The Mughal Empire (1526–1857) emerged from the military and political ambitions of Ẓahīr al-Dīn Muḥammad Babur (reign 1526–1530), a Timurid prince from Central Asia who ruled Kabul before invading northern India. His victory over Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat (1526) established a new dynasty, but stable imperial government developed gradually. Under Akbar (reign 1556–1605), territorial expansion was combined with a more systematic provincial administration, revenue collection, military organization, and alliances with powerful regional elites, particularly Rajput rulers. These institutions allowed the dynasty to govern a culturally, religiously, and politically diverse population while integrating older Indian administrative traditions into a Persianate imperial framework.
Mughal power reached its greatest geographical extent under Aurangzeb (reign 1658–1707), following the annexation of the Deccan sultanates of Bijapur (1686) and Golconda (1687) and prolonged warfare against Maratha forces and other regional opponents. By the beginning of the eighteenth century, the empire encompassed most of the Indian subcontinent and governed an estimated 100–150 million people. Its strength rested on extensive agrarian revenues, a large military establishment, productive cities, and participation in expanding Indian Ocean trade. However, expansion did not produce uniform control: imperial authority ranged from direct provincial administration to tributary relationships and contested frontier influence. The costs of continuous warfare, succession disputes, regional resistance, and the growing autonomy of provincial elites became increasingly significant after Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, contributing to political fragmentation of the Mughal state.
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APA Style
Netchev, S. (2026, August 03). Map of the Mughal Empire at Its Greatest Extent, c. 1707: Expansion, provinces, and contested frontiers. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16429/map-of-the-mughal-empire-at-its-greatest-extent-c/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Mughal Empire at Its Greatest Extent, c. 1707: Expansion, provinces, and contested frontiers." World History Encyclopedia, August 03, 2026. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16429/map-of-the-mughal-empire-at-its-greatest-extent-c/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Mughal Empire at Its Greatest Extent, c. 1707: Expansion, provinces, and contested frontiers." World History Encyclopedia, 03 Aug 2026, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16429/map-of-the-mughal-empire-at-its-greatest-extent-c/.
