Aurangzeb

Abul Muzaffar Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb (14 October

1618 – 20 February 1707), commonly known as Aurangzeb
Alamgir and by his imperial title Alamgir ("world-seizer" or
"universe-seizer"), was the sixth Mughal Emperor and ruled over
most of the Indian subcontinent. His reign lasted for 49 years
from 1658 until his death in 1707.
Aurangzeb was a notable expansionist and during his reign, the
Mughal Empire reached its greatest extent. During his lifetime,
victories in the south expanded the Mughal Empire to more than
3.2 million square kilometres and he ruled over a population
estimated as being in the range of 100–150 million subjects, with
an annual yearly tribute of £38,624,680 in 1690 (the highest in
the world at that time).
Aurangzeb's policies partly abandoned the legacy of pluralism,
which remains a very controversial aspect of his reign. Rebellions
and wars led to the exhaustion of the imperial Mughal treasury
and army. He was a strong and effective ruler, but following his
death the expansionary period of the Mughal Empire came to an
end, and centralized control of the empire declined rapidly.

Throughout his reign, Aurangzeb engaged in almost constant

warfare. He built up a massive army and began a program of
military expansion along all the boundaries of his empire. He
pushed north-west into the Punjab and also drove south,
conquering two further Muslim kingdoms - the Adil Shahis of
Bijapur and Qutbshahis of Golconda — to add to the defeat of
the Ahmednagar Sultanate that had been accomplished in 1636
while he had been viceroy of the Deccan. These new territories
were administered by the Mughal Nawabs loyal to Aurangzeb.
Soon after seizing the throne, Aurangzeb began advancements
against the unruly Sultan of Bijapur and during 1657; the Mughals
are known to have utilized rockets during the Siege of Bidar,
against Sidi Marjan. Aurangzeb's forces discharged rockets and
grenades while scaling the walls and Sidi Marjan himself was
mortally wounded after a rocket struck his large gunpowder
depot. After twenty-seven days of hard fighting, Bidar was
captured by the Mughals.
Shah Jahan

Shahabuddin Muhammad Shah Jahan (5 January 1592 – 22 January

1666) was the fifth Mughal Emperor of India from 1628 to 1658.
Born Prince Khurram, he was the son of Emperor Jahangir and his
Hindu Rajputwife, Taj Bibi Bilqis Makani (13 May 1573 – 18 April 1619).
He was chosen as successor to the throne after the death of his father in
1627. He was considered one of the greatest Mughals. Like Akbar, he
was eager to expand his vast empire. In 1658, he fell ill and was
confined by his son and successor Aurangzeb in Agra Fort until his death
in 1666.
Shah Jahan was a more Orthodox Muslim than his father and
grandfather. His policies towards non-Muslims were less liberal than
Jahangir and Akbar.
The period of his reign was considered the golden age of Mughal
architecture. Shah Jahan erected many monuments, the most famous of
which is the Taj Mahal at Agra, built in 1632–1654 as a tomb for his
beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Jahangir
Nur-ud-din Mohammad Salim, known by his imperial
name Jahangir (30 August 1569 – 7 November 1627), was the
fourth Mughal Emperor who ruled from 1605 until his death in
1627. He is considered to be one of the greatest Indian Emperors
and the fourth of the Grand Mughals in Indian historiography.
Much romance has gathered around his name, and the tale of his
illicit relationship with the Mughal courtesan, Anarkali, has been
widely adapted into the literature, art and cinema of India.
Jahangir was the eldest surviving son of Mughal
Emperor Akbar and was declared successor to his father from an
early age. Impatient for power, however, he revolted in 1599
while Akbar was engaged in the Deccan. Jahangir was defeated,
but ultimately succeeded his father as Emperor in 1605 because of
the immense support and efforts of the ladies in Akbar's harem
like Ruqaiya Sultan Begum, Salima Sultan Begum and his
grandmother Maryam Makani. The ladies wielded considerable
influence over Akbar and favoured Jahangir as his
successor.[2] The first year of Jahangir's reign saw a rebellion
organized by his eldest son Khusrau Mirza. The rebellion was soon
put down; Khusrau was brought before his father in chains. After
subduing and executing nearly 2000 members of the rebellion,
Jahangir blinded his renegade son.