
Punjab with a modest army and some cannon. At the battle of Panipat
five months later he routed the mammoth army of the Afghan ruler of
Hindustan. Mughal rule in India had begun. It was to continue for
over three centuries, shaping India for all time. Full of dramatic
episodes and colourful detail, THE MUGHAL EMPIRE tells the story of
one of the world's great empires.
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