Customer Reviews

The New Cambridge History of India, Volume 1, Part 5: The Mughal Empire

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This book is an excellent source of information about the mughal dynasty. It is written in a chronological manner and hence, easy to read and follow even for the novice user to this subject. The author has stuck to the main theme of the lives of the emperors themselves, their artistic contribution to India and the people that influenced them. The facts about the emperors especially Jahangir, Shahjahan , the Rajput kings, Shivaji's greatness and Shambhaji's misadventures makes it an interesting read. I feel that this book brings forth the facts that are not widely known or mentioned in school history books that brings forth some suprises and hence makes it an interesting read.

Dr. Richards' otherwise excellent book about the Mughal Empire is marred by his failure to pay very much attention to its women. Gulbadan is mentioned but once, Jodh Bai, Shah Jahan's mother, not at all, Nur Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal only peripherally. Are the Mughal chronicles themselves similarly silent about these women? Since Gulbadan wrote her own, one must say no.