Mughal munificence: Care and concern for the poor in Islamic hindustan from Tuladan to the taj

Abstract

In spite of their extraordinary wealth, Mughal rulers were not indifferent to the plight of the poor as sometimes claimed. This is attested by contemporary accounts and chronicles, as well as by works of art and architecture. This chapter explores the diverse and creative expressions of care and concern for the poor as practiced by Mughal emperors and their wives from Akbar (r. 1556-1605) to Aurangzeb (r. 1658-1707) as expressions of both faith and royal munificence. Although they are often accused of being religiously unorthodox, Calabria argues that their actions were in fact rooted in their Muslim faith and inspired by the Qur’an, Sunna, and Sufism.