In 1526, the battle between Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi and Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur marked the beginning of the Mughal Empire in India. Babur, descended from some of the world’s most successful conquerors, had long harbored ambitions of building his own empire and had turned his attention to India. His grandson, Akbar, consolidated Mughal power and established protections for peasants, while embarking on military campaigns to expand Mughal territory. Akbar also worked to create internal cohesion by appointing members of the Hindu majority to high positions in his government, marrying a Hindu bride, and distributing translated copies of the “Mahabharata,” an ancient Indian epic poem, to his Muslim nobles. He also hosted lively religious debates. The Mughals built architectural masterpieces such as the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. When Jahangir struggled with addiction, his wife, Nur Jahan, took the reins as co-ruler. Following the death of the sixth emperor, Aurangzeb, in 1707, seven emperors took the throne over the next 21 years. This turmoil enabled the British East India Company to take direct control of Bengal. By the 19th century, the East India Company had amassed significant political power and a large military, which included Indian soldiers. In 1857, these troops revolted in an attempt to oust the British and reinstate Mughal rule. The British government stepped in and replaced company rule with direct colonial rule, deposing the last Mughal emperor and sending him into exile. Consequently, after a span of three centuries, the Mughal Empire came to an end.