1. India’s Muslim empires
Islam enters India

2. After the Gupta empire fell in 550, rival princes battled for control.
Despite the struggles, Indian culture flourished.
Trade networks linked India to the Middle East, Southeast Asia and China.

3. The Delhi Sultanate
Late 1100’s- Ghur’s sultan- or Muslim ruler, defeats the Hindu army.
Made Delhi his capital
His successors organized a sultanate, or land ruled by a sultan
The Delhi sultanate, , marked the beginning of Muslim rule in Northern India

4. How did the Muslim’s win
Muslim mounted archers had greater mobility than the Hindu forces on war-elephants.
Hindu princes wasted resources by fighting each other instead of fighting against a common enemy.

5. How did the Muslim’s win, cont.
A large number of lower caste Hindu’s convert to Islam and fight against Indian Hindu’s.
It was their only hope for a better life.
Islam

6. Muslim Rule Changes Indian Government and Society
Sultans introduce Muslim traditions of government.
Many Muslim’s moving to Delhi from Baghdad, Persia…
Persian art and architecture with flourish

7. The Sultans Lose Power
1398- Tamerlane invades India. (descendent to Genghis Khan)
Thousands of artisans enslaved. They are to build Tamerlane’s capital at Samarkand.
Northern India is again fragmented into Hindu and Muslim states.

8. Buddhism declines
When the Muslims took over Northern India they destroyed Buddhist monasteries
This lead to the decline of Buddhism in India
With many Buddhists gone, now the Muslims and Hindus will clash.

9. Muslim-Hindu differences
Ancient religion
Many sacred texts
Prayed before statues representing many gods
Polytheistic
Islam
Newer faith
One single sacred text
Muslims see statues as false gods
Monotheistic
Interesting

10. Blending of cultures
Muslim leaders grow more tolerant of their Hindu subjects.
Hindus were allowed to practice their religion as long as they paid a poll tax.
Some Rajahs- local Hindu rulers, were left in place.
Indian Muslims would absorb elements of the Hindu culture, such as marriage customs and caste ideas.
Urdu- new language (blended Persian, Hindi and Arabic)

11. Sikhism- new religion in N. India
Blending of Islamic and Hindu beliefs
Nanak, preached the “unity of God, the brotherhood of man, the rejection of caste, and the futility of idol worship.”
Sikhs would later become a military force.

12. Mughal India
In 526 Babur- who claimed to be a descendent of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane.
Leader of Turkish and Mongol armies that poured into India.

13. Babur founds the Mughal Dynasty
In little time, Babur gets rid of the Delhi sultanate and sets up the Mughal dynasty.
Ruled from
Mughal is Persian for Mongul

14. Akbar the Great
Chief builder of the Mughal empire is Babur’s grandson, Akbar.
Akbar created a strong central government.

15. Akbar
He was a Muslim that won support from the Hindus because of his policy of toleration.
Opened government jobs to Hindus of all castes.
Hindu princes were partners in ruling the empire.
Akbar would marry a Hindu princess.

16. More on Akbar Could not read or write.
Consulted leaders of many religions.
Wanted religious harmony and toleration
Wants all to accept India’s diversity
Modernized the army
Introduced land reforms

17. Akbar’s successors
Jahangir- Akbar’s son, would be a weaker leader than his father.
Let his wife, Nur Jahan, run the government.
She was an able leader and the most powerful woman in Indian history until the 20th century.

18. Shah Jahan- Akbar’s grandson
Highpoint of Indian literature and art comes under Jahan
Married to Mumtaz Mahal
She died at age 39 after having 14 children.
Builds a tomb for her, Taj Mahal

20. Taj Mahal Designed by a Persian architect
Domes and minarets reflected in clear blue reflecting pools.
Verses from the Quran adorn the inside walls.
The greatest monument of the Mughal empire.

21. More on the Taj Mahal
Shah Jahan planned to build a twin structure as a tomb for himself.
But before he could, his son seized the throne.
Shah Jahan was kept imprisoned until his death.