One of the Richest Empires on Earth

Part of The Mughal Empire, 1526-1707 · Section 1 of 14

IntroductionUnit: Component Group 4 — Period StudiesGCSE
In 1526 a desperate Timurid prince camped outside Delhi with an army far smaller than the one facing him. His name was Babur, and by his own account his soldiers were heavily outnumbered by Ibrahim Lodi's forces. Babur had one decisive advantage: artillery. He had brought cannons to a battlefield where war elephants had ruled for centuries. The elephants panicked at the noise, turned and trampled Ibrahim Lodi's own men. A dynasty was born.

By 1700, India under Mughal rule produced a huge share of the world's wealth. Economic historians estimate it at roughly a quarter of world output, though such figures are rough guesses. Its court at Agra and Delhi glittered with diamonds, silk, and scholars from Persia, Central Asia, and Europe. Yet within fifty years of Aurangzeb's death in 1707, the empire had broken up into smaller powers. The story of how it rose and fell is a lesson in the relationship between tolerance, taxation, and power.

This introduction covers One of the Richest Empires on Earth within The Mughal Empire, 1526-1707 for GCSE History. Revise The Mughal Empire, 1526-1707 in Component Group 4 — Period Studies for GCSE History with 14 exam-style questions and 17 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 1 of 14 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Practice questions for The Mughal Empire, 1526-1707

Describe two features of how Babur founded the Mughal Empire in 1526.

4 marksfoundation

Describe two features of Akbar's policy of religious tolerance.

4 marksfoundation

Quick recall flashcards

What was Akbar's Rajput policy?
Akbar married Rajput Hindu princesses (including a princess of Amer) and appointed Rajput nobles as senior military commanders and court officials. This turned potential enemies into loyal allies, giving the Muslim Mughal emperor a strong Hindu power base.
What happened to Humayun and why does it matter?
Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun at Kannauj (1540), forcing about 15 years of exile, mostly at the Safavid Persian court. Humayun took back Delhi in 1555 but died in 1556. His Persian exile brought important artistic and cultural influences into the Mughal court.

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Founding the Dynasty: Babur and Humayun, 1526-1556

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