Essay On Mughal Architecture

Zahir al-Din Muhammad Babur was a founder of India’s Mughal Empire; furthermore, he was a Chaghatai-Turkish prince and a direct descendant not only of Timur but also of Chinggis Khan (Balabanlilar 2). There was an effective centralized rule that was provided by the Mughal dynasty to the Indian subcontinent during the first half of the Mughal period (Stearns 32).

Both the Mughal and Ottoman Empire started off as military clans. Osman Bey founded the Ottoman Empire, the chief of a semi-nomadic Turkish clan that settled in Northwestern Anatolia whose goal was to convert people into ghazi’s. While the Mughal Empire was founded by Babur a Chagatai Turk who claimed descendance from both Chinggis Khan and Tamerlane whose main goal was to create a strong Asian society. Over time, both the Ottoman and Mughal Empire created strong autocratic empires that reflected steppe traditions relying on bureaucracies lead mostly by men. Despite Islamic customs women played important political and government roles in the Islamic Empires, especially the wives of the emperors. Although the wives of the Mughal and Ottoman Emperor’s had privileges, the authority they had on the empires differed. Indeed, not only was the role of women impactful on the Islamic Empires, but also trade. On one hand, the Ottoman Empire focused on foreign trade to gain knowledge and expand their influences on societies. In contrast, the Mughals concentrated on domestic trade. All Islamic Empires had strong domestic economies but over time their economies declined due to the high cost of maintaining the military and administrative system.

For a great many years, architecture has been a breaking point for different artisticeras in history. Some of the most famous “works of art” have been chapels, temples, and tombs. Among the most dominant and influential eras of great architecture are the sophisticated, stoic Greeco-Roman periods and the more mystical, elemental Japanese eras. These two very distinct and very different eras have more in common than you may realize.

The Mughal Empire ruled most of India and Pakistan in the 16th and 17th centuries. The empire Islam in South Asia, and caused the spread of Muslim arts and culture as well as faith. The Mughals were Muslims who ruled a country with a large

The Mughal Empire: Zahir al-Din, also known as Babur, was a Chagatai Turk that, unlike the Ottoman and Safavids, was just a soldier of fortune not fighting on behalf of Islam. He wanted to use his fortune to transform a glorious central Asian empire. Although, he did not succeed at that goal he then focused on India. Babur took Delhi in 1526. He did not like the land that he had conquered, it was a hot and humid climate but, Babur decided to stay. By the time of his death he had embraced most of the Indian subcontinent. The height of the Mughal power and influence came from Babur’s grandson Akbar. He gained power in Gujarat and Bengal, destroyed the Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar in order to later expand in southern India. He was a thoughtful man who tolerated the religious differences in

The history of Architecture started long time ago. The nomadic were groups of people whom move from one place to another in order find shelter and food to survive. As they progress, their techniques to survive evolve. The need for a permanent shelter became vital for a better stability of the group. This is the time when the first structures that provided protection appeared. Post and lintel were the first forms of Architecture, that satisficed the basic needs. Architecture evolved to be more sophisticated and fulfill the people’s needs. Consequently, Architecture evolved throughout different periods such as: Ancient architecture, Romanesque, The medieval, Renaissance, Early modern, and the industrial age, Modernism and Contemporary

Religious Islamic architecture is intricately related to Muslim prayer which is an obligation to do every day. The Dome of the Rock was said to be the first great Islamic building. The Muslims had taken the city of Jerusalem in 638 created the shrine of worship to commemorate the event and the triumph of Islam. The Dome of the rock, similar to the Acropolis, was built atop holy ground. Called the Noble Enclosure, the site was where the Hebrews built the

“Architecture should not be seen as representing a magical transition from the worldly to the heavenly, as had been implied by the Baroque Style, but rather as a medium that told nothing less than the story of the “origins” of mankind.” (Ching 610)

“The good building is not one that hurts the landscape, but one which makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before the building was built” (Frank Lloyd Wright). Throughout the centuries, architecture has fascinated everyone. History is inscribed in buildings and they can express the political and economic power of a nation. Although time has gone by, buildings have not. You can still idolize ancient Egyptian and Greek architecture and see how the events that occurred at that time influenced them.

The reign of Muhammad Shah brought unsettlement to the Mughal Empire. The Iranian conqueror Nadir Shah’s short but destructive invasion of northern India in 1739 set back the empire. After his death in 1739 northern India was invaded by the Marathas and the Mughal reign was reduced to almost nothing. In 1858 the last Mughal was exiled by the British and the long-lasting reign of the Mughal Empire had

The Cathedral of Córdoba is officially called The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, but it was originally built by the Islamic Moors to be a place of worship for muslims. Historians believe that before the mosque was built, there was a temple to the Roman God Janus on the same site. That temple was then converted into a church by the Visigoths before they were conquered by the Moors. It was split in 2 and used as both a church and a mosque until it was torn down and replaced with the Mosque of Cordoba. In the year 784 AD, construction for the mosque started under the emir Abd Ar-Rahman 1. It took well over 2 centuries to finish, and even after it did it went through many changes. A new minaret was added, and some design changes were made including a more decorative mihrab (signals the direction of Kaaba, a place that is very holy to muslims), and a courtyard for orange trees was placed inside it. It reached its current size in the year 987 when construction was completed.

Agra was the capital of the Mughal Empire whereas Persian was the main language spoken by the people. The Mughals were mainly known for their rules, governance and dynasty. Like every other society or culture, there was a social hierarchy of tree of order followed among the Mughals and ancient Mughals as well. The society was divided into several segments or parts, each with its own importance, responsibilities, reputation and functions. At the top of the social hierarchy was the rich class who lived a luxurious life and had everything that wanted. This class ruled over the Indian subcontinent and made the rules, policies, and laws. They were headed by the King and emperor. The king made all the final decisions, and was the supreme power over the peoples. The hierarchy for this class goes like this, King, king’s council, decision makers, wazirs, queen, prince, princess, king’s grandsons and granddaughters, and the relatives of the king. The Middle class is right under the rich class on the hierarchy pyramid. The Middle class was the class of nobles who had high paying jobs and lived a comfortable lifestyle. They worked hard in the day and spent during the other parts of the day. They often owned their own land and worked for the king in some way, shape or form. The hierarchy for this class goes like this, merchants,

Abbas I a. removed heirs b. weak grandson inherited 2. decline began a. Internecine conflict, outside threats 3. 1772, Isfahan conquered by Afghanis 4. Nadir Khan Afshar a. shah, 1736 III. The Mughals and the Apex of Muslim Civilization in India 1.

The Taj Mahal is located on the right bank of the Yamuna River in a vast Mughal garden in the Agra District in Uttar Pradesh. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal with construction starting in 1632 AD and completed in 1648 AD. The existence of several historical and Quaranic inscriptions in Arabic script have facilitated setting the chronology of Taj Mahal. For its construction, masons, stone-cutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome builders and other artisans were requisitioned from the whole of the empire and also from the Central Asia and Iran. Ustad-Ahmad Lahori was the main architect of the Taj Mahal. The management of Taj Mahal complex is carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India and the legal protection of the monument and the control over the regulated area around the monument is through the various legislative and regulatory frameworks that have been established, including the Ancient Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 and Rules 1959 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains which is adequate to the overall administration of the property and buffer

The Taj Mahal is a prime example of India’s rich culture. A mix of Indian, Persian and Islamic characteristics, the two decade long project is a renowned “Wonder of the World” that boasts an emotional and romantic history; it was built by Emperor Shah Jahan of the Mughal era in a splendid tribute to his deceased wife. To this day, the Taj Mahal continues to be a famous landmark and cherished piece of Indian art.