The Mughal Empire

952 Words2 Pages

The control of India would always be the crowning jewel in the vast vaults of the British Empire. India brought them riches that only they could supply, in spices and exotic food, cotton, silk, indigo dye, tea, and opium. With the help of all these riches it can almost be said that the British Empire was built on the backs of Indians. Due to this fact, Indian independence was a tough issue and England was hard pressed to let her go easily. But India was not always a British colony and has its own rich history to speak for itself. They would gain independence from the British with the help of Mahatma Gandhi and would achieve one of the only mostly peaceful power turnovers in history.
The leadership before the British arrived on the scene were the Mughal Empire which ruled most of India and Pakistan from the 16th to 17th centuries. Descended from Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mughal Empire was a central Asian ruler named Babar. Unable to rule in his ancestral lands Babar would turn his interests to India to satisfy his needs for power. Through diplomacy and war the Mughal Empire would conquer much of the surrounding land of India. This conquering would also allow for the spreading of their religious faith, Islam. The Islamic faith would be spread across South Asia, as well as the Muslim arts, traditions, customs, and culture. An interesting note of these Mughals Muslims were that they allowed Hindus to reach military and government positions. Many governments of the time were not so compassionate to those of other faiths. Hindu at the time and even currently today make up the majority of religious practitioners in India. Their religion believes in many gods and is characterized by a tolerance of other religions. The Mughal Empi...

... middle of paper ...

...d Pakistan be separated into two countries. Independence from Britain had been achieved and although many died, the policies set forth by Gandhi are attributed to the semi-peaceful transition of Indian power.
The loss of India will always be felt by the British, mourning the loss of their crowning jewel. For centuries India would bring the British Empire great untold riches and prominence. The British Empire was built on the backs of Indians and they were hard pressed to let her go easily. However, their loss has been to the gain of both the Indian people but to Pakistan as well. India can now speak for herself amongst the world and enjoy their own rich cultural and historical heritage. Within the country of India exists many different religions, traditions, art, and cultures that make it one country. It is now a thriving epicenter and boasts many modern amenities.

Open Document