Mughalera

Mughalera is a historical term occasionally used to describe the era of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent, roughly from the early 16th century to the mid-19th century. The term is not widely used in academic literature but appears in some encyclopedic compilations and popular histories as a shorthand for the period of Mughal rule.

Origin of the term is straightforward: it combines Mughal, from the dynasty founded by Babur, and era, indicating a distinctive period in South Asian history characterized by imperial ambitions, architectural patronage, and administrative innovations.

Geographically, the Mughal era spanned large portions of present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh at its height, with major administrative centers in Delhi, Agra, Lahore, and Fatehpur Sikri. The empire facilitated long-distance trade and fostered cultural exchange across regions.

Administratively, the Mughal state relied on centralized authority with a hierarchical nobility, including the mansabdari system for military recruitments and revenue administration. Persian served as the court language, while local languages flourished in provincial courts.

Culture and architecture flourished during the Mughal era, with notable monuments and refined arts, courtly music, gardening, and manuscript illumination. The period also saw the synthesis of Persianate culture with Indian artistic traditions and the rise of Urdu as a literary language.

Decline began in the late 17th and 18th centuries, due to internal strife, succession conflicts, and external pressures from rival powers and the rising British East India Company. The 1857 rebellion and the exile of Bahadur Shah II marked the formal end of Mughal sovereignty, though symbolic and cultural legacies persisted into the colonial era and beyond.