1. Architectural progress during the Mughals is a landmark in world art.
2. Mughal buildings were noted for the massive structures decorated with bulbous domes, splendorous minarets, cupolas in the four comers, elaborate designs, and pietra dura (pictorial mosaic work).
3. The mosques built during the time of Babur and Humayun are not of much architectural significance.
4. During Akbar's reign, Humayun's tomb was enclosed with gardens and placed on a raised platform.
5. Built by Indian artisans and designed by Persian architects it set a pattern to be followed in the future.
6. The Agra fort built with red sandstone is a specimen where Rajput architectural styles were also incorporated.
7. The new capital city of Akbar Fatehpur Sikri enclosed within its walls several inspiring buildings.
8. The magnificent gateway to Fatehpur Sikri, the Buland Darwaza, built by Akbar with red sandstone and marble is considered to be a perfect architectural achievement.
9. The mausoleum of Akbar and completed by Jahangir includes some Buddhist architectural elements.
10. The tomb of Itimad-ud-daula, father of Nurjahan, built by Jahangir was the first Mughal building built completely with white marble.
11. "Mughal architecture reached its apex during the reign of Shah Jahan.
12. The Taj Mahal is a marble structure on an elevated platform, the bulbous dome in the centre rising on a recessed gateway with four cupolas around the dome and with four free-standing minarets at each of its comers is a monument of universal fame.
13. The Red Fort in Delhi, encompassed by magnificent buildings like Diwan-i Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Moti Mahal and Hira Mahal reflect the architectural skills of the times of Shah Jahan.
14. The Moti Masjid inside the Agra Fort made exclusively of marble, the Jama Masjid in Delhi, with its lofty gateway, series of domes and tall and slender minarets are the two significant mosques built by Shah Jahan.
15. He also established a new township, Shah jahanabad (present-day Old Delhi) where Red Fort and Jama Masjid are located.
16. Aurangzeb's reign witnessed the construction of Badshahi mosque in Lahore and the marble tomb of Rabia ud daurani, known as Bibi-ka-maqbara (Tomb of the Lady) at Aurangabad.
17. The Shalimar Gardens of Jahangir and Shah Jahan are showpieces of Indian horticulture.
18. Mughal architecture influenced even temple construction in different parts of the country.
19. The temple of Govind Dev at Vrindavan near Mathura and Bir Singh's temple of Chaturbhuj at Orchchaa (Madhya Pradesh) display Mughal influence.

Economy:
1. The Mughal economy was a forest-based agricultural economy.
2. The forests provided the raw materials for the craftsmen.
3. Timber went to carpenters, wood carvers and shipwrights, lacquerware makers; wild silk to reelers and weavers; charcoal to iron miners and metal smiths. .
4. Hence the relationship between manufacturing and the forest was very close.
Trade and commerce:
1. The political integration of the country with efficient maintenance of law and order ensured brisk trade and commerce.
2. The surplus was carried to different parts of the country through rivers, and through the roads on ox and camel drawn carts. Banjaras were specialised traders who carried goods in a large bulk over long distances.
3. Bengal was the chief exporting centre of rice, sugar, muslin, silk and food grains.
4. The Coromandel coast was reputed for its textile production. Kashmiri shawls and carpets were distributed from Lahore which was an important centre of handicraft production.
5. The movement of goods was facilitated by letters of credit called hundi.
6. The network of sarais enabled the traders and merchants to travel to various places.
7. The traders came from all religious communities: Hindus, Muslims and Jains. The Bohra Muslims of Gujarat, Marwaris of Rajasthan, Chettiars on Coromandel coast, and Muslims of Malabar were prominent trading communities.

1. The Deccan policy of Aurangzeb was motivated by the policy of containing the growing influence of the Marathas, the rebellious attitude of the Shia kingdoms of Deccan like Golkonda and Bijapur and to curtail the rebellious activities of his son Akbar who had taken refuge in the Deccan.
2. Aurangzeb came to the Deccan in 1682 and remained in the Deccan till his death in 1707. The Adil Shahi ruler Sikkandar Adil Shah of Bijapur resisted the different forces sent by Aurangzeb.
3. Aurangzeb first sent his son Azam Shah (1685) but to no avail. Then he sent another son, Shah Alam to capture Bijapur.
4. Though Bijapur Sultan, a Shia Muslim, ably defended the fort, he lost in the end, because Aurangzeb himself entered the battlefield and inspired his forces to fight to the finish.
5. Golkonda was captured in 1687 after defeating the ruler Abul Hasan.

1. Akbar began his life as an orthodox Muslim but adopted an accommodative approach under the influence of Sufism.
2. Akbar was interested to learn about the doctrines of all religions, and propagated a philosophy of Sulh-i-Kul (peace to all).
3. Badauni, a contemporary author, who did not like Akbar's inter-religious interests, accused him of forsaking Islam.
4. Akbar had established an Ibadat Khana, a hall of worship in which initially Muslim I clerics gathered to discuss spiritual issues.
5. Later he invited Christians, Zoroastrians, Hindus, Jains and even atheists to discussions.
6. In 1582, he discontinued the debates in the Ibadat Khana as it led to bitterness among different religions.
7. However, he did not give up his attempt to know the Truth. Akbar discussed personally with the leading lights of different religions like Purushotam and Devi (Hinduism), Meherji Rana (Zorastrianism), the Portugese Aquaviva and Monserrate (Christianity) and Hira Vijaya Suri (Jainism) to ascertain the Truth. Because of the discussions he felt that behind the multiplicity of names there was but one God.
8. The exact word used by Akbar and Badauni to illustrate the philosophy of Akbar is Tauhid-i-Ilahi namely Din Ilahi. Tauhid-i-Ilahi literally meant divine monotheism.
9. It can be considered a sufistic order but not a new religion. He had become a Pir (Sufi Guru) who enrolled Murids (Sufi disciples) who would follow a set pattern of rules ascribed by the Guru.
10. Thousands of disciples enrolled as his disciples. Akbar's intention was to establish a state based on the concept of secular principles, equal toleration, and respect to all sections irrespective of their religious beliefs.
11. He set up a big translation department for translating works in Sanskrit, Arabic, Greek, etc, into Persian.
12. he Ramayana, Mahabharata, the Atharva Veda, the Bible and the Quran were translated into Persian. The Din Ilahi ceased to exist after Akbar.

1. The Ain-i-Akbari lists the various crops cultivated during the Rabi and Kharif seasons.
2. Tobacco and maize were introduced in the seventeenth century.
3. Chilli and groundnut came later. Pineapple was introduced in the sixteenth century.
4. Grafted varieties of mango came to be developed by the Portuguese.
5. Potato, tomato and guava came later. Indigo was another important commercial crop during the Mughal period.
6. Sericulture underwent spectacular growth in Bengal to the extent that it became the chief supplier of silk to world trade.
7. The farmers were compelled to pay land tax they had to sell the surplus in the market.
8. The land tax was a share of the actual produce and was a major source of revenue for the Mughal ruling class.
9. The administration determined the productivity of the land and assessed the tax based on the total measurement.
10. Akbar promulgated the Zabt System (introduced by Todal Mal): money revenue rates were now fixed on each unit of area according to the crops cultivated.
11. The schedules containing these rates for different localities applicable year after year were called dasturs.
12. The urban economy was based on craft industry. Cotton textile industry employed large numbers of people as cotton carders, spinners, dyers, printers and washers. Iron, copper, diamond mining and gun making were other chief occupations.
13. Kharkhanas were workshops where expensive craft products were produced. The royal kharkhanas manufactured articles for the use of the royal family and nobility.
14. The excess production of the artisans was diverted to the merchants and traders for local and distant markets.