 Muhammad the prophet: 570 CE- 632 CE  Five Pillars of Islam

 Three great ‘gunpowder’ empires, Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal  Vast agrarian and commercial wealth, cultural life

 Who were the Mughals?  Early 16 th Century Three Important Rulers

 1. Babur  1523, Zahir al-din Muhammad, Babur (“the tiger”) Chagatai Turk  Took Delhi in 1526, gunpowder weapons  By death in 1530, built loose empire from Kabul thruough Punjab to Bengal  Dynasty called Mughal (Persian term for Mongol), expanded almost all of India

 What does your text say?  Recall Indian subcontinent?  What Cultures?

 Hindus, Jains, Zoroastrians, Christians, Sikhism

 Ruler Jahangar let his wife Nur Jahan run the government  Sha Jahan’s devotion to his wife Mamtaz Mahal became world famous: Taj Mahal

 Population of India surged, from 105 mill/1500 to 135 mill/1600, 165 mill/1700, 190 mill/1800

 Grandson Akbar ( ), created a large empire, brilliant charismatic ruler

 Akbar destroyed Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar in So. India  Encouraged syncretic toleration, “divine Faith”, emperor as common ruler  Built beautiful city: Fatchpur Sikri, capital

 Trade with Russia: Astrakhan at mouth of Volga River  Red and greed cloth  Mirrors, walrus tusks, coral, mirrors, velvet, Borzoi dogs

Greatest imperial extent under him Relentless campaign to push auth. into So. India By early 18th C, ruled entire subcontinent expect for southern tip India Troubled empire: rebellions, religious tension b/w Hindus & Muslims No toleration, poll-tax on all non-Muslims, destruction of Hindu temples

 Culture in the Mughal Empire  TP: Identify three principal common cultural characteristics