The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all members of the Timurid dynasty, ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were monarchs of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent, mainly encompassing the modern-day countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. They ruled many parts of India from 1526, and by 1707 they ruled most of the subcontinent. Afterwards, their power declined rapidly, but nominally ruled territories until the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
The Mughal dynasty was founded by Babur (), a Timurid prince from the Fergana Valley (modern-day Uzbekistan). He was a direct descendant of both Timur and Genghis Khan.
The later Mughal emperors had significant Indian and Persian ancestry through marriage alliances as emperors were born to Indian and Persian princesses.Jeroen Duindam (2015), Dynasties: A Global History of Power, 1300–1800, page 105 , Cambridge University Press
During the reign of 6th Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, the empire, as the world's largest economy and manufacturing power, worth over 25% of global GDP,"The World Economy (GDP) : Historical Statistics by Professor Angus Maddison" . World Economy. Retrieved 21 May 2013. controlled nearly all of the Indian subcontinent, extending from Dhaka in the east to Kabul in the west and from Kashmir in the north to the Kaveri River in the south.
Its population at the time is estimated to be around 158,400,000 (a quarter of the world's total population), over a territory of more than 4 million square kilometres (1.5 million square miles). Mughal power rapidly dwindled during the 18th century and the last emperor, Bahadur Shah II, was deposed in 1857, with the establishment of the British Raj in India.
Background
Titular emperors Over the course of the empire, there were several claimants to the Mughal throne who ascended the throne or claimed to do so but were actually never recognized.
Here are the claimants to the Mughal throne historians recognise as titular Mughal emperors. Shahryar Mirza (1627–1628) Dawar Baksh (1627–1628) Jahangir II (1719–1720)
List of Mughal emperors No. Portrait Name Reign Parents Life details1 Babur 21 April 1526 – 26 December 1530 Umar Shaikh Mirza II Qutlugh Nigar Khanum14 February 1483 – 26 December 1530 Descendant of Tamerlane and Genghis Khan. Ruler of Ferghana; pushed out into Kabul. Defeated Lodis at Panipat (1526) and Rajputs at Khanwa (1527) to establish Mughal rule. Died of illness.2 Humayun 26 December 1530 – 17 May 1540 Babur Maham Begum6 March 1508 – 27 January 1556 Son and heir of Babur; conflicted with his brothers over the empire. Defeated and overthrown by Sher Shah Suri; fled to Kabul and then Persia.Suri Interregnum(2)Humayun 22 February 1555 – 27 January 1556 Babur Maham Begum6 March 1508 – 27 January 1556 Returned and recovered the throne with Safavid assisstance. Died after falling down the stairs of his library.3 Akbar 11 February 1556 – 27 October 1605 Humayun Hamida Banu Begum15 October 1542 – 27 October 1605 Son and heir of Humayun; ascended as a child under regent Bairam Khan after victory in the Second Battle of Panipat. Built mansabdari system; promoted syncretic Din-i-ilahi; expanded Mughal territory. Died of illness (likely dysentery). 4 Jahangir 3 November 1605 – 28 October 1627 Akbar Mariam uz-Zamani31 August 1569 – 28 October 1627 Son and heir of Akbar I; effective rule by his empress Nur Jahan. Died of natural causes.5 Shah Jahan 19 January 1628 – 31 July 1658 Jahangir Jagat Gosain5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666 Son of Jahangir; defeated his brothers in a war of succession. Commissioned the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, and the Peacock Throne. Deposed and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb; died in prison. 6 Aurangzeb Alamgir 31 July 1658 – 3 March 1707 Shah Jahan Mumtaz Mahal3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707 Son of Shah Jahan I; defeated his brothers in a war of succession and deposed his father. Imposed orthodox religious policies. Inconclusive Mughal-Marathas wars; empire reaches its maximum extent. Died of natural causes while on campaign. 7 Azam Shah 14 March – 20 June 1707 Aurangzeb Dilras Banu Begum28 June 1653 – 20 June 1707 Son and heir apparent of Aurangzeb. Defeated and killed by his brother. 8 Bahadur Shah 19 June 1707 – 27 February 1712 Aurangzeb Nawab Bai14 October 1643 – 27 February 1712 Son of Aurangzeb; overthrew his brother. Died of natural causes.9 Jahandar Shah 27 February 1712 – 11 February 1713 Bahadur Shah Nizam Bai9 May 1661 – 12 February 1713 Son of Bahadur Shah I; won a war of succession with the help of Zulfiqar Khan, who became the de facto ruler. Overthrown and executed by his nephew Farrukhsiyar. 10 Farrukhsiyar 11 February 1713 – 28 February 1719 Azim-ush-Shan Sahiba Niswan20 August 1685 – 19 April 1719 Grandson of Bahadur Shah I; overthrew his uncle with backing from Sayyids of Barha. Granted British East India company trading privileges in Bengal. Clashed with Sayyid brothers, who eventually deposed, blinded and killed him. 11 Rafi ud-Darajat 28 February 1719 – 6 June 1719 Rafi-ush-Shan Nur un-Nissa Begum1 December 1699 – 6 June 1719 Cousin of Farrukhsiyar; installed as a puppet by the Sayyid brothers. A patient of tuberculosis; died soon after accession. 12 Shah Jahan II 6 June 1719 – 17 September 1719 5 January 1696 – 18 September 1719 Brother of Rafi ud-Darajat; installed as a puppet by the Sayyid brothers. Died of an illness. 13 Muhammad Shah 27 September 1719 – 26 April 1748 Jahan Shah Fakhr un-Nissa Begum7 August 1702 – 26 April 1748 Cousin of Shah Jahan II; installed as a puppet by the Sayyid brothers, whom he had assassinated (1720). Nader Shah's invasion of India; sack of Delhi (1739). Died of natural causes.14 Ahmad Shah Bahadur 29 April 1748 – 2 June 1754 Muhammad Shah Qudsia Begum23 December 1725 – 1 January 1775 Son and heir of Muhammad Shah. Durrani invasions of India (1748). Rise of vizier Imad ul-Mulk, who deposed and blinded him.15 Alamgir II 3 June 1754 – 29 November 1759 Jahandar Shah Anup Bai6 June 1699 – 29 November 1759 Son of Jahandar Shah; installed by Imad ul-Mulk as a puppet. Ahmad Shah Durrani's sack of Delhi (1757). Assassinated on Imad ul-Mulk's orders.16 Shah Jahan III 10 December 1759 – 10 October 1760 Muhi us-Sunnat1711 – 1772 Great-grandson of Aurangzeb; installed by Imad ul-Mulk as a puppet. Deposed soon after.17 Shah Alam II 10 October 1760 – 31 July 1788 Alamgir II Zinat Mahal25 June 1728 – 19 November 1806 Son of Alamgir II; proclaimed emperor in exile, did not actually enter Delhi till 1772. Mughal defeat at the Battle of Buxar (1764). Deposed and blinded by the Rohilla chieftan, Ghulam Qadir.18 Jahan Shah 31 July 1788 – 11 October 1788 Ahmad Shah Bahadur1749 – 1790 Son of Ahmad Shah Bahadur; installed by Ghulam Qadir. Deposed by Mahadji Shinde after his defeat of Ghulam Qadir; killed by Shah Alam II.(17) Shah Alam II 16 October 1788 – 19 November 1806 Alamgir II Zinat Mahal25 June 1728 – 19 November 1806 Restored by Mahadji Shinde; figurehead under Marathas. Battle of Delhi (1803); end of Maratha rule over Mughals; became figurehead under British East India Company. Died of natural causes.19 Akbar Shah II 19 November 1806 – 28 September 1837 Shah Alam II Qudsia Begum22 April 1760 – 28 September 1837 Son and heir of Shah Alam II; figurehead under British. Died of natural causes.20 Bahadur Shah II 28 September 1837 – 21 September 1857 Akbar Shah II Lal Bai24 October 1775 – 7 November 1862 Son and heir of Akbar Shah II; figurehead under British. Became reluctant figurehead leader of the failed Indian rebellion (1857). Tried and exiled to Burma by the British; died in exile.
Family tree of Mughal emperors
See also Timurid family tree Mughal-Mongol genealogy List of Mughal empresses
Footnotes
References
Citations
Sources
Keay, John, India, a History, 2000, HarperCollins, . – India Pakistan