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marks the beginning of the Mughal Empire. The forces of Babur, a Central Asian ruler who was descended from the Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan, defeat the Lodi Empire of Northern India. Babur's rule is marked by ongoing wars of aggression.
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Due to instability within the empire, Babur's death in 1530 leads to difficulties with his son Humayun's succession.
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In 1531, Humayun gains the throne
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Sher Shah Suri, the leader of the rival Sur dynasty, drives Humayun out of India and seizes power in 1540.
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On July 23, 1555, Humayun takes advantage of the deaths of both Sher Shah Suri and his son and successor, Islam Shah, to march an army provided by his Persian allies back to India. He puts the army under the leadership of Bairam Khan, who proves himself a much more skilled tactician. He retakes Delhi for Humayun and restores the Mughals to power.
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On January 27, 1556, shortly after retaking power, Humayun stops for daily prayer in the middle of carrying books down a flight of stairs and trips. He is fatally injured and dies three days later.
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On November 5, 1556, under Bairam Khan, the Mughal army defeats the Surs and solidifies Akbar's control.
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On January 31, 1561, under the guidance of his mother and other supporters, Akbar strips Bairam Khan of the regency, and Khan is assassinated on a journey to Mecca.
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Though Jahangir, Akbar's oldest son, is the declared successor, he impatiently leads a revolt against his father in 1599 while Akbar is occupied in a foreign military campaign.
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Jahangir succeeds as emperor, thanks to the immense support of the harem women. His eldest son, Khusrau Mirza, unsuccessfully rebels against him. Jahangir kills all his son's supporters and blinds his son.
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In 1628 Jahangir dies on his way back from a visit to Kashmir and is succeeded by his third son, Shah Jahan.
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In 1632 Shah Jahan begins construction on the Taj Mahal in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
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Shah Jahan falls ill in 1658, and his eldest son, Dara Shikoh, becomes regent for him.
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In 1659 Aurangzeb defeats Dara Shikoh and has him executed. Though Shah Jahan has recovered by this point, Aurangzeb declares him unfit for rule and has him imprisoned.
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Aurangzeb's son, Shah Alam, succeeds him in 1707 and tries to undo the disastrous policies of his father, but it is too little, too late. The empire descends into chaos and violent feuds after his death and starts to break up.
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By 1858 the British East India Company has become the protector of the Mughal Empire, using it to solidify their claim on trade with India.
