The Mughal Dynasty ruled India for over 300 years, from 1526 to 1857. This period is often considered one of the most important in Indian history, marked by significant contributions in architecture, culture, art, and governance. The Mughal Empire , (Persian language: مغل بادشاۿ) was an empire that at its greatest territorial extent ruled parts of Afghanistan, Balochistan and most of the Indian Subcontinent between 1526 and 1857. The empire was founded by the Mongol leader Babur in 1526, when he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Afghan Lodi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat, where they used gunpowder for the first time in India. The Mughal Empire is known as a “gunpowder empire.” The word ... The Mughal Empire had a highly centralised, bureaucratic government, most of which was instituted during the rule of the third Mughal emperor, Akbar. [87][70] The central government was headed by the Mughal emperor; immediately beneath him were four ministries. The Mughal Empire left an enduring legacy in South Asia. Its contributions to art, architecture (Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Fatehpur Sikri)
