Before the First Battle of Panipat, Babur sought divine favour by abjuring liquor, breaking the wine vessels, and pouring the wine down a well.

The Taj Mahal is described as "the jewel of Muslim art in India, and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage".

Humayun, who ruled from 1530 to 1556, was forced into exile in Persia by rebels.

The greater wealth in the Mughal courts resulting from the burgeoning European presence in the Indian Ocean led to more conspicuous consumption among the Mughal elite.

Babur is credited with establishing the Mughal Empire in India, after he defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526.

Mirza Nur-ud-din Beig Mohammad Khan Salim, known by his imperial name Jahangir (Persian for "conqueror of the world" (31 August 1569 - 28 October 1627)), was the fourth Mughal Emperor who ruled from 1605 until his death in 1627. Much romance has gathered around his name (Jahangir means 'conqueror of the world', 'world-conqueror' or 'world-seizer'; Jahan = world, gir the root of the Persian verb gereftan, gireftan = to seize, to grab), and the tale of his relationship with the Mughal courtesan, Anarkali, has been widely adapted into the literature, art and cinema of India.

Jahangir was the eldest surviving son of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Impatient for power, he revolted in 1599 while Akbar was engaged in the Deccan. Jahangir was defeated but ultimately succeeded his father as Emperor in 1605 because of the immense support and efforts of his step-mothers, Empress Ruqaiya Sultan Begum, Salima Sultan Begum and his grandmother, Hamida Banu Begum. These women wielded considerable influence over Akbar and favoured Jahangir as his successor. The first year of Jahangir's reign saw a rebellion organized by his eldest son Khusrau. The rebellion was soon put down; Khusrau was brought before his father in chains. After subduing and executing nearly 2000 members of the rebellion, Jahangir blinded his renegade son.

Jahangir built on his father's foundations of administration and his reign was characterized by political stability, a strong economy, and cultural achievements. The imperial frontiers continued to move forward-in Bengal, Mewar, Ahmadnagar and the Deccan. Later during his rule, Jahangir was battling his rebellious son Khurram in Hindustan. The rebellion of Khurram absorbed Jahangir's attention, so in the spring of 1623 he negotiated a diplomatic end to the conflict. Much of India was politically pacified; Jahangir's dealings with the Hindu rulers of Rajputana were particularly successful, and he settled the conflicts inherited from his father. The Hindu rulers all accepted Mughal supremacy and in return were given high ranks in the Mughal aristocracy.

Sher Shah Suri (1486-22 May 1545) was the founder of the Sur Empire in North India, with its capital at Delhi. An ethnic Pashtun, Sher Shah took control of the Mughal Empire in 1540. After his accidental death in 1545, his son Islam Shah became his successor. He first served as a private before rising to become a commander in the Mughal army under Babur and then the governor of Bihar. In 1537, when Babur's son Humayun was elsewhere on an expedition, Sher Shah overran the state of Bengal and established the Sur dynasty. A brilliant strategist, Sher Shah proved himself as a gifted administrator as well as a capable general. His reorganization of the empire laid the foundations for the later Mughal emperors, notably Akbar, son of Humayun.

During his five-year rule from 1540 to 1545, he set up a new civic and military administration, issued the first Rupiya and re-organized the postal system of India. He further developed Humayun's Dina-Panah city and named it Shergarh and revived the historical city of Pataliputra, which had been in decline since the 7th century CE, as Patna. He constructed the Grand Trunk Road from Chittagong in the frontiers of the province of Bengal in northeast India to Kabul in Afghanistan in the far northwest of the country.

The Mughal Empire was formally dissolved by the British Raj after the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

By the 17th century, Indians were manufacturing a diverse variety of firearms, including large guns that became visible in Tanjore, Dacca, Bijapur and Murshidabad.

Aurangzeb was the last major emperor of the Mughal Empire and his reign saw the empire reach its maximum geographical extent.