10/20/2018 Mughal Tomb Gardens

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(/history_theory/garden_landscape_design_articles/west_asia) > Mughal Tomb Gardens
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Mughal Tomb Gardens Babur - First Mughal

Indian Gardens Emperor

(/history_theory/garden_landscape_design_articles/west_asia/indian_garden_hindu_buddhist)
Persian Gardens Humayun - Second Mughal
(/history_theory/garden_landscape_design_articles/west_asia/persian_gardens)
Emperor
Timurid Gardens
(/history_theory/garden_landscape_design_articles/west_asia/timurid_gardens)
Akbar - Third Mughal
Mughal Gardens
Emperor
(/history_theory/garden_landscape_design_articles/west_asia/mughal_garden_moghul_mogul)
West Asia (/history_theory/garden_landscape_design_articles/west_asia)
Jahangir - Fourth Mughal
Western authors write books about the 'Great Mughals', often without
Emperor
explaining wherein their greatness lay. Indian authors regard the Mughals
as cruel despots who exploited the Hindus, destroyed their temples and
stole their wealth. Use of the adjective 'great' implies disagreement with Shah Jahan - Fifth Mughal
the Indians. Emperor

Mughal rule in India lasted from 1526 to 1857 and the period of the first six
emperors (1526-1707) can be seen as greater than their successors' time Aurangzeb - Sixth Mughal
in two respects (1) it was a period of expansion (2) the artistic achievments Emperor
were superior. Yet the Mughal kings were cruel, sybaritic and excessively
self-important. Their tombs are set in gardens. Respected as shrines they
survive in good condition and are the places most deserving the
appellation 'Mughal Gardens': (1) they are unique as a garden type (2)
they represent both their creator's nomadic past and their desire to settle
(3) they epitomise the artistic and dynastic spirit of the Mughals.
Babur (1483-1530) Buried in his Agra garden (believed to be the Ram
Bagh (/garden/ram_bagh)) though his body was moved to the Bagh-e
Babur (/garden/bagh-e_babur) in Kabul. Babur was a warrior prince,
trained from birth to rule as much territory as he could seize. He was
moderate in his appetites, a reluctant husband, a keen naturalist and a
lover of gardens.
Humayun (1508-1556) Buried in a tomb garden in Delhi
(/garden/humayuns_tomb_garden). Humayun shared his father's tastes
but not his moderation. Nor did he have a military talent. He loved art,

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10/20/2018 Mughal Tomb Gardens

gardens, food, alcohol, opium and women.

Akbar (1542-1605) Buried in a tomb garden at Sikandra
(/garden/akbars_tomb_garden_at_sikandra), outside Agra. Akbar had a
ruthless military talent and wide cultural interests. He built a new capital at
Fatehpur Sikri. His biography is stomach-turningly fawning.
Jahangir (1569-1627) Buried in a tomb garden at Shahdara
(/garden/shahdara), outside Lahore, Pakistan. His name, adpoted when he
became emperor, means 'seizer of the world' but more of his life was spent
seizing food, drugs and women. He had an artistic sensibility and left a
readable memoir of his life.
Shah Jahan (1592-1666) Buried beside his wife in the Taj Mahal
(/garden/taj_mahal_garden), Agra. Like the best of his family, Shah Jahan
had both military and artistic talents. He became emperor in 1627 but after
his wife's death 4 years later, bearing their fourteenth child, he devoted his
energies to building her tomb. The last years of his life were spent as his
son's prisoner, in Agra Fort (/garden/agra_fort).

Aurangzeb (1618-1707) Buried in a simple tomb with no mausoleum, at

Khuldabad, outside Daulatabad (/garden/daulatabad). Aurangzeb was a
third son, a religious bigot and a crafty military leader. He had to imprison
his father and kill his brothers to obtain the throne. Most of his life was
then spent in fruitless warfare.
See also: online text of CM Villiers-Stuart Gardens of the great Mughals
(/book/cm_villiers_stuart_gardens_of_the_great_mughals/chapter_2_gardens_of_the_plains_-
_agra/islamic_mausoleum__gardens)

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