Shah Jahan (1628-1658) and Aurangzeb Alamgir (1658-1707)

Shah Jahan was the fifth Mughal Emperor of India, considered to be one of the greatest of the Mughals. He was the son of Emperor Jahangir and the grandson of Akbar the Great. He was very close to his grandfather and after ascending to the throne he took forward Akbar’s legacy and embarked on several military campaigns to expand his vast empire. As the third son born to Emperor Jahangir, initially it seemed unlikely that he would be the chosen heir to succeed his father. with time he became very ambitious for the throne and started eliminating all the brothers and nephews who he considered to be threats. He also grew closer to his father and was named the emperor upon Jahangir’s death. As the emperor, he focused on expanding the vast Mughal Empire and became known for his love of architecture. During his reign, India became the richest center of the arts, crafts and architecture. Shah Jahan is best known for constructing the Taj Mahal which he built in the memory of his wife the empress.

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