The ruling dynasty which was founded by Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur (1483-1531) is popularly known as the Mughal Empire, however, in reality, they were not Mughal but Turks.

Babur personally did not like the Mughals or Mongols and in his Tuzuk-i-Baburi; he refers to them as uncivilised and uncultured people. However, Amir Timur, Babur’s great-great grandfather was married in Chingiz Khan’s family. And Babur himself was the descendent of Chingiz Khan through his mother’s side.

It was Abdul Quddus Gangohi (1456 –1537), a sufi, who mistakenly called this dynasty as the Mughals, in 1535. Later on, Shah Qasim (1560-1620) a Persian historian, the author of Tarikh-i-Firishta, and Khafi Khan (1663-1731) the author of Muntakhab-al-Lubab, called the dynasty as of the Mughals. The name was further propagated by the European travellers and traders.

The Mughals called themselves Timuriya in relation with their ancestor Amir Timur, or Chughtaiya, as they belonged to the area of Central Asia whose inhabitants were known as the Chughtai Turks.

It is said that the Mughal rulers were foreigners who invaded and occupied India. Thus, their rule was alien and not in accordance with the then prevailing Indian culture. Another point of view is that though they were foreigners, after settling in India they adopted Indian traditions and customs like the Aryans and the Kushans before them, and they assimilated into Indian society and became Indians.

The Mughal Empire

The first two rulers of the family did not get enough time to expand their empire. Babur’s son Nasiruddin Muhammad Humayun (1508-1556) was defeated by Sher Shah Suri the Afghan (1486-1545), and had to spend many years in exile. In 1555, Humayun again conquered India but died in an accident the same year.

Akbar the great (1556-1605) was a founder of the Mughal rule in the real sense as he organised the state system and introduced rules and regulations in every department, including the army, the revenue and bureaucracy. He also initiated court etiquettes, and patronised literary and cultural activities. It was due to such a solid foundation of the empire that rebellions and insurrections could not weaken it.

The empire not only united India politically but also culturally. The policy of religious tolerance provided equal opportunity to all religions, and people of different faiths to live peacefully. As a result of this policy, the Mughal emperors became symbols of Indian unity. They earned respect; even when they lost their political power they retained their dignity among the people till the last emperor in 1857.