The Mughal Empire was the most powerful Islamic empire in the history of India, and it has lived for centuries
in the Western imagination as a wonderland of unimaginable treasures, symbolized most clearly by the breathtaking
beauty of the Taj Mahal. This richly illustrated cultural history dispels the air of exoticism and mystery with
which Westerners have often viewed the Mughals, but in doing so The Empire of the Great Mughals reveals that the
cultural and artistic achievements of the Mughal Empire are no less astonishing when viewed in the cold light of
historical fact.
Ranging from the founding of the empire in 1526 through its absorption into the British Empire in 1857, The Empire
of the Great Mughals explores all aspects of the culture of this mighty civilization. Annemarie Schimmel paints
a detailed picture of life at court, particularly for women, and the fine gradations of rank and status in the
strictly hierarchical Mughal society. She details the interplay of the various religions, languages, and literatures
of the era and the role played by imperial patronage in the creation of Mughal artwork, especially the creation
of the Taj Mahal, built as a mausoleum for the wife of the emperor Shah Jahan. Throughout, Schimmel shows how a
clear aesthetic sensibility permeated every aspect of Mughal court culture through which the Mughals attempted
to bring all facets of life into harmony.
Infused with illustrations depicting the greatest works of Mughal art and architecture, The Empire of the Great
Mughals is an incomparable portrait of a refined society whose achievements still inspire awe and admiration today.
Table of Contents
Foreword
1 Historical introduction
2 At court
3 The empire
4 Religion
5 Women at court
6 The imperial household and housekeeping
7 The life of a Mirza
8 Languages and literature
9 The arts
