The Princes of the Mughal Empire, 1504–1719

by Munis D. Faruqui

For more than 200 years, the Mughal emperors ruled supreme in northern India. How was it possible that a Muslim, ethnically Turkish, Persian-speaking dynasty established itself in the Indian subcontinent to become one of the largest and most dynamic empires on earth? In this rigorous new interpretation of the period, Munis D. Faruqui explores Mughal state formation through the pivotal role of the Mughal princes. In a challenge to previous scholarship, the book suggests that far from undermining the foundations of empire, the court intrigues and political backbiting that were features of Mughal political life – and that frequently resulted in rebellions and wars of succession – actually helped spread, deepen, and mobilize Mughal power through an empire-wide network of friends and allies. This engaging book, which trawls a vast archive of European and Persian sources, takes the reader from the founding of the empire under Babur to its decline in the 1700s. When the princely institution atrophied, so too did the Mughal Empire.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, India

362 pages, Hardcover

First published July 16, 2012

Reviews

[KDB · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best works on the Mughal empire that has come out of late. Munis marks some crucial departures from the dominant narratives that have been constructed by scholars of Mughal empire. One of the most crucial departures is Munis' emphasis on the princely household which he argues was crucial to the formation or rather strengthening of the Mughal empire. All the princely wars of succession, pricey rebellions, Munis argues ended up consolidating the Mughal empire. As the princes had to develop and establish their own distinct households to further their hopes of becoming emperor, new peoples and new regions came into the fold of the empire.

[Emaad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit dense and disjointed in some places, this book is nonetheless quite interesting and presents an alternative view of the wars of succession that break out between the princes on the king's death. But a relief to read detailed stuff on the Mughals.

[Truls Ljungström · Rating 5 out of 5]

En mycket intressant bok. Dess tes är att de ständiga upproren och anarki-perioderna mellan regeringar som präglade de första generationerna Moghulkejsare snarare var en anledning till deras framgång, än ett svaghetstecken. Denna tes stöder författaren på en hur nätverksbyggande bland de konkurrerande prinsarna stärkte staten som helhet, och bidrog till dess förmåga att absorbera nya elitgrupper och kompensera för fanatism. Författaren verkar vilja dra vidare växlar på detta, men gör det mer i introduktionen än i slutsatserna. Är man historieintresserad, en aspirerande författare/spelledare, eller en politiknörd, kommer man att uppskatta denna. Dessutom är den i alla fall hyfsat välskriven.

[Revanth Ukkalam]

Munis Faruqui has a great pen: he here and there gives hope that indeed academic writing can be exciting. One can have fun speaking about administrative structure of Mughal establishment (s)?
However the details while being entertaining can often overpopulate the book and shroud its main point.

[Milpool · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rigorous analysis of how the institution of the prince shifted from the Babur/Humayan appanage system to post-Akbar succession. Faruqui argues that conflict between princes in fact fortified Mughal hegemony rather than eroding it. Detailed but clear with plenty of fascinating anecdotes.