How a Timurid prince built a global economic superpower

History · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: From a small conquest in 1526 to controlling a quarter of the world's population, the Mughal Empire once defined the global economy. Discover how this dynasty of Timurid descendants transformed the Indian subcontinent into the world's manufacturing powerhouse.

The Mughal Empire began on 21 April 1526, when Babur, a Timurid prince from the Fergana Valley, established a foothold in the Indian subcontinent. As a direct descendant of both Genghis Khan and Timur, Babur laid the foundation for a dynasty that would expand significantly over the following centuries. While the empire's early years were defined by conquest, its later rulers integrated deeply with local nobility, with emperors born to Persian and Indian princesses, creating a complex web of lineage and alliance.

At its zenith, particularly during the reign of the sixth emperor, Aurangzeb, the empire functioned as the world's largest economy. It accounted for more than 25% of the global GDP and stood as a dominant manufacturing power. The empire's reach was vast, stretching from Kabul in the west to Dhaka in the east, and spanning from the northern heights of Kashmir down to the Kaveri River in the south. During this era, the empire's population was estimated at approximately 158,400,000 people, representing roughly one-quarter of the entire human population at the time.

However, the empire's absolute dominance was not permanent. Following 1707, the central authority began to decline rapidly. Although the dynasty nominally maintained control over various territories throughout the 18th century, its political influence shrank. The era of Mughal rule finally concluded on 21 September 1857, following the Indian Rebellion. The deposition of the last emperor, Bahadur Shah II, marked the end of the dynasty and the formal establishment of the British Raj.

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