History glossary
Mughal
the dynasty that established an empire in South Asia from 1526.
- Category
- Mughal government and society
- Region
- South Asia
- Date range
- Sixteenth century
What it means
The Mughal dynasty descended from Timur through Babur. Its rulers built a South Asian empire using Central Asian, Persianate and Indian political and cultural resources.
Stories using this term
The Mughal Empire
From Babur's victory at Panipat to the sack of Delhi, the Mughals built a wealthy Indian empire whose power rested on conquest, administration, elite integration and court culture before central authority fractured.
The British Empire
Britain built the largest empire in history through sea power, trade, slavery, industrial wealth, conquest, and rule, before decolonisation reshaped the modern world.
Akbar the Great
A teenage emperor inherited a fragile dynasty. Conquest, alliances, revenue reform and religious enquiry transformed its reach—and exposed the costs of imperial power.
