#1 – Raiders from the North
Ferghana, 1494. Twelve-year-old Babur inherits a vulnerable Central Asian kingdom and the burden of descent from Timur and Chagatai Khan. Rival princes, Uzbek armies and betrayal within his own household repeatedly strip him of territory, but defeat strengthens his determination to recover Samarkand and establish a…
#2 – Empire of the Moghul: Brothers at War
Agra, 1530. Humayun inherits Babur’s newly founded empire, but the throne brings him neither security nor unquestioned loyalty. His half-brothers Kamran, Askari and Hindal measure their own claims against his, while Afghan resistance gathers behind Sher Shah and exposes the weakness of Mughal control. Military defeat…
#3 – Empire of the Moghul: Ruler of the World
Akbar inherits the Mughal throne while still a boy and must survive a court shaped by regents, rival nobles and the memory of his father’s exile. As he takes command of his own government, he expands the empire through siege, diplomacy and marriage, building authority over…
#4 – Empire of the Moghul: The Tainted Throne
Agra, 1606. Salim has become Emperor Jahangir after rebelling against Akbar, but possession of the throne cannot free him from the pattern of dynastic conflict. His sons judge his weaknesses and prepare their own claims, while wine, opium and the demands of rule make him increasingly…
#5 – Empire of the Moghul: The Serpent’s Tooth
Shah Jahan secures the Mughal throne through the ruthless traditions of his dynasty and presides over an empire of extraordinary wealth. The death of his wife Mumtaz Mahal changes the centre of his reign: grief withdraws him from his family and drives the construction of the…
#6 – Empire of the Moghul: Traitors in the Shadows
Aurangzeb rules after defeating his brothers and imprisoning his father, but victory leaves him surrounded by suspicion. Determined to restore the empire to what he regards as the true path, he extends military campaigns and imposes a stricter vision of kingship while questioning the loyalty of…