As we have discussed before, India has been through many empires and kingdoms throughout its history. Some were powerful for large parts of their time, while others were not as strong, which is why they are not mentioned in our history books.

A few nations endured longer than most, though. The Mughals were one such nation that lasted over two hundred years!

The name “Mughal” comes from the Persian word mughul, which means great ruler or emperor. This makes sense because the rulers of this empire were some of the greatest leaders in Indian History.

These include people like Akbar the Great, the first Emperor of the dynasty, and his son Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world.

Akbar was known to be very liberal with Hindus and allowed them to thrive under his rule. He even established an official religion in the country called Islam.

Many scholars believe that he converted to Islam later in life to secure his position. Many Muslims today are still dedicated to him and his legacy.

Another famous member of the family was Aurangzeb, also known as the much hated “Blue-Eyed Devil.” He took power at a young age and engaged in many acts of cruelty towards both Hindus and Muslims.

He banned certain religions and killed millions of Indians due to his religious policies.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is one of the greatest examples of love in architecture. It was built by Emperor Shah Jahan, who lived from 1592 to 1666. When he commissioned it, his wife had just died and he needed something to focus his energy on.

He wanted to create a beautiful tomb for himself next to her burial site so that she would always be there with him. He also wanted to use white marble as the main building material because it symbolized purity and peace.

The interior features grayish-white marbles mixed with black which creates an ombre (gradual shading) effect. These include the walls, ceilings, pillars, and flooring.

There are also many decorative touches such as flowers and geometric patterns. The overall feel of the place is serene and calm. Many people describe it as peaceful or even mystical.

It’s very popular now due to its incredible beauty but at the time it was first constructed it was quite revolutionary.

Red Fort

The beautiful, richly decorated buildings of India are often referred to as Mughal architecture. They are inspired by Islamic styles but infused with Indian culture and aesthetics. One such building is known as the Red Fort or Lal Qila in Hindi.

The fort was built for Muslim rulers who conquered northern India. The last ruler here made this his home until he was defeated and the city taken over by Hindu forces.

He ordered that the palace be converted into a mosque and it still stands today. It is now a place of prayer for Muslims around the world.

But the interior you see today was designed and painted many years later by another artist. This new architect mixed Persian, Turkish, and Arabian influences along with native styles.

This new style was called Moghul (Mongolian) and became popular throughout Northern Asia and parts of Europe. Because the Moghuls were masters at painting, they hired artists from all across the region to help design the palaces.

These outsiders blended their artistic styles together to make the palatial look that we know today as Moghul.

The Palace of Versailles

In Europe, there are two main styles that most countries use to design their palaces. One is called Renaissance or Classical architecture. This style comes from Ancient Greece and Rome, where large buildings had dedicated spaces for important people in society to meet and discuss politics, religion, and philosophy.

The other major architectural style is Gothic. It was inspired by Christian churches, which feature heavily adorned ceilings and stained glass windows.

Neither one of these has been completely replaced as our default palace style, but you can find many European nations who have adopted either one at least once in their history.

The Moghul Emperors

After the Great Moguls, we can look at another dynasty that built some of the most beautiful structures in India. These are called the Moghul or Mughal emperors. They ruled over what is now northern India and Pakistan for almost 250 years – from 1516 to 1858.

The word ‘Mogul’ comes from the Persian words moja (meaning great) and gula (lamp). Thus, it means someone who is very intelligent and well-educated. This isn’t too surprising as these people tended to be!

In fact, one of the reasons why the Moghuls were so successful was because they practiced an education system known as Shajrai. This literally means ‘the eight branches’ but refers to all areas of knowledge. It includes things like literature, math, science, music, art, history, and philosophy. All of these areas play important roles in developing strong individuals.

What is a Mughal?

The word mughal comes from an Arabic word meaning “conqueror” or “seizer of power”. It was first used in India to refer to the Turkish people, but it soon got extended to mean anyone who controlled large areas of land under their rule.

The term became popular during the reigns of two powerful monarchs in northern India – the Afghan dynasty (1526-1747) and the Turkic Persian dynasty (1671-1803). These are sometimes called the Northern Imperial Dynasty because they ruled over most of what we now call Pakistan, Afghanistan, parts of Iran, Bangladesh, Kashmir, and others.

However, the use of the term ‘Mughal’ for these rulers has been controversial. Some argue that while they were imperialists, they did not belong to any true race as they didn’t have pure indigenous ancestry. Others say that using this name makes them seem more important than they actually were.

Why did the Mughal Empire fall?

The biggest downfall of the Mughals was their habit of invading, taking over, and plundering weaker states in India and beyond. This happened several times throughout the empire’s history.

The Mughals invaded and took control of large areas of South Asia at least twice – once during the rule of Akbar (the Great) and again under his grandson Aurangzeb.

Akbar is considered to be one of the greatest monarchs in Indian history, but he still left behind a legacy that included many architectural styles and influences.

These include the Persianate style which you can see in buildings such as Fatehpur Sikri and Kanauj; the Indo-Persian style with its mix of Hindu and Islamic styling; and the Mughal hybrid style we know today as being mostly Turkish or Central Asian.

This article will focus on two important features of the Mughal architecture that made it so spectacular: the use of color and pattern.

Who are the current Mughal emperors?

The term “Mughal” refers to an imperial dynasty that ruled over most of India for almost 300 years – from 1526, when Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah founded his empire in Delhi, until 1858, when Bahadur Shah II was overthrown by British forces.

Under their rule, the Mughals built some of the greatest works ever conceived in the history of architecture. These include the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world; Fatehpur Sikri, now known as Agra; and Red Fort, or Lal Qila, in New Delhi.

But while they may have left behind impressive buildings, it is difficult to say whether these achievements were due to the architects who worked with them, or to someone else entirely. This is because very few members of the Mughal court had any formal training in art.

Instead, those at the top learned how to manage the empire through experience and intuition alone. Some experts believe this lack of education actually helped preserve Indian traditions, since artists and craftsmen outside the palace walls were not influenced too much by Western styles.

See the best Mughal architecture

The Mughals were not just known for their lush gardens, exquisite palaces, and impressive monuments; they also designed some of the most beautiful buildings you will ever see. Some of these are categorized as Islamic art, but many do not use religion to justify their design.

Many people consider the Taj Mahal to be one of the greatest expressions of love in the history of humanity. While it is true that the Taj was built with great care and respect for its maker’s soul, it is also an expression of the glory of the Moghul empire.

The Mughals ruled over a large portion of modern day Pakistan and India for almost two centuries. During this time, they amassed a vast amount of wealth which allowed them to commission incredible works of art and architecture.

They incorporated styles from all across Asia and Europe into what we now refer to as “Mughal.” This includes classic Persian patterns and motifs, Turkish influence, Gothic arches, and more. All of these elements combined create something unique that has inspired artists since then.

There are several types of architectural designs used by the Mughals. One such style is called Indo-Saracenic. This term comes from the word Indian and Sarai (meaning palace or fortress). So, it refers to architectures influenced both by Hindu and Muslim cultures.