Mughal Dynasty

The Mughal Dynasty (Mughal derived from Mongol), also called the Mughal Empire, ruled India during the time the Renaissance was happening in Europe. It lasted from 1526 to 1707. It was founded by a conqueror and warrior named Babur Beg, who was the great grandson of Tamerlane, the last great Mongol conqueror and descendant of Genghis Khan. As an empire, the Mughal Dynasty ruled most of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Many in the Mughal Dynasty followed the Muslim religion, as Babur Beg was a Muslim. There were also Hindu's and Sikh's too. The Sikh religion was founded in the 15th Century so it was very new in the Mughal Dynasty, Islam had been around since the 7th Century AD, and Hinduism had been in India since ancient times.

Traders in the Mughal Dynasty had silks, gold, spices, ivory from elephant tusks, and opium, a drug which was said to make you have "beautiful dreams". The drug was smoked in pipes and was made from a type of poppyseed plant they called "Opium poppy". Many Opium smokers died and the drug was banned in many countries.

The soldiers of the Mughal Dynasty rode on camels, horses, and elephants. They used a variety of weapons. They used muskets, pistols, swords, bows, battle axes, spears, maces, and knives. Many say that India was "well defended" in the time of the Mughal Dynasty. The animals they rode even had armor, and of course, most soldiers were equipped with shields.