The Mughal Empire dominated almost all of northern India from the 16th to the 18th century. Mogul rulers practiced the Muslim religion, but the majority of the population they governed practiced Hinduism. Even so, the Mughals were successful in their domain. They worked to bring Muslims closer to Hindus in a united India.
The founder of the Mogol Empire in India was called Babur and was descended from Genghis Khan, who more than three hundred years earlier had founded the mighty Mongol Empire in Mongolia. In 1526, Babur conquered an Indian sultanate (kingdom) called Delhi. When he died in 1530, he dominated much of northern India.
The first sovereign to stand out after Babur was his grandson, Akbar, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. He undertook conquests that greatly expanded the empire. He married a Hindu princess and let non-Muslims practice their beliefs. In addition, it encouraged the arts and scholarship. His deeds made him known as Akbar the Great.
Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan, was another notable Mughal leader. He reigned from 1628 to 1658 and was best known for building the beautiful Taj Mahal in the city of Agra.
Shah Jahan's son ruled from 1658 to 1707, and it was during this period that the empire reached its greatest extent. But he persecuted Hindus and all non-Islamists, which deprived him of the people's support. Some groups revolted against him and the empire was gradually weakening.
In the mid-eighteenth century, Moghuls dominated only a small area around the city of Delhi. The English took control of the territory in 1803. The last Mughal emperor was Bahadur Shah II. The British allowed him to reign until 1857, when they forced him to leave India.
