ABSTRACT
For almost two centuries before the Mughals came to India, Muslim-ruled states in central and southern India were sophisticated and cosmopolitan polities. Most of them were led by Shi‘ites and were characterized by Persian culture. Then, in 1526, Babur created the Mughal Empire, which dominated the Indo-Gangetic plain and southern Afghanistan. Its artistic and architectural achievements and its imperial aura had long-lasting effects on the Indian subcontinent.
