Product Description

The Mughal empire (1526-1857) has long been viewed as a wonderland of unimaginable treasure; it was in fact the mightiest Islamic empire in the history of India. In this comprehensive cultural history, Annemarie Schimmel describes the political, military and economic rise of the Mughals, their system of rule, the incredible unfolding of their power and splendour, and their gradual collapse, finally supplanted by the British colonial empire in 1857. Beginning with a concise historical overview, she paints a detailed picture of life at court: of rank and status in this strictly hierarchical society; of the life of women; of the various religions, languages and literatures of the Mughal era; of the patronage of the arts by the rulers; and the remarkable accomplishments and techniques of artists at the Mughal court. Who, for example, has not heard of the Taj Mahal, the renowned mausoleum that the emperor Shah Jahan constructed for his wife in the Indian city of Agra? This amazing edifice of white marble, inlaid with a filigree of precious stones, is an impressive demonstration of the refined sense of beauty of the Mughal rulers. Building and landscape architecture, painting and literature, indeed, the entire court culture of the Mughals testifies to an aesthetic sensibility within which they strove to harmonise all aspects of life. "The Empire of the Great Mughals" is a richly illustrated and fascinating portrait of an advanced oriental civilization, the historical and cultural legacy of which still inspires universal admiration today.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #132042 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

About the Author
Annemarie Schimmel (1922-2003) was Professor of Indo-Muslim Culture at Harvard and Bonn, and published widely in the field of oriental art and culture.

Customer Reviews

All the glory of the Mughal era
Having purchased other books on this subject I was extremely impressed with A.M. Schimmel's approach in her book. She begins by detailing the life and achievements of the first six mughal rulers (Babur to Aurangzeb), followed by a section on the last 150 years of decline when the rulers changed in quick succession. The book then goes on to discuss this wonderful period of the history of the subcontinent in the context of developments in art and literature and all aspects of culture from marriage to fashion. In this manner the book lends itself to being a handy reference text and the illustrations are a real treat. The author's knowledge on the subject is quite staggering and a real love of this glorious period in history shines through. Proud to own this one.