India

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Indias Muslim empires

• Islam enters India

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• 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.

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The Delhi Sultanate

• Late 1100s- Ghurs 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, 1206-1526, marked the
  beginning of Muslim rule in Northern India

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How did the Muslims 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.
  

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How did the Muslims win, cont.

• A large number of lower caste Hindus convert to
  Islam and fight against Indian Hindus.
• It was their only hope for a better life.

Islam
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Muslim Rule Changes Indian Government and Society

• Sultans introduce Muslim traditions of
  government.
• Many Muslims moving to Delhi from Baghdad,
  Persia
• Persian art and architecture with flourish

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The Sultans Lose Power

• 1398- Tamerlane invades India. (descendent to
  Genghis Khan)
• Thousands of artisans enslaved. They are to build
  Tamerlanes capital at Samarkand.
• Northern India is again fragmented into Hindu and
  Muslim states.

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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.

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Muslim-Hindu differences

• Hindu
• 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
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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)

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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.

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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.

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Babur founds the Mughal Dynasty

• In little time, Babur gets rid of the Delhi
  sultanate and sets up the Mughal dynasty.
• Ruled from 1526-1857.
• Mughal is Persian for Mongul

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Akbar the Great

• Chief builder of the Mughal empire is Baburs
  grandson, Akbar.
• Akbar created a strong central government.

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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.

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More on Akbar

• Could not read or write.
• Consulted leaders of many religions.
• Wanted religious harmony and toleration
• Wants all to accept Indias diversity
• Modernized the army
• Introduced land reforms

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Akbars successors

• Jahangir- Akbars 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.

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Shah Jahan- Akbars 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

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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.

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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.