Section 4: India's Muslim Empires
The Gupta empire fell in 550. Sultan Mahmud of Ghanzi defeated the Hindus in the 1100s. Muslim rule caused a large change in Indian government and society. India was also heavily influenced by foreigners. The Sultans lost power because of the Tamerlane's invasion. India fell into unrest and fragmented into rival Hindu and Muslim states. Muslim conquest of Northern India inflicted disaster on Hindus and Buddhists. A reason there was so much conflict between the Muslims and Hindus is because they both have very different beliefs. Eventually the Muslim leaders grew more tolerant and accepted Hinduism as a monotheistic religion. Babur and his armies invaded India, took over, and set up the Mughal dynasty. The chief builder of the Mughal Empire was Babur's grandson Akbar. Shah- Jahan was ruler of the Mughal empire during its high point of literature, art and architecture.