In the years following Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, the lustre of the Mughal empire began to dull. Territories shrunk as three emperors came and went, dispatched speedily by enemies and influential noblemen. But even in these uncertain times, one managed stay on and reign for 29 years. Roshan Akhtar Muhammad Shah, popularly known as Rangeela,… Read more »
Gingee was a formidable fort in southern Arcot in the erstwhile Carnatic region. It was captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1677 and remained in the hands of the Marathas until 1698. In this year, Shivaji’s son Rajaram Bhosle I ensconced himself in the fort in response to Aurangzeb’s advancing armies in the kingdom. Mughal… Read more »
Elichpur has an interesting place in history. The city today known as Achalpur in Maharasthra was for long a bone of contention between a revolving group of players including the Delhi Sultans, the Mughals, the Marathas and other kingdoms. Elichpur makes an appearance in medieval texts for the first time in 1269 CE, when Alauddin… Read more »
This photograph of the Nautch Bungalow at the Shalimar garden in Kashmir was taken by Samuel Bourne in the late 19th century. The Nautch Bungalow stands in Shalimar Bagh, Kashmir built by Jahangir for his beloved wife Noor Jahan in 1616. The garden is one of the few surviving Mughal gardens, based on the Persian… Read more »
Author and historian Dr Anirudh Deshpande talks to us about a defining period from 1707 to 1858 that saw seismic shifts in the power balance of the Subcontinent
A new three-part docudrama series from BBC Uzbekistan – “In the Footsteps Of The Baburid Begums”- traces the stories and achievements of the women who were part of Mughal Emperor Babur’s family. Filmed in Uzbekistan, India and Afghanistan, the series looks at Baburnama, the memoirs of the emperor, along with the Humanyun-nama, the chronicles of… Read more »
Nothing epitomizes the multicultural flavour of Delhi as this annual festival held with much pomp and show after the monsoons
From the bandhgala to the churidaar and from the dupatta to the lungi, we admire the definitive silhouettes of India and see how they’ve functioned as signposts of the eras that birthed them
This quarter silver rupee weighs 2.74 grams—a silver rupee during Akbar’s reign would weigh between 10 to 11 grams. In addition, this is an Ilahi type coin, which means it’s dated in the Ilahi era as opposed to the more Hijri era favoured by Islamic rulers. Din-i-ilahi was the faith founded by Akbar in AH… Read more »
Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan—and he didn’t want you to forget it. One of the ways in which he pledged his allegiance was by introducing the Shahrukhi denomination of coin to the Subcontinent. Shahrukhis were flat, round silver coins first issued by the Timurid ruler… Read more »
‘Futtypore Sikri’ is a highly Anglicised spelling of Agra’s Fatehpur Sikri. It was founded as the capital of Mughal Empire in 1571 by Akbar and served in this role from 1571 to 1585. Fatehpur is Persian for ‘city of victory’ and Sikri comes from the name of the village that occupied this spot before Akbar gave… Read more »
Banker by profession and numismatist by passion, Paul maps the expanse of the Mughal empire and the breadth of its ambition through its coinage
Designer and entrepreneur Pavitra Rajaram on the indelible footprint of the Mughal taste-makers on India’s art, culture, architecture and fashion
This silver coin seems to have been struck on an existing Nazarana coin. The word Nazarana is derived from the Persian ‘nazr’ and means a presentation or tribute. On special occasions, Nazaranas or Nazars were presented to the king. People would order and buy these coins from the mint when they wanted to make a… Read more »
Nisar coins are named for their main purpose, ie scattering into the crowd by royalty. They were deployed for occasions that demanded ceremonial generosity, like at investitures, weddings or grand entrances. These coins were particularly lightweight. In addition to the regular gold, silver and copper coins, Shah Jahan released unique silver Nisar coins to present… Read more »
This coin is a Silver Rupee of the Ajmer mint issued by Mughal king Jahangir (r. 1605-1627). Jahangir issued many gold and silver coins with poetic verses on them and was the only Mughal emperor to bestow the right of coinage to his royal consort. Read more about him in our Mughal Coins guide.
This is a gold mohur issued by Shah Alam II (1759-1806) was minted in Dar Ul Khilafat or the capital, Shahjahanabad. To read more on Mughal coins, click here.
Jahangir issued many gold and silver coins with poetic verses on them and was the only Mughal emperor to bestow the right of coinage to his royal consort. To read more on Mughal coins, click here.
Jahandar Shah was the son of Bahadur Shah I and ruled for a very brief period. After their father’s death on February 27, 1712, he and his brother Azim-ush-Shan both proclaimed themselves emperors and waged a succession fight. Jahandar Shah issued coins and reintroduced couplets inscribed in gold, silver and copper. He issued coins with… Read more »
Alamgir II was a Mughal Emperor who ruled from the capital of Delhi during the latter part of the 18th century. Being raised to the throne at the age of fifty-five, he was a relatively weak and incapable ruler, and was more likely a ‘puppet king’ controlled by other powerful authoritarians. He was, however, a… Read more »