The Mughal Empire (1526–1857) — Interactive Timeline
Meet the great Mughal emperors in order and see how the empire rose, peaked and declined.
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TL;DR: Meet the great Mughal emperors in order and see how the empire rose, peaked and declined.
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The Mughal Empire (1526–1857) (Class 7–10): Meet the great Mughal emperors in order and see how the empire rose, peaked and declined. This interactive timeline covers 7 key events from 1526 – 1857.
Why it matters: The sequence of Mughal rulers and their key contributions are core to medieval Indian history questions.
The Mughal Empire (1526–1857) — Timeline of Key Events
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1526 | Babur founds the empire. Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat using cannons and tactics, founding the Mughal Empire in India. |
| 1530 | Humayun. Babur’s son Humayun lost the empire to Sher Shah Suri, spent years in exile, and recovered it shortly before his death in 1556. |
| 1556 | Akbar the Great. Akbar expanded the empire greatly, introduced the Mansabdari system and the policy of religious tolerance (Sulh-i-Kul), and abolished the jizya tax. |
| 1605 | Jahangir. Known for justice and patronage of art and painting. The English East India Company gained early trading rights during his reign. |
| 1628 | Shah Jahan. The golden age of Mughal architecture — he built the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. |
| 1658 | Aurangzeb. Expanded the empire to its largest size but his long wars and policies strained it. The decline began after his death in 1707. |
| 1857 | End of the empire. After the Revolt of 1857, the British exiled the last emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, formally ending Mughal rule. |
Quick Recap — Dates to Remember
- 1526: Babur founds the empire
- 1530: Humayun
- 1556: Akbar the Great
- 1605: Jahangir
- 1628: Shah Jahan
- 1658: Aurangzeb
- 1857: End of the empire
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