ABSTRACT
The depiction of Mughal rule in India, which covers the period ranging from the early sixteenth century to the middle of the eighteenth, is more nuanced than the outline of the Sultanate period. It is, however, rather inconsistent. In the introduction to this section, the textbook states: ‘Unlike the fractious Sultanate period when the state resembled a theatre of war, Mughal rule is regarded as a time when contentious issues of religion and politics were placed on the back-burner and the splendour of monarchy took centre-stage’. 1 The textbook does emphasize the splendour of monarchy, yet, contrary to the statement above, it continues to highlight religiously motivated warfare conducted by a majority of Mughal rulers. Hence, the Mughal era is grasped within a narrative of continuity rather than rupture with the Sultanate period.
