Mughals

Question 1: The Mughals choose Persian as their official language, but why? 

Answer:

Due to the fact that Babur, the first Mughal emperor, was an Afghani, Persian was the official language of the Mughal Empire. Persian originated in Iran and migrated to Afghanistan. The Persian language was also brought to India by the Mughal empire.

Question 2: Why did the Mughals maintain good relations with the Rajputs? 

Answer:

Initially, the Mughals were tolerant of the Rajputs. Prior to Akbar, Humayun had entered into matrimonial relations in order to “soothe the minds of the zamindars” (Abul Fazl). Humayun advised Akbar to maintain good relations in order to obtain service and obedience from the Rajputs, as they could not be raised with transgression. Following his coronation, Akbar began matrimonial relations with the Rajputs. Matrimonial relationships represented both a bond and submission.

Question 3: What is the relationship of the Mughals to other rulers? 

Answer:

Many Indian rulers began to recognize Mughal supremacy, and the Mughals campaigned and fought against rulers who refused to submit to them. To advance in the Mughal Empire, Rajputs married their daughters into Mughal families. For a long time, the Sisodiya Rajputs refused to accept Mughal supremacy, but when they were defeated, they were honorably given their land back and made vassals of the Mughal Empire. This balance, in which the Mughals defeated but did not humiliate the enemy, assisted them in extending their rule over much of India.

The Mughal empire remained a dynamic, centralized, and complex organization for nearly one hundred and seventy years (1556-1719). The emperor commanded cadres of loyal officials and soldiers who carried out his orders in each province. As official needs dictated, men, money, information, and resources were moved throughout the empire on a regular and routine basis. Mughal success was the result of hard-working, active rulership exercised by exceptionally capable rulers who served as their own chief executives.

The Mughal empire was one of the most powerful centralized states in pre-modern history. By the late 1600s, the Mughal emperor wielded supreme political power over a population of 100 to 150 million people and lands encompassing the majority of the Indian subcontinent.

The “Great Mughal’s” wealth and grandeur were legendary. His coffers held the plunder of dozens of conquered dynasties’ treasures, and his regalia and throne displayed some of the most spectacular precious stones ever mounted. The opulence and sophistication of the Mughal empire impressed almost all observers. The imperial court’s ceremonies, etiquette, music, poetry, and exquisitely executed paintings and objects merged to form a distinct aristocratic high culture. Mughal courtly culture retained its allure and power long after the empire had shrunk to a mere shell. Today, the Mughal style, as represented in miniature paintings or well-known structures such as the Taj Mahal, has an immediate and powerful appeal.