What Is The History Of The Mughal Dynasty?

The most powerful dynasty that the united subcontinent had ever beheld, the Mughals ruled the state for several centuries leaving behind an unforgettably instrumental legacy that became a paragon of power and royalty for the later leaders to gain inspiration from.

The first Mughal king was Babur or Zahiruddin Mohammed who was born in 1483 and was a descendant of two of the greatest warriors: Timur and Chingez Khan.  The rule of Babur started when he inherited the throne from his father in 1495 and continued till 1530, when he fell ill and his favorite son, Humayun succeeded him as the second Mughal King.

As unfortunate as he was, Humayun didn't possess the leadership qualities that his father had, a fact that later incarcerated him in a labyrinth of difficulties throughout his rule.  His rule continued till 1556 when his son Jalaluddin Mohammed Akbar took over at the tender age of 12.  

Although just a young boy, the cruelties of war had toughened Akbar up.  He was one of the greatest Mughal kings from administrative standards, nevertheless his unsuccessful attempts to fuse Hinduism and Islam in one religion was one of his biggest pratfalls.  Ruling from 1556 to 1605, Akbar finally died after handing over the throne to his son Jehangir.

Jehangir ruled from 1605 to 1627 and his wife Nur Jehan was his unofficial major advisor during the entire stretch of his rule.  Nevertheless the unsuccessful attempts of Nur Jehan to enable her son-in-law to beat Khurram (Jehangir's one of four sons and his favorite) finally led to her defeat and Prince Khurram (which he was originally referred to as) became Emperor Shah Jehan.
Where Shah Jehan's rule is marked by cultural significance and refinement.  The building of Taj Mahal was enough evidence of this fact.  The king built it in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who was his favorite.  She bore him four sons, the second one of whom was named Aurangzeb, who became the next Mughal emperor.

Aurangzeb's reign was one of the longest in Mughal history.  His period is often compared to that of Akbar, who had also one of the longest periods of rule.  During Aurangzeb's time, the first visible cracks within the Mughal empire were exposed, which were not from the Mughal princes but from within the domains of the empire.  This is the reason why some historians blame Aurangzeb for the ultimate fall of the Mughal Empire.