Medieval and Islamic History

Sir Thomas Roe, the English ambassador, visited India during the reign of Emperor Jahangir (1605-1627). He arrived in 1614 and spent four years at the Mughal court, establishing the first formal English contact with the Mughal Empire.

Shah Jahan (reigned 1628-1658) shifted the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi in 1648, founding the new city of Shahjahanabad (now Old Delhi). He built the Red Fort and the famous Jama Masjid in Delhi. Jehangir ruled from Agra and Lahore, while Aurangzeb and Humayun did not make this shift.

Babur laid the foundation of Mughal Empire by defeating Ibrahim Lodi in the first Battle of Panipat  in 1526.

Muhammad Shah 'Rangeela' (reigned 1719-1748) was the last Mughal emperor to sit on the original Peacock Throne (Takht-i-Taus). The throne was looted and taken to Persia by Nadir Shah in 1739 during his invasion of Delhi. Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last Mughal emperor but ruled long after the Peacock Throne was gone.

Amir Khusrau (1253-1325), the famous Sufi poet and musician in the court of Alauddin Khilji, is credited with inventing the sitar. He is also associated with other musical innovations and was a pioneer in Indo-Persian musical fusion. The sarod, tabla, and shehnai have different origins and attributions.

The Shahnama (Book of Kings) is a monumental epic poem written by the Persian poet Firdausi (also spelled Ferdowsi) around 1000 CE. It chronicles the mythical and historical history of Iran from the creation of the world to the Islamic conquest. Firdausi spent over 30 years composing this 60,000-verse masterpiece at the court of Mahmud of Ghazni.

Muhammad bin Qasim invaded Sindh in 712 CE, making him the first Muslim invader of the Indian subcontinent. He was sent by the Umayyad Caliphate and defeated Raja Dahir of Sindh. Mahmud of Ghazni came later (11th century), while Babur founded the Mughal Empire in the 16th century.

Akbar started Din-i-Ilahi (Divine Faith) in 1582, combining elements from Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity. Jahangir and Shah Jahan were his successors, while Muhammad bin Tughluq was a 14th-century Sultan.

During Akbar's reign, the Prime Minister was known as 'Vakil'. The Sadr-us-Sadr was the head of the judicial department, Mir Bakshi was in charge of the military, and Diwan or Wazir was the finance minister.

The Buland Darwaza (Gate of Victory) was built by Akbar in 1575 to commemorate his successful conquest of Gujarat in 1573. It stands 54 meters high and is the highest gateway in the world. The conquest of Gujarat was a significant military achievement that brought immense wealth to the Mughal Empire.

During Akbar's reign, the 'Vakil' was the designation for the position equivalent to a Prime Minister. The Vakil was responsible for overseeing administrative matters and acted as the sovereign's representative.

Ruler Dahar (Dahir) of Sindh was defeated by the Arab forces led by Muhammad bin Qasim in 712 CE. This marked the beginning of Muslim rule in the Indian subcontinent.

The Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar, Kashmir, is a sacred Muslim site that houses a holy relic believed to be a hair of Prophet Muhammad. It was built in honor of Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani (also known as Nund Rishi), a 15th-century Kashmiri Sufi saint who played a key role in spreading Islam in the Kashmir Valley. The shrine's name means 'majestic place' and it's one of the most revered Muslim shrines in India.

Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveler, visited India during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325-1351 CE) in the 14th century. He wrote detailed accounts of the Delhi Sultanate. Alauddin Khilji ruled earlier (13th-14th century), while Balban and Mahmud of Ghazni were from even earlier periods.