Mughal dynasty

Introduction & Top Questions
Mughal Empire
Mughal rulers
- Babur
- Humayun
- Akbar
- Jahangir and Nur Jahan
- Shah Jahan
- Aurangzeb
- Decline of the Mughal Empire
- The last Mughal
Administration and governance
Economy and trade
Architecture, art, and culture
Influential women of the Mughal court

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Mughal emperors Jahangir, Akbar, and Shah Jahan

Historical map showing the development of the Mughal Empire in South Asia from 1526 to 1707. The map uses color shading to indicate the empire's territorial extent in 1530, its expansion by 1605, and its maximum reach by 1707. Major rivers, regions, and cities are labeled, with arrows marking the routes of Mughal expansion campaigns and boundaries of the Suri empire.

Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi, India, viewed through an arched gateway, with its large white dome, red sandstone facade, and gardens in front.

The Mughal Emperor Akbar's Rise to Power Explained

The entrance to the Tomb of Jahangir in Lahore, Pakistan, with an arched gateway, manicured gardens, and visitors walking along a central path at sunset.

At a Glance

Mughal dynasty summary

Mughal Dynasty Timeline

Key People of the Mughal Dynasty

The Red Fort in Old Delhi, India, with its red sandstone walls, domed towers, and the Indian national flag flying above the central pavilion.

Decline of the Mughal Dynasty

Related Questions

How did Akbar deal with defeated Rajput rulers?
How did Akbar encourage dialogue among different religious communities?
How did Akbar expand the Mughal Empire?
How did Aurangzeb take the Mughal throne from Shah Jahan?
How did Babur establish control of Kabul before invading India?
How did Babur win the First Battle of Panipat against Ibrahim Lodi’s larger army?
How did Babur’s ancestry connect him to Timur and Genghis Khan?
How did Humayun lose the Mughal Empire to Sher Shah of Sur?
How did Mughal architecture blend Indian and Perso-Islamic styles?
How did Mughal culture combine Persian and Indian traditions?
How did Mughal miniature painting change during Jahangir’s reign?
How did Nadir Shah’s invasion of northern India weaken the Mughal Empire?
How did a mansab determine a Mughal official’s status and military duties?
How did bills of exchange help move Mughal revenue from provinces to the imperial center?
How did revenue farming affect cultivators in the Mughal Empire?
How did the British East India Company gain influence as Mughal power weakened?
How did the Marathas reduce Mughal control in northern India?
How did the Mughal Empire’s trade networks connect Indian cities and seaports?
How did the Mughal mansabdari system organize civil and military officials?
How did the jagirdar system pay Mughal officials?
How did the zabt system assess and collect land revenue?
How long did the Mughal dynasty rule in India?
How was the Mughal Empire divided into provinces under Akbar?
What happened at the Battle of Plassey in 1757?
What jobs did kotwals perform in Mughal cities?
Which Mughal ruler commissioned the Taj Mahal?
Which artists were known for Mughal paintings during the reigns of Akbar and Jahangir?
Which book did Babur write about his life and travels?
Which building materials were especially important in Mughal architecture?
Which major cities became centers of commerce and crafts under Mughal rule?
Which monuments did Shah Jahan build in Shahjahanabad, later called Old Delhi?
Which subjects were commonly shown in Mughal miniature paintings?
Who did Babur defeat at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526?
Who founded the Mughal dynasty in India?
Who led the Rajput confederacy against Babur at the Battle of Khanua?
Why did Akbar’s policies toward non-Muslims help stabilize the Mughal Empire?
Why did Aurangzeb’s long military campaigns strain the Mughal Empire?
Why did Mughal emperors transfer jagirs between officials?
Why did Shah Alam II become a pensioner of the British East India Company?
Why did Shah Jahan build the Taj Mahal?
Why is Akbar considered one of the greatest Mughal emperors?
Why was Babur’s victory at the Battle of Khanua important?
Why was Bahadur Shah II exiled to Rangoon after the Indian Rebellion of 1857?
Why was Persian used as the official language of the Mughal court?
Why was the First Battle of Panipat important for Indian history?
Why are the Mughals called the Mughals?
When did the Mughal Empire end?
What was the Indian Independence Act of 1947?
What was the aftermath of the Indian Independence Act?
What types of vegetation and wildlife are found in Manas National Park?
How did ethnic conflicts in western Assam affect Manas National Park, and how did the park recover?
What makes the Bengal tigers in the Sundarbans unique?
What is the Iron Pillar of Delhi known for?
What theories explain the Iron Pillar of Delhi’s rust resistance?
Where is Kaziranga National Park located?

History Historic Dynasties & Families

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External Websites

ABC Religion and Ethics - Framed, Blamed and Defamed: The Mughal Legacy of Hindu-Muslim Relations
IndiaNetzone - Mughal Dynasty
Humanities LibreTexts - Mughal Empire: History
UNESCO - Silk Road Programme - The Mughal Empire and Its Successors (PDF)
The History Files - The Mughals
BBC - You're Dead To Me - The Mughal Empire

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Mughal Empire - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Mughal Empire - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Mughal dynasty

India [1526–1857]

Also known as: Indo-Timurid dynasty, Mogul dynasty, Mughūl dynasty, Mughal Empire(Show More)

Written by

Tamanna Nangia

Tamanna Nangia is Associate Editor, Encyclopaedia Britannica. She has over five years of experience in editorial processes, handling many different aspects of the publishing process: content development,...

Tamanna Nangia

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Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

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Last updated

Sep. 26, 2026 •History

Mughal dynasty, line of Muslim rulers of Turkic-Mongol origin who ruled most of northern India from the early 16th to the mid-18th century. After that time it continued to exist as a considerably reduced and increasingly powerless entity until the mid-19th century. The Mughal dynasty was notable for its more than two centuries of effective rule over much of India; for the ability of its rulers, who through seven generations maintained a record of unusual...

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