The Great Mughal Emperors

The Great Mughal Emperors

Zaheeruddin Muhammad Babur    
- Founder of the Mughal Empire.
Birth- Feb 23, 1483    
Reign Period- 1526–1530    
Death- Dec 26, 1530
   
Nasiruddin Muhammad Humayun    
- Reign interrupted by Suri Dynasty. Youth and inexperience at ascension led to his being regarded as a less effective ruler than usurper, Sher Shah Suri.
Birth- Mar 6, 1508    
Reign Period- 1530–1540    
Death- Jan 1556    

Sher Shah Suri    
- Deposed Humayun and led the Suri Dynasty.
Birth- 1472    
Reign Period- 1540–1545    
Death- May 1545    

Islam Shah Suri    
- 2nd and last ruler of the Suri Dynasty, claims of sons Sikandar and Adil Shah were eliminated by Humayun’s restoration.
Birth- c.1500    
Reign Period- 1545–1554    
Death- 1554    

Nasiruddin Muhammad Humayun    
- Restored rule was more unified and effective than initial reign of 1530–1540; left unified empire for his son, Akbar.
Birth- Mar 6, 1508    
Reign Period- 1555–1556    
Death- Jan 1556    

Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar    
- Akbar greatly expanded the Empire and is regarded as the most illustrious ruler of the Mughal Dynasty as he set up the empire’s various institutions; he married Mariam-uz-Zamani, a Rajput princess. One of his most famous construction marvels was the Lahore Fort.
Birth- Nov 14, 1542    
Reign Period- 1556–1605    
Death- Oct 27, 1605    

Nooruddin Muhammad Jahangir    
- Jahangir set the precedent for sons rebelling against their emperor fathers. Opened first relations with the British East India Company. Reportedly was an alcoholic, and his wife Empress Noor Jahan became the real power behind the throne and competently ruled in his place.
Birth- Oct 1569    
Reign Period- 1605–1627    
Death- 1627    

Shahaabuddin Muhammad Shah Jahan    
- Under him, Mughal art and architecture reached their zenith; constructed the Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Jahangir mausoleum, and Shalimar Gardens in Lahore. Deposed and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb.
Birth- Jan 5, 1592    
Reign Period- 1627–1658    
Death- 1666    

Mohiuddin Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir    
- He reinterpreted Islamic law and presented the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri; he captured the diamond mines of the Sultanate of Golconda; he spent more than 20 years of his life defeating major rebel factions in India; his conquests expanded the empire to its greatest extent; the over-stretched empire was controlled by Nawabs, and faced challenges after his death. He made two copies of the Qur’an using his own calligraphy.
Birth- Oct 21, 1618    
Reign Period- 1658–1707
Death- Mar 3, 1707    

Bahadur Shah I    
- First of the Mughal emperors to preside over a steady and severe decline in the territories under the empire’s control and military power due to the rising strength of the autonomous Nawabs. After his reign, the emperor became a progressively insignificant figurehead.
Birth- Oct 14, 1643    
Reign Period- 1707–1712    
Death- Feb 1712    

Jahandar Shah    
- He was highly influenced by his Grand Vizier Zulfikar Khan.
Birth- 1664    
Reign Period- 1712–1713    
Death- Feb 1713    

Furrukhsiyar    
- In 1717 he granted a firman to the English East India Company granting them duty free trading rights for Bengal and confirmed their position in India.
Birth- 1683    
Reign Period- 1713–1719    
Death- 1719    

Rafi Ul-Darjat    
Birth- Unknown    
Reign Period- 1719    
Death-1719      

Rafi Ud-Daulat
- a.k.a Shah Jahan II    
Birth- Unknown    
Reign Period- 1719    
Death- 1719      

Nikusiyar    
Birth- Unknown
Reign Period- 1719    
Death- 1743      

Muhammad Ibrahim    
Birth- Unknown    
Reign Period- 1720    
Death- 1744      

Muhammad Shah    
- Suffered the invasion of Nadir-Shah of Persia in 1739.
Birth- 1702    
Reign Period- 1719–1720, 1720–1748    
Death- 1748    

Ahmad Shah Bahadur    
- Mughal forces massacred by the Maratha during the Battle of Sikandarabad.
Birth- 1725    
Reign Period- 1748–54    
Death- 1754    

Alamgir II    
Birth- 1699    
Reign Period- 1754–1759    
Death- 1759      

Shah Jahan III    
- Consolidation of the Nizam of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, during the Battle of Buxar. Hyder Ali becomes Nawab of Mysore in 1761
Birth- Unknown    
Reign Period- In 1759    
Death- 1770s    

Shah Alam II    
- Ahmed-Shah-Abdali in 1761 defeated the Marathas during the Third Battle of Panipat; The fall of Tipu Sultan of Mysore in 1799
Birth- 1728    
Reign Period- 1759–1806    
Death- 1806    

Akbar Shah II    
- Titular figurehead under British protection
Birth- 1760    
Reign Period- 1806–1837    
Death- 1837    

Bahadur Shah Zafar    
- The last Mughal emperor was deposed by the British and exiled to Burma following the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
Birth- 1775    
Reign Period- 1837–1857    
Death- 1862