rise of the empire
The Mughals were Muslims who descended from Turks, Afghans, and Mongols in central Asia. This empire also gained control of their land with a powerful military. Despite their military being considerably smaller than the Ottomans and the Safavids, it was still extremely effective. In 1494, Babur became king, and he led the army to begin taking control of India. His grandson, Akbar, followed Babur's rule in 1556 and continued expanding to conquer all all of India.
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Government and culture
Akbar blended many cultures and allowed religious tolerance. He ended the non-Muslim tax that had been put in place and created a fair tax system. He also had many wives of different cultural and religious backgrounds. Akbar also created a new religion called the Divine Faith. The Divine Faith was an example of syncretism, blending Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Zoroatrianism together into one religion. He hoped this would end conflict between Muslims and Hindus, but it was ineffective and died out when he passed away. Miniatures, a kind of colorful painting, were a huge part of art in the Mughal Empire. Architecture blended Hindu and Islamic designs; the best example of this was the Taj Mahal.
Decline of the empire
In the 1700s, the empire weakened as kings spent too much money on palaces and wars. Also, Hindus began revolting against their Muslim rulers. During this vulnerable time, Great Britain took advantage of the opportunity presented and conquered India in 1858.