The Great Moghuls (film)
Encyclopedia
The Great Moghuls is a Channel Four Television documentary series covering the dramatic story of the rise of the Moghul Empire (1526-1857) of India
. Over six generations, from father to son, the Great Moghuls captured, consolidated and profoundly influenced control of the vast sub-continent of India. The six-part series was written and presented by Bamber Gascoigne
based upon his 1971 book of the same name. It was produced and directed by Douglas Rae
and filmed in India.
(reigned 1526–1530) and ending with Aurangzeb
(r. 1658-1707). The second Mughal ruler, Humayun
(r. 1530-1556), does not have his own film, but his successor Akbar (r. 1556-1605) gets two. The carefully researched series has excellent photography and a script by the urbane narrator and television personality Bamber Gascoigne. Gascoigne also wrote an accompanying book for the series: The Great Moghuls (NY: Harper & Row, 1971), which he had actually completed almost 20 years before.
in 1526 came the founder of the great Moghul Empire, Babur. He rode around with a small band of followers seizing villages and cattle. By the time he came into India, he had built up a sizeable army and had firearms which helped him to win battles that enabled him to crown himself Emperor of India
.
near Agra
we discover how a Great Moghul lived. Also examined are Akbar's first contacts with Europeans and his obsession with religion.
resistance to his attempts to impose Islam hastened his decline.
(r. 1605-1627) — more the aesthete and less the man of action than his father—is the right person to enjoy it. Meanwhile drama is provided by the rivalries which surround the emperor, especially between his wife and son.
(r. 1628-1658) was something of an enigma. After murdering several relatives to secure the throne for himself, he built the world's most famous monument to love, the Taj Mahal
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Over six generations, from father to son, the Great Moghuls captured, consolidated and profoundly influenced control of the vast sub-continent of India. The six-part series was written and presented by Bamber Gascoigne
Bamber Gascoigne
Bamber Gascoigne, FRSL is a British television presenter and author, most known for being the original quizmaster on University Challenge.-Biography:...
based upon his 1971 book of the same name. It was produced and directed by Douglas Rae
Douglas Rae
Douglas Rae is a Scottish businessman. At present he is chairman of the Golden Casket confectionery corporation , as well as chairman of Greenock Morton.-References:...
and filmed in India.
Description
The Great Moghuls is six-part series of half-hour films devoted to the most important of the Mughal emperors, starting with the founder of the dynasty, BaburBabur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
(reigned 1526–1530) and ending with Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
(r. 1658-1707). The second Mughal ruler, Humayun
Humayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...
(r. 1530-1556), does not have his own film, but his successor Akbar (r. 1556-1605) gets two. The carefully researched series has excellent photography and a script by the urbane narrator and television personality Bamber Gascoigne. Gascoigne also wrote an accompanying book for the series: The Great Moghuls (NY: Harper & Row, 1971), which he had actually completed almost 20 years before.
1. “Babur”
Through the Khyber PassKhyber Pass
The Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road. It is mentioned in the Bible as the "Pesh Habor," and it is one of the oldest known passes in the world....
in 1526 came the founder of the great Moghul Empire, Babur. He rode around with a small band of followers seizing villages and cattle. By the time he came into India, he had built up a sizeable army and had firearms which helped him to win battles that enabled him to crown himself Emperor of India
Emperor of India
Emperor/Empress of India was used as a title by the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II, and revived by the colonial British monarchs during the British Raj in India....
.
2. “Akbar”
In Akbar's great palace city at Fatehpur SikriFatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri is a city and a municipal board in Agra district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Built near the much older Sikri, the historical city of Fatehabad, as it was first named, was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570...
near Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
we discover how a Great Moghul lived. Also examined are Akbar's first contacts with Europeans and his obsession with religion.
3. “The Young Akbar”
When the second Emperor Humayun died suddenly, his thirteen year old son was crowned Emperor. He was called Akbar, meaning "Great". He would grow up to amply deserve the name, for he was the greatest of the Great Moghuls.4. “Aurangzeb”
Aurangzeb murdered two brothers to inherit the throne and imprisoned his father. He greatly extended the Moghul Empire, but HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
resistance to his attempts to impose Islam hastened his decline.
5. “Jahangir”
The stability of the previous reign continues, and JahangirJahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
(r. 1605-1627) — more the aesthete and less the man of action than his father—is the right person to enjoy it. Meanwhile drama is provided by the rivalries which surround the emperor, especially between his wife and son.
6. “Shah Jahan”
Shah JahanShah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
(r. 1628-1658) was something of an enigma. After murdering several relatives to secure the throne for himself, he built the world's most famous monument to love, the Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
.