| Emperor | Reign Period | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Babur | 1526 – 1530 | Founder of the Mughal Empire in India, Babur was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan. He laid the foundation for Mughal rule with his victory in the Battle of Panipat in 1526. |
| Humayun | 1530 – 1540, 1555-56 | Son of Babur, Humayun faced numerous challenges, including defeat by Sher Shah Suri. He regained the throne with the help of Persian Safavid rulers but ruled for a short period before his death. |
| Akbar | 1556 – 1605 | Regarded as one of the greatest emperors in Indian history, Akbar expanded the empire, implemented administrative reforms, and promoted religious tolerance through his policy of Sulh-i-Kul. |
| Jahangir | 1605 – 1627 | Known for his love for art and literature, Jahangir’s reign was marked by stability and cultural achievements. He continued his father Akbar’s policies of religious tolerance. |
| Shah Jahan | 1628 – 1658 | Renowned for his architectural marvels, Shah Jahan commissioned iconic structures such as the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and Jama Masjid. His reign is often referred to as the “Golden Age” of Mughal architecture. |
| Aurangzeb | 1658 – 1707 | Despite his military conquests, Aurangzeb’s reign was marked by religious intolerance, which led to increased tensions and eventual decline of the empire. |
| Bahadur Shah I (also known as Muazzam/Shah Alam I) | 1707-1712 | After his reign, the empire went into steady decline due to the lack of leadership qualities among his immediate successors. He released Shahuji, Son of Shambuji, who was the elder son of Shivaji. |
| Jahandar Shah | 1712-1713 | Was an unpopular incompetent titular figurehead. |
| Furrukhsiyar | 1713-1719 | His reign marked the ascendancy of the manipulative Syed Brothers, execution of the rebel Banda. In 1717 he granted a Firman to the English East India Company granting them duty-free trading rights for Bengal. The Firman was repudiated by the notable Murshid Quli Khan. |
| Rafi Ul-Darjat | 1719 | The 10th Mughal Emperor. He succeeded Furrukhsiyar, being proclaimed Badshah by the Syed Brothers. |
| Rafi Ud-Daulat | 1719 | Was Mughal emperor for a brief period in 1719. |
| Muhammad Ibrahim (Claimant to the throne) | 1720 | Brother of Rafi Ul-DarjatAttempted to seize the throne at the behest of the Syed Brothers in order to depose emperor Muhammad Shah |
| Muhammad Shah (also called Rangeela) | 1719-17201720-1748 | Got rid of the Syed Brothers. Countered the emergence of the renegade Marathas and lost large tracts of the Deccan and Malwa in the process. Suffered the invasion of Nadir-Shah of Persia in 1739. |
| Ahmad Shah Bahadur | 1748-1754 | Son of Muhammad Shah. His Minister Safdarjung was responsible for the Mughal Civil War. He was defeated at Sikandarabad by the Maratha Confederacy. |
| Alamgir II | 1754-1759 | He was murdered by a conspiracy of Imad-Ul-Mulk and his Maratha associate Sadashivrao Bhau |
| Shah Jahan III | 1759-1760 | He was overthrown after the Third Battle of Panipat by Prince Mirza Jawan Bakht. |
| Shah Alam II | 1760-1806 | He is known to have fought against the British East India Company during the Battle of Buxar and reformed the Mughal Army under the command of Mirza Najaf Khan, He is thus known as one of the last effective Mughal Emperors. |
| Akbar Shah II | 1806-1837 | He designated Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur as the new Nawab of Sindh. Although he was under British protection his imperial name was removed from the official coinage after a brief dispute with the British East India Company. |
| Bahadur Shah | 1837-1857 | He was the last Mughal Emperor. He was deposed by the British and exiled to Burma following the Indian Rebellion of 1857. |
After Aurangzeb’s reign, the Mughal Empire started to decline gradually. Following his death, internal conflicts, external invasions, and the rise of regional powers led to the weakening of central authority. Successive rulers faced challenges in maintaining control over the vast empire, leading to its eventual collapse.
The decline of the Mughal Empire paved the way for the rise of various regional powers and ultimately contributed to the establishment of British colonial rule in India. Despite its downfall, the Mughal era left an indelible mark on Indian history, influencing art, architecture, literature, and governance for centuries to come.
Leave a Reply