THE GLORY OF THE EMPIRE
After Babur's death, many of his descendants expanded the Mughal Empire.
Humayun
Humayun was the eldest and favorite son of Babur. He was a tolerent man who enjoyed astronomy. He inherited a weak and fragile Mughal state. When he died in 1533, the Mughal Empire was strong and consolidated.
Akbar
Akbar was probably one of the most adept Mughal rulers in India. Akbar, Humayun's son, reformed the tax system, increased the extent of the empire, and incorporated non-Muslims in the government. Akbar was very educated, and many stories about his generosity and kindness were told. You can see one here.
Akbar was a great art lover and he encouraged the arts to flourish. He reformed the tax system so the amount a farmer paid was based on the productivity. He divided the empire into provinces and set up a civil service system. Each job had a salary, or fixed payment, and the job was chosen only on merits, thus bringing non-Muslims into the government.
Akbar and His Court
Akbar also abolished the tax against non-Muslims because he not only had Hindus in his empire, but also Jews and Christians.
Jahangir
Jahangir, Akbar's eldest son, expanded the empire on all sides. He was born on September 9th in 1569. He disagreed with his father openly, until Akbar's final days. He took the throne on 1605. His rule was punctuated by infighting and rebellions. The Persians and the Mughals were well matched in military strength, but the Persians capitalized on the infighting and took the city of Kandahar in Afghanistan. He died on 28 October 1627.
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan, Jahangir's dishonored son, executed all other Mughal heirs and became Emperor. His ascension to the throne still remains a mystery. He lavished money on architectural projects in Delhi and led costly invasions of southern India.
The Taj Mahal
One of the most impressive pieces of Mughal architecture is the Taj Mahal. It was built as a tomb for Shah Jahan's dead wife, Mumtaz Mahal. But, Shah Jahan had started the decline of the Mughal Empire with his extravagant spending.